Research
Justice Centre believes that a fair and just society creates laws, policies, and practices based on facts and data. At Justice Centre, we conduct research into issues that affect refugees and marginalised migrants in Hong Kong. We employ rigorous and robust research methodology to build an authoritative evidence base. We also partner with civil society and academic institutions to support their research efforts.
Our recent research has focused on the implementation and procedures of the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM), the prevalence of human trafficking and forced labour among migrant domestic workers, the trafficking-asylum nexus, barriers to protection for victims of sexual & gender based violence, and statelessness among Hong Kong’s migrant population.
The research data and reports we produce support our casework and litigation efforts. They are shared with civil society and government officials and Legislative Council members, to advocate for change and provide technical support and advice in law reform processes. They are also shared with the wider public to contribute to social awareness, open dialogue and inclusion.
Our research team at Justice Centre also makes freedom of information requests to strengthen transparency and accountability in decision-making processes and government social service provision.
Featured Publications
Justice Centre, as part of the Refugee Concern Network, provided submissions to the Bills Committee on Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020.
This report explores how and why Hong Kong may be a transit site for human trafficking. It is the first one on the subject that has been carried out.
This study presents the findings of a year-long research project to estimate the scale of forced labour and human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour amongst migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
In March 2014 Justice Centre Hong Kong launched its report "How Many More Years A Slave? Trafficking for Forced Labour in Hong Kong", a joint publication with Liberty Asia. The report is the first comprehensive analysis of human trafficking for forced labour in the HKSAR territory.
All Publications & Submissions
Justice Centre, as part of the Refugee Concern Network, provided a submission to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau in relation to Hong Kong’s fifth report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in the context of forced migration.
Justice Centre provided a submission to the Committee against Torture in relation to Hong Kong’s sixth report under the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) in the context of forced migration.
Justice Centre submitted a parallel report to Parallel Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for Hong Kong’s ninth periodic review under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Justice Centre, as part of the Refugee Concern Network, provided submissions to the Bills Committee on Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020.
Justice Centre, as part of the Refugee Concern Network, submitted a parallel report to Parallel Report to the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in relation to Hong Kong's fourth periodic report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
In October 2020, Justice Centre made submissions to Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s consultation exercise for her fourth Policy Address.
Justice Centre provided comments to CEDAW’s draft general recommendation on the trafficking in women and girls in the context of global migration. Drawing on our previous submission, we ask CEDAW to clarify the meaning of “exploitation” within the definition of human trafficking, and provide more guidance on trafficking for the purpose of criminal exploitation.
Justice Centre Hong Kong provided a submission to the UN Human Rights Committee in advance of its adoption of the list of issues for the Hong Kong Government's fourth report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Justice Centre Hong Kong provided submissions to the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) ‘s consultation on the Proposed Guidelines for the upcoming Legislative Council election.
In March 2020, Justice Centre Hong Kong made a submission to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD)’s study on arbitrary detention relating to drug policies.
We discussed the exploitation, criminalisation and consequent detention or imprisonment of potential or actual victims of human trafficking and other victims of exploitation in the drug trade as observed in Hong Kong.
In February 2020, Justice Centre Hong Kong provided comments to the United Nations Human Rights Committee’s draft General Comment 37 on the right of peaceful assembly under article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
In November 2019, Justice Centre made submissions to the Hong Kong Legislative Council’s Subcommittee to Follow Up Issues Related to Inadequate Housing and Relevant Housing Policies for its meeting on 7 December 2019.
In this submission to the UK Parliament’s UK Trade with China Inquiry, Justice Centre highlighted the importance of businesses to engage in the protection of human rights and the rule of law.
In October 2019, Justice Centre made submissions to Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s consultation exercise for her third Policy Address.
This submission responds to the Law Reform Commission’s proposal to introduce a new criminal offence of causing or allowing the death or serious harm of a child or vulnerable adult.
Our Legal Caseworker Nathan Chan spoke about children’s rights and migrant domestic workers’ rights in the context of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review.
This submission responds to the Security Bureau seeking public views on proposals regarding cooperation between Hong Kong and other places on juridical assistance in criminal matters, including expanding the scope of the case-based approach for the surrender of fugitives.
This submission responds to the consultation of the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong, calling for more time to consider the consultation paper and make submissions.
This submission offers our recommendations to United Nations the CEDAW, ahead of its half-day general discussion on trafficking in woman and girls in the context of global migration.
We have submitted our recommendations to the HKSAR budget consultation. The recommendations are ultimately the same as last year. This is because we’ve seen exactly the same problems emerge.
This report explores how and why Hong Kong may be a transit site for human trafficking. It is the first one on the subject that has been carried out.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to the Panel on Security of the Legislative Council for its meeting on 8 January 2019 on proposals being considered by the Security Bureau and Immigration Department to amend the Immigration Ordinance in relation to non-refoulement.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to the Subcommittee to Follow Up Issues Relating to the Unified Screening Mechanism for Non-refoulement Claims of the Legislative Council for its meeting on 27 November 2018 on proposals being considered by the Security Bureau and Immigration Department to amend the Immigration Ordinance in relation to non-refoulement.
Our Policy Advisor Jake Mendrik spoke with regards to responses made by the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to clarify the situation of statelessness in Hong Kong, in response to the Hong Kong Government’s replies to the Committee’s list of themes.
In October Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s consultation exercise for her second Policy Address.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made a written submission to the Subcommittee to Follow Up Issues Relating to the Unified Screening Mechanism for Non-refoulement Claims of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on the Unified Screening Mechanism for its meeting on 18 October 2018.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination for its consideration of Hong Kong’s third report in August 2018.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submission to the Panel on Constitutional Affairs of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong for its meeting on 16 July 2018 on the consideration of Hong Kong’s third report by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to the Panel on Security of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on the Administration’s Action Plan to Tackle Trafficking in Persons and to Enhance Protection of Foreign Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong.
Justice Centre Hong Kong responded to the questionnaire of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences for NGOs and other stakeholders on the gender dimensions of contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences.
Justice Centre Hong Kong lodged a submission with the Panel on Security of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong for its meeting on 10 July 2018 on the proposals considered by the Hong Kong Government to introduce amendments to the Immigration Ordinance and other ordinances in relation to asylum seekers and refugees.
Justice Centre Hong Kong made submissions to the Subcommittee to Follow Up Issues Relating to the Unified Screening Mechanism for Non-refoulement Claims of the Legislative Council on the screening of non-refoulement claims and appeal procedures for its meeting on 21 May 2018.
Justice Centre Hong Kong responded to the questionnaire of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences for NGOs and other stakeholders on domestic servitude of migrant women and girls.
Our Research and Policy Officer Annie Li spoke about refugee rights and human trafficking in the context of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review in the meeting of the Panel on Constitutional Affairs of the Legislative Council on 30 April 2018.
Our Research and Policy Officer Annie Li spoke about establishing a data bank relating to children in the meeting of the Subcommittee on Children’s Rights of the Legislative Council on 4 April 2018.
Justice Centre Hong Kong has made a submission to the government with respect to the 2018-19 Budget consultation. The submission primarily discusses access to justice, including funding for legal assistance sector services. Justice Centre is concerned about the lack of not-for-profit Community Law Centres or their equivalent to provide specialist, free legal advice and representation.
Justice Centre Hong Kong conducted primary research with a view to exploring the refugee-trafficking nexus in Hong Kong.
On 13 October 2017, Justice Centre spoke at the Legislative Council’s Bills Committee on Employment (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2017.
On 14 September, Justice Centre made submissions to Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s consultation exercise for her first Policy Address.
On 24 July 2017, Justice Centre spoke at the LegCo’s Subcommittee on Children’s Rights.
On 18 July 2017 the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services held a discussion on measures to prevent the misuse of the legal aid system.
Justice Centre’s Executive Director, Piya Muqit was invited to speak at a panel session of the Global Compact to raise awareness of racism and xenophobia towards migrants in East Asia.
On 11 November 2016, the LegCo Panel on Security held a meeting to discuss the comprehensive review of the Unified Screening Mechanism for Non-refoulement claims, for the first time in the new term of the Legislative Council.
The Panel meet on June 7 & 11 for the hearing of the HKSAR’s third report under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UN CAT).
On May 24, the Legislative Council’s Panel on Manpower held a special meeting on the Draft Code of Practice for Employment Agencies issued by the Labour Department.
Our Executive Director, Piya Muqit, was invited to speak about the redress and rehabilitation of child torture survivors at a workshop organised by the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) in Geneva on April 6-7.
This study presents the findings of a year-long research project to estimate the scale of forced labour and human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour amongst migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
On March 31, 2015, Justice Centre submitted a shadow report to the Committee against Torture for the 5th Periodic Report cycle for Hong Kong.
On March 12, 2015, Justice Centre made a submission to the Social Welfare Department of the Hong Kong Government in response to their Invitation to Tender for “Provision of Assistance for Non-refoulement Claimants”.
we submitted a letter to the Panel on Security for their meeting on March 3, 2015, which coincides with the first anniversary of the USM.
On December 23, 2014, the Security Bureau sent a letter to the Hong Kong Bar Association and The Law Society of Hong Kong, containing "Proposals to Enhance the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM)".
On 31 October 2014, Justice Centre Hong Kong filed a written submission giving our views to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)’s public consultation document as part of its review of Hong Kong’s discrimination laws and work to promote equality for everyone in Hong Kong.
In October 2014, both Justice Centre, as well as women from Voices for Protection, filed two shadow reports to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) before the Committee’s examination of HKSAR Government at its 59th session.
We have launched a new report that says the Hong Kong Government is doing the ‘bare minimum’ to protect vulnerable refugees and torture claimants entering their new refugee screening mechanism.
On 25 April 2014, our Advocacy Officer, Victoria, made an oral submission at the LegCo Subcommittee on Poverty meeting on measures to support ethnic minorities in relation to employment and integration into the community.
In March 2014 Justice Centre Hong Kong launched its report "How Many More Years A Slave? Trafficking for Forced Labour in Hong Kong", a joint publication with Liberty Asia. The report is the first comprehensive analysis of human trafficking for forced labour in the HKSAR territory.
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