Poverty in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong

Countless senior citizens still work hard beyond retirement age to support themselves. (Photo: Tai Ngai Lung)

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Poverty in Hong Kong

Oxfam works to build a fairer society in Hong Kong. We believe that an affluent city like Hong Kong should guarantee a decent life for all citizens.

Yet in 2021, according to the Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report for 2020, before policy intervention, 23.6 per cent of Hong Kong’s population – 1.653 million people – live in poverty. In 2016, Hong Kong’s Gini coefficient before tax and welfare transfer stood at 0.539 – 0.002 higher than five years ago; after tax and welfare transfer Hong Kong’s Gini coefficient still stood at 0.473, which are both the highest in 45 years, clearly indicating that Hong Kong's is one the most unequal developed economies in the world.

Oxfam Hong Kong believes that one of the signs of success in a society is a narrow gap between the rich and poor; success should not be based on the exploitation of the poorest. In a fair society, nobody should be left behind, even when it experiences growth, development and prosperity.

The Four Poverties in Hong Kong

 

How Oxfam is fighting poverty in Hong Kong

Oxfam has been active in Hong Kong since the 1970s and set up a domestic programme team in 1996. Through the years, we have been focused on gender equity and the rights of ethnic minorities, as well as working and elderly poverty. By supporting local organisations, we serve and empower people in need, and advocate for policy changes, like introducing a living wage, that improve society at large.

To achieve fairness in society, Oxfam also advocates for corporate social responsibility (CSR). We have conducted pioneering research on the CSR performance of Hang Seng Index constituent companies and have been urging regulatory bodies to raise their ESG reporting standards. We have also been encouraging corporates to implement good policies and offer decent wages to producers and workers in their supply chains to alleviate poverty.
 

Learn more about our work

 

 

Fighting poverty relies heavily on good partnerships that complement one another. 

See how we work with some of our partners in this video!

 

Download our leaflet: Oxfam's work in Hong Kong

leaflet