Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai pledged yesterday that the local government will continue to join hands with all sectors of Macau’s civil society to strengthen support for the development of women’s causes in Macau, while effectively safeguarding women’s various legitimate rights and interests, allocating more welfare resources to women and children, creating a more equal, inclusive, and respectful social environment for women’s development, and promoting Macau’s high-quality development of women’s causes.
Sam made the remarks while delivering a speech during a reception at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape hosted by the Macau Women’s General Association, commonly known as Fu Luen in Cantonese, to celebrate the upcoming International Women’s Day on March 8.
In his speech, Sam noted that the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women (GLMW) was successfully held in Beijing in October last year, where President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech giving the direction for the development of women’s causes worldwide and providing fundamental guidance for the development of women’s causes in Macau. Sam also said that women’s causes constitute an important component of the great cause of “One Country, Two Systems” in Macau.
Macau’s achievements in women’s causes
Since Macau’s return to the motherland, Sam underlined, its women’s causes have entered a period of significant development and prosperity, during which, he said, the various rights enjoyed by women in accordance with the law have been effectively safeguarded, the scope for women’s participation in politics and in the government’s decision-making has constantly been expanding, women’s levels of education and labour force participation rates have continuously been rising, and women have more broadly and equally shared in the fruits of the city’s socioeconomic development, with increasing employment opportunities in various professional fields such as healthcare, law, and finance, and with ever-widening channels for upward mobility.
The Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) was established by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on December 20, 1999, when Macau’s temporary Portuguese administration came to an end.
Sam said that Macau has consistently ranked among the top in the world for gender equality, adding that Macau’s achievements in the development of women’s causes fully demonstrate the tremendous advantages of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, providing Macau’s experience for and contributing Macau’s wisdom to advancing the development of women’s causes globally.
Govt strengthens support for women & kids
Sam, who took office as the MSAR’s chief executive on December 20, 2024, underlined yesterday that his government places strong emphasis on the development of women’s causes, having rolled out various policies and measures to strength its support for women and children, including last year’s launch of its childcare allowance, which benefitted parents or legal guardians of some 15,000 babies last year and then cost the government 273 million patacas, an increase in its birth allowance to 6,500 patacas from last year, the continuous implementation of its subsidy scheme for assisted reproductive technology (ART) services, which was launched in 2024, and last year’s establishment of a digital platform for pregnant women’s health management.
Moreover, Sam also noted that his government has completed drawing up its development plan for the city’s day-care services for infants and toddlers implemented between 2026 and 2030, and is drafting Macau’s second plan for women’s development goals covering the period between 2026 and 2032, with the aim of laying a more solid foundation for further improving its work on women.
The Macau Women’s General Association was founded in 1950.
Sam acknowledged Fu Luen as an important patriotic community association uniting, mobilising and leading the vast number of women in Macau, as well as a key component of the MSAR’s governance forces.
Sam praised Fu Luen, since its establishment, for its consistent alignment with the themes and tasks of the times in the development of the nation and the MSAR, its adherence to the fundamental mission of serving the broad masses of women and residents in Macau, and its outstanding contributions to the development of women’s causes in Macau.
Sam raises 4 hopes for Fu Luen
In his speech, Sam raised four hopes for Fu Luen to make greater contributions to the MSAR’s work on women.
Sam said that the first is for Fu Luen to strengthen a sense of big-picture thinking and thoroughly implement the spirit of Xi’s various important speeches concerning Macau’s development and his important discourses on work concerning women and children.
Sam underlined that his government is closely aligning with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan and vigorously drawing up the MSAR’s third five-year socioeconomic development plan, expecting Fu Luen to proactively offer suggestions and proposals for Macau’s key development tasks, conduct extensive investigation and research in areas such as women, children, and families, and carry out in-depth studies on key issues such as raising Macau’s birth rates and improving the government’s family-friendly policies and measures.
Sam also urged Fu Luen to put forward practical opinions and suggestions concerning his government’s ongoing drafting of the MSAR’s third five-year socioeconomic development plan and Macau’s high-quality socioeconomic development.
Second, Sam urged Fu Luen to carry forward its glorious tradition of patriotism and love for Macau and further improve its governance, with the aim of maintaining its robust vitality as well as its good style and image.
Sam suggested that Fu Luen should strengthen its cultivation of young talent, choose capable individuals for important roles and tasks, and ensure that its service resources are precisely directed to residents in need, achieving greater effectiveness of its services.
Sam urged Fu Luen to further strengthen, refine, and optimise the services provided by its various social service facilities across the city, and deliver warm and thoughtful services to residents, with the aim of making its role as a bridge between the government and residents more prominent, while also calling for Fu Luen to support the local government in exercising law-based governance and enhancing governance effectiveness.
Third, Sam urged Fu Luen to constantly innovate its work and operations and effectively play its role of uniting and leading women.
In the current era characterised by self-media and artificial intelligence (AI), Sam said, Fu Luen should adopt innovative thinking and approaches to strengthen value guidance, promote excellent traditional Chinese family culture, and advocate correct views on romantic relationships, marriage and family, particularly placing special emphasis on vigorous and effective efforts to promote positive views on childbearing.
Sam also urged Fu Luen to strengthen its support for those in vulnerable groups, including women and children, and promote family and social harmony.
Fourth, Sam urged Fu Luen to vigorously participate in international and regional cooperation and governance on women’s causes, pointing out that the MSAR is a member of a number of international conventions concerning women and children.
Sam said that Fu Luen should more proactively participate in relevant international and regional cooperation platforms and mechanisms, and support the development of women’s and children’s causes by involving the integrated development between Macau and Hengqin, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and even international stages such as the nation’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Sam also urged Fu Luen to tell the global community the good stories of China and Macau.
In addition to Sam, yesterday’s reception was also attended by other dignitaries such as Edmund Ho Hau Wah, the MSAR’s first chief executive and now a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the MSAR Director Zheng Xincong, Foreign Ministry Commissioner in the MSAR Bian Lixin, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau Garrison Deputy Commander Dai Jinsong, and Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon.
Yesterday’s reception was hosted by top Fu Luen members including Tina Ho Teng Iat, the association’s permanent chairwoman, Fu Luen Chairwoman Lau Kam Ling, and Fu Luen President Un Sio Leng.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai delivers a speech during yesterday’s reception at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape hosted by the Macau Women’s General Association marking the upcoming International Women’s Day. – Photo: GCS
Dignitaries and guests offer a toast during yesterday’s reception marking International Women’s Day comprising (from left to right) Fu Luen Chairwoman Lau Kam Ling, Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon, Foreign Ministry Commissioner Bian Lixin, CPPCC National Committee Vice Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Liaison Office Director Zheng Xincong, PLA Macau Garrison Deputy Commander Dai Jinsong, Fu Luen Permanent Chairwoman Tina Ho Teng Iat, and Fu Luen President Un Sio Leng. – Photo: GCS
