(V) Race Discrimination

Under the Race Discrimination Ordinance ("RDO"), it is unlawful to discriminate, harass and vilify a person on the ground of his/her race. With the RDO in place, people of different races can live and work as one community. The RDO offers protection in several areas including the following:

• employment;
• education;
• provision of goods, facilities or services;
• disposal or management of premises;
• eligibility to vote for and to stand for election to public bodies, etc;
• offering of a pupillage or tenancy in a barrister's chambers;
• participation in clubs.

The RDO provides the following exceptions under which the decisions made because of, or having an impact on, race would not be unlawful:

• genuine occupational qualification (RDO section 11);
• employment intended to provide training for skills to be used outside Hong Kong (RDO section 12);
• employment of persons with special skills, knowledge or experience (RDO section 13);
• existing local and overseas employment terms (RDO section 14);
• cemetery, crematorium or columbarium;
• special measures.

1. Is there any grace period under the Race Discrimination Ordinance ("RDO")? If so, when does it end? To which group of people does it apply?



2. Does the RDO cover all employers in Hong Kong?



3. Do employers of foreign domestic helpers who select their helpers on the basis of race violate the RDO?



4. What is Race?



5. Is the RDO applicable to discrimination on the ground of religion?



6. What is racial discrimination?



7. What is discrimination by way of victimization?



8. What is racial harassment?



9. What is racial vilification?



10. Can an employer refuse to offer me a job interview or position in his/her organisation because I am a Filipino and cannot read Chinese?