Wong Pik Wan (China, Hong Kong SAR)


Christian and democracy

 

Hong Kong as a developed city in Asia, you may think the gender problem is not exist. Women in Hong Kong are free to choose their jobs, have chance to study, some of them even as the government officers. However, there were a long period of time that women are marginalized in social movement and political organizations.

 

Wong Pik-wan, Helena was the only female in Joint Committee on the Promotion of Democratic Government (JGPDG) which was aim at organizing different political parties (pan-democrat) and discussing the strategies for the election in 1988. Although Helena did join the election, she still strove for women’s representation and their voices in social movement as she said women are citizens and members of social movements, therefore, how can we achieve democracy when some of our citizens are being excluded.

 

Apart from working in JGPDG and striving for women’s representation, Helena also invited religious groups to fight for democracy as she thought democracy cannot be pursued by few political parties, but also opinions and representatives from different sectors. Therefore, before 1988 elections, she also invited religious groups to carry out signature campaign to show their supports to democracy or the election.

 

In 1990, she organized a public assembly to against undemocratic components of Basic Law (Law of Hong Kong), but later on, she and her friends were sued by police as they did not have the permission to use the speaker. Helena and her friends rejected to pay the fines, and insisted a court hearing to let others to know this legal provision was so absurd. After interrogation, Helena won the lawsuit as police denial.

 

Twenty years later, Helena no longer as a secretary in political organization, but she is now a parliamentarian continue to fight for democracy.

 

Written by Yip Wing Sze