Policy & Advocacy

Justice Centre Hong Kong utilises community-centred policy and advocacy to ensure the rule of law is strong and applied fairly, in order to protect the most marginalised members of society. We work together with the communities we serve to amplify their voices and ensure we are working towards securing what they need most.

We use our own evidence-based research to make practical recommendations for improving law and policy and strengthening human rights protections. 

Our policy, and advocacy efforts are focussed around the following strategic priorities:

• Ensuring our efforts are localised and rooted in community-centred partnerships that work in collaboration with our fellow Hong Kongers to create a fairer society.
• Working for legislative and policy change alongside civil society organisations.
• Providing technical support and advice to government officials and Legislative Council members.
• Contributing positively to the social awareness of the clients we serve in the Hong Kong community, using both traditional and new media.

Universal Periodic Review 

Justice Centre Hong Kong is helping to facilitate civil society advocacy for the Third Cycle United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for China, as it relates to Hong Kong. Through this process we hope to ensure a fairer society with access to fundamental human rights for all. Learn more about our work facilitating the UPR here.

Justice Centre Hong Kong is helping to facilitate civil society advocacy for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for China, as it relates to Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong UPR Coalition (the Coalition) was founded in 2017 to engage the UPR process. The Coalition is guided by a Steering Committee, which includes; Civil Human Rights Front (民間人權陣線), Disabilities CV (殘疾資歷生活館), Hong Kong Watch, Justice Centre Hong Kong, Les Corner Empowerment Association (女角平權協作組), PEN Hong Kong (香港筆會), Pink Alliance (粉紅同盟), Planet Ally and The Hong Kong Society for Asylum-Seekers and Refugees (香港尋求庇護者及難民協會).

The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations.
In a first and unprecedented step, 12 countries used the United Nations UPR hearing on China in 2018 to highlight their concerns with the human rights environment in Hong Kong.

When China’s last UPR hearing was held in 2013, not one recommendation was issued on Hong Kong. Following the work of the Coalition, at the most recent review in 2018 there were seven, with five other references, raising international attention on human rights in Hong Kong.

The Coalition continues to work towards ensuring the recommendations made in 2018 and accepted by China are implemented locally in Hong Kong.

For regular updates on the UPR process and the work of the Hong Kong UPR Coalition, please see Facebook and Twitter. For more detailed queries, please email [email protected]