The Government has announced that the existing Commission on Poverty will be renamed as the Commission on Targeted Poverty Alleviation, highlighting its strategic direction and firm commitment to advancing poverty alleviation.
Chairing the new-term commission’s first meeting today, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki said the current-term Government is committed to building a comprehensive poverty alleviation system and to providing a safety net through inclusive social services, encompassing housing, healthcare, education and social welfare. He added that it upholds a people-oriented approach, offering focused and effective support to those most in need.
Members noted that the last two terms of the commission targeted subdivided unit households, single-parent households and elderly households, and identified the difficulties and pain points of these groups by considering their unique characteristics.
The commission launched a series of targeted poverty alleviation measures tailored to these target groups, involving tripartite collaboration between the Government, the business sector and the community.
The new-term commission has determined that the targeted poverty alleviation strategy should be adjusted in response to changing societal needs. It will review the strategy and introduce a new target group so that more people requiring assistance can benefit.
Members also highlighted that the Government is preparing to establish a social welfare project matching platform, and aims to roll out the first round of matching activities this year. This initiative will help institutionalise the tripartite collaborative model to support vulnerable people, and will connect business resources with community welfare projects to provide innovative and targeted services for those in need.
The members also took note of officials’ reports on the work of the Community Care Fund and the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund, as well as the progress of various funded assistance programmes.