Plugging the Justice Gap for Minorities under the Law: Applied Intersectionality Research and Substantive Equality​

Summary: 

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WSRC Convener Puja Kapai's work on the rights and the status of Hong Kong's ethnic minorities in law has been an influential body of work, shedding light on the injustices and discrimination ethnic minorities face as a result of their status. Puja's work used an intersectional lens to highlight to the government and other relevant stakeholders the multifaceted nature of the ethnic minority experience in Hong Kong and how that impacts their livelihoods when policymaking ignores their intersectional identities. 

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Since 2012, Puja has compiled strong evidence on the extent of discrimination, unconscious bias and unfair practices in Hong Kong, which she has presented to the government and international organisations. She has also conducted training sessions for non-governmental organisations, corporations and the Equal Opportunities Commission on these issues, and brought together a wide range of stakeholders for roundtable discussions on the plight of domestic workers, ethnic minority children and the victims of sexual violence.

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“People talk about gender-based discrimination or violence, or racial discrimination, but what my work highlights is that people are more than just a single identity holder. We inhabit multiple identities and when you locate and recognise the multifaceted identities all together in one person, that creates distinct vulnerability and disadvantage, which needs to be understood. We cannot develop effective laws or policies unless we can understand the populations we serve. I want to raise awareness about this across the societal, professional, governmental and non-governmental sectors”. 

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Puja's body of work on this issue has had an immense impact on various sectors involved with the ethnic minority community in Hong Kong and has truly brought about a change in the discourse surrounding ethnic minorities. 

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Research Impact 

• For a complete list of the vast and far reaching impact of this project, please click here.