Passionate Advocacy for Gender Equality

“I believe learning and education don’t just happen in the classroom,” says Rachel Yue, a Year 4 student completing her degree of Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences at HKU.   

Rachel recently took on the role of presenter at a parallel event held in Hong Kong as part of the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the UN’s largest annual conference to address issues surrounding gender equality and women’s empowerment. After the students expressed interest in participation, the shortlisted candidates went through multiple rounds of rigorous interview process before getting chosen to represent Hong Kong and their universities at the Conference and its associated events. Rachel asserts, “I believe that as a female student I have the power to make changes and this is the chance for me to voice my opinions.” 

At the UNCSW68 presentation, her subject matter was financial literacy and how to close the poverty gap and gender pay gap for women, a topic that piqued Rachel’s interest after meeting her mentor Dr. David Tan at her UN Development Programme (UNDP) internship during her gap year. The Head of Experimentation for UNDP Accelerator Lab Malaysia, Dr. Tan was her supervisor at the programme, a gender equity advocate and a Respectful Workplace Facilitator. Not only has he written extensively on the subject of inclusive workplace arrangements, he is also a male ally that advocates for women’s rights in the workplace. “He always encourages me to voice out any issues. His actions inspired me to think, as a woman, how I can do more to achieve gender equality,” Rachel explains. 

She recalls seeing a Hong Kong online shopping platform’s advertisement that highlights women’s extensive involvement in household chores. It urged her to question these stereotypical gender roles and drew her towards wanting to learn more about female empowerment. “Throughout history, women were seen as the weaker sex, and yet, we still found the courage to step up and voice our opinions. This made me reflect on my own experiences and how I could do more to contribute to society.” 

In Hong Kong, female students continue to outnumber male students in universities. This should indicate a stronger representation of female students, so why do we need to talk about female empowerment at university? “Because this disparity only happens when women leave school and enter the workplace. When they want to advance to a higher position, they may face the glass ceiling or family responsibilities, or they are discriminated for their biological traits,” Rachel says. “This is why university is such an important place to convey knowledge and concepts to female students, that they have the power to stand up for their rights when they face any difficulties or obstacles after they join the work force.” 

For Rachel, HKU not only offers her ample opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities and top-tier events like the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, but also a place where she can meet other incredible students and teachers of diverse backgrounds who share their unique perspectives and insights. From advocating for climate change to aspiring to start social enterprises, these passionate individuals inspire Rachel to seek out their voices and put thought into how she can also make a difference in this world.  

While becoming a speech therapist seems to be the obvious career path for Rachel, she believes it is important to keep an open mind as she explores different areas of interest. “Minoring in Science Entrepreneurship really inspires me to start a social enterprise tackling different social issues. Maybe I’ll try to explore more on how I, as a Hongkonger, can be represented on the international stage,” she remarks. “I think there are lots that we can do. I’m not just focusing on a local level, but how we can achieve more on an international level.”  

 “I’m very grateful for the people I’ve met during my journey who have offered me advice on how I can improve myself. I may not have a definite answer on what I want to be, but I definitely want to make positive changes for the betterment of society.”