| Bureau / Department |
Social Welfare Department (SWD) |
| Objective |
The Central Fund for Personal Computer was set up in 1997 to assist people with disabilities in acquiring computer facilities for the purpose of income-generating work. |
| Content |
People with disabilities receiving rehabilitation services from SWD, subvented non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department and with nomination from these organisations are eligible to apply. Guidance and follow-up services are provided by the nominating organisations. |
| Groups / Persons Affected |
People with disabilities. |
| Impact |
Gender awareness of staff implementing the programme has been enhanced. All the male and female disabled applicants will continue to be treated equally in the vetting of applications. The viability of the proposals and the extent of benefit to individual applicants are important considerations for approving the applications.
Having examined the existing application procedures and operation of the programme, it is considered not necessary to have any institutional changes for promoting gender mainstreaming at the present moment as the spirit of gender equality has been closely observed.
The concept of gender equality/mainstreaming has been observed through the following means:
- No restrictions or limitations, even of a temporary nature, have been imposed on any target groups, e.g. women with disabilities, of the programme.
- The medium of promotion of the programme e.g. through local press and invitation to NGOs could effectively reach all target groups including women with disabilities.
- No difference in vetting criteria. The same criteria are applied to all applications.
- Surveys have been conducted to collect views from NGOs and applicants on the effectiveness of the programme. No concern has been raised on gender issue.
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| Success Factor / Lessons Learned |
- Statistics on sex of the applicants were collected after applying gender mainstreaming. It was revealed that the percentage of female successful applicants of the batch in mid-2003 was 26.3% while that in the batch in late 2005 was 43.8% and in mid-2008 was 50%. The increase of female-male ratio reflected that more women with disabilities were prepared to lead a more independent living by starting their own self-employed business with the computer facilities. This might be attributed to public education on gender equality as well as increased provision of IT education in the community.
- Staff's sensitivity to gender equality and gender difference was further raised in handling fund applications, rendering services and formulating policies. Reference had been made to the Gender Mainstreaming Checklist by staff. Male and female disabled applicants were treated equally all the time unless there was special consideration.
- Staff also reported that they would discuss issues of gender equality in their daily private life, which was attributed to the fact that the awareness of the said issues was raised by the programme.
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