Hong Kong labour chief urges joint efforts to boost disability employment at 2026 International Rehabilitation Day
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare called for closer cooperation to help disabled people find jobs and praised a market showcasing their talents. He also wished the team success at the upcoming International Abilympics in Finland.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, speaking at the 2026 International Rehabilitation Day celebration and 18-district inclusive market on 13 November, called for closer collaboration to help disabled people with marketable skills find employment. The event, held at the same venue as the previous year, was organised by the Hong Kong Joint Council for Rehabilitation and the Equal Opportunities Commission.
The Secretary noted that this year’s theme was promoting disability employment. While the Social Welfare Department and the Labour Department had already implemented numerous schemes, he said there was room for more targeted efforts. “We can work more closely to see how, in small ways, we can help disabled people who are capable of working in the market to find jobs. This is crucial for their income, personal development and mental health.”
He acknowledged that many disabled individuals possess strong work abilities, but the challenge lies in making employers see that. At the same time, practical difficulties that employers face in hiring needed to be addressed. “Even if employers are willing, there are many specific issues to handle. We will find solutions one by one, hoping that through multi-party cooperation we can move further in this direction.”
The Secretary praised the inclusive market for showing the public the talents and abilities of disabled people. He also highlighted that Benny Cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Joint Council for Rehabilitation, would soon lead a team of outstanding disabled individuals to the International Abilympics in Finland. “This is a big deal because we have not attended for many years. With a clear goal, let us work together to do it well. If we achieve good results in Finland, we will have more opportunities to show the community the abilities of disabled people and achieve proud results internationally.”
He expressed gratitude to all participating groups, especially the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, and wished stallholders at the market a successful day. Looking ahead, he stressed that rehabilitation and disability employment required sustained, long-term effort. “We have to do this persistently, passing the baton from one to another. I believe we can achieve even better results than we have now.”
