Local Report
Situation Analysis Study on Period Poverty in Hong Kong
Between June and September of 2025, Plan International Hong Kong commissioned Saint Francis University to conduct the first citywide study on the current state of period poverty in Hong Kong, Random sampling was conducted using a telephone database, and a total of 1,000 respondents and 7 focus group interviews were conducted (These interviews involved ethnic minority women, women and girls living in subdivided flats, female recipients of food bank and girls residing in residential settings.). The main objectives of the study are to explore the current situation of period poverty and related challenges in Hong Kong; to examine how girls/ women perceive the situation of period poverty and their awareness of this issue; to understand the experiences of underprivileged girls/ women in Hong Kong regarding period poverty and period shaming and to provide evidence-based suggestions to alleviate period poverty, enhance sex education, health status of underprivileged girls/ women.
According to the research, financial burden, lack of access to menstrual facilities, poor menstrual health management, and period shaming are the four key challenges in managing menstruation. 1 in 10 respondents experienced difficulties in purchasing/ accessing menstrual products due to financial constraints. Extrapolated to the broader population, around 236,289 women aged 12-54 are facing period poverty in Hong Kong Nearly half of the respondents (49.6%) agreed that they found menstruation troublesome and would rather not be a woman.
Monitoring and Evaluation Study of Child Participatory Community Development Programme
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, a child’s right to participation is one of the basic rights and every child is free to express his or her views in all matters affecting them. Since 2018, Plan International Hong Kong has been encouraging children to participate in social affairs, work with different stakeholders and carry out advocacy through the child-centered “Voice of the Children” project with the partnership of local organisations, bringing about positive changes in the society with child-driven contributions.
To assess the extent of child participation in Hong Kong and capture stakeholders’ perspectives, we have commissioned the Good Impact Assessment Institute to conduct Hong Kong’s first longitudinal research on child participation with a monitoring and evaluation study by performing 40 observations, and 32 groups and 3 in-depth individual interviews with 65 interviewees across 18 months. The research assessed the performances of partnering organisations, summarized the projected and non-projected outcomes, and the impacts on the society.
Situation Analysis Study on Child Safeguarding Policy (parents, children and the education sector)
Recently, serious child abuse cases have sparked heated discussion in Hong Kong on how to fix loopholes in the child protection system to better protect children from family abuse. However, it is worth noting that children also face serious risks of harm in institutional contexts like schools, private tuition centres and interest classes.
To learn the level of child safety in education institutions from children’s perspective, Plan International Hong Kong commissioned Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute to conduct the first-ever Child Safeguarding Policy Research in education sector from March 2020 to April 2021. Given no official Child Safeguarding Policy regulations or framework in Hong Kong, Plan International Hong Kong developed a Child Safeguarding Policy framework with four dimensions and twenty standards following a comprehensive literature review of relevant legal requirements and guidelines from other jurisdictions. The framework was adopted throughout the study and was used to benchmark the implementation of CSP measures in Hong Kong.
Research summary
Research report (Chinese version only)
Survey report on opinions of parents and children on Child Safeguarding Policy
Report on focus groups with parents and children Child Safeguarding Policy
Survey report on opinions of education sector on Child Safeguarding Policy
Report on in-depth interviews with education sector on Child Safeguarding Policy
Situation Analysis Study on Child Safeguarding Policy (Sports Organisations)
Plan International Hong Kong has conducted the first-ever Situation Analysis Research on Child Safeguarding Policy (CSP) in the sports sector. With 20 proposed child safeguarding policy standards developed with comprehensive literature review, this study attempts to benchmark the implementation of child safeguarding policy in local sports organisations against the global standards. It also aims at analysing the factors influencing the level of CSP implementation, including the understanding on child abuse, attitudes towards CSP and if any barriers exist which affect the level of CSP implementation.
Dreams of Pakistani Children
Plan International Hong Kong funded and supported the research study ‘Dreams of Pakistani Children’, the findings of which were recently launched by The Zubin Foundation and Puja Kapai, Associate Professor of Law in the Centre for Comparative and Public Law at the University of Hong Kong.
At the initial launch, the report was presented to Dr. Law Chi-kwong, GBS, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare and has served as the basis for discussion with relevant stakeholders.
As the research findings show, practices, expectations and experiences of a sample of Pakistani girls in Hong Kong is indicative of challenges to their equal rights to education, their developmental rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the realisation of their full potential towards a life they aspire to lead. The findings confirmed that early engagement is seen prevalent among Pakistani girls in Hong Kong, which sets them on course towards a trajectory where they are expected to abandon their dreams to study or work in later years of their life and work towards the fulfillment of their family’s expectations for their marriage and building a suitable home life.
The research findings provide detailed insights into different contexts and factors which constrain the dreams and aspirations of Pakistani girls in Hong Kong at different stages of their lives. In particular, the research highlights key areas for support with the provision of opportunities and incentives for all related Hong Kong stakeholders to address the gendered impact of the operative norms and structures on Pakistani girls. By identifying a multi-disciplinary approach, the prospects for equality of access to education and other forms of empowerment of Pakistani girls can be enhanced.