{"id":11916,"date":"2023-03-06T10:56:35","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T02:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T02:52:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T18:52:41","slug":"international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"International Women\u2019s Day 2023 &#8211; Embrace Yourself. Embrace Equity\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\" https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/b5e47cdf-30bf-4ef7-be5f-a153f54257fe-liza.jpg\" alt=\"IWD 2023 - Interview With HelperChoice Ambassador Ellen\" \/>\n<figcaption>IWD 2023 &#8211; Interview With HelperChoice Ambassador Ellen<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n<p>To celebrate <strong>International Women\u2019s Day 2023<\/strong> on <strong>March 8<\/strong>, we invited domestic workers from <strong>HelperChoice platform<\/strong> to share their stories and experiences as empowered women in the workforce.\u00a0<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_How_long_have_you_been_working_in_Hong_Kong\" >Q:\u00a0 How long have you been working in Hong Kong?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_What_is_your_working_goal_Why_do_you_want_to_earn_money_here_in_Hong_Kong\" >Q: What is your working goal? Why do you want to earn money here in Hong Kong?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_How_do_you_maintain_your_relationship_with_your_family_and_children\" >Q: How do you maintain your relationship with your family and children?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_How_do_you_feel_as_an_independent_working_woman_in_a_foreign_city\" >Q: How do you feel as an independent working woman in a foreign city?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_What_kind_of_support_system_do_you_have_to_help_you_navigate_the_challenges_of_being_independent_working_women_in_a_foreign_city\" >Q: What kind of support system do you have to help you navigate the challenges of being independent working women in a foreign city?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_So_lets_talk_about_successful_initiatives_that_promote_womens_empowerment_and_equality_What_difficulties_did_you_encounter_in_the_first_place\" >Q: So let&#8217;s talk about successful initiatives that promote women&#8217;s empowerment and equality. What difficulties did you encounter in the first place?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_You_mentioned_learning_language_for_15_years_in_Hong_Kong_Have_you_learned_the_language_already\" >Q: You mentioned learning language for 15 years in Hong Kong. Have you learned the language already?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_But_how_did_you_overcome_these_difficulties\" >Q: But how did you overcome these difficulties?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_Now_lets_talk_about_some_concrete_steps_that_we_can_take_to_embrace_equity_What_are_some_unique_challenges_faced_by_domestic_workers_and_how_can_we_address_these_issues\" >Q:\u00a0 Now, let&#8217;s talk about some concrete steps that we can take to embrace equity. What are some unique challenges faced by domestic workers and how can we address these issues?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_How_can_we_empower_and_support_women_to_achieve_their_full_potential_in_all_areas_of_life\" >Q: How can we empower and support women to achieve their full potential in all areas of life?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Q_What_is_one_message_that_you_would_like_to_share_with_our_viewers_about_%E2%80%9CEmbrace_Equity_Or_what_advice_would_you_give_your_fellow_women_in_your_home_country\" >Q:\u00a0 What is one message that you would like to share with our viewers about \u201cEmbrace Equity? Or what advice would you give your fellow women in your home country?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Another_helper_from_HelperChoice_platform_Mary_Grace_Gonzaga_who_has_been_working_in_Hong_Kong_as_a_domestic_helper_for_10_years_shared_with_us_%E2%80%9CTo_every_woman_you_should_know_that_you_are_powerful_and_beautiful_You_gotta_be_yourself_and_stand_for_what_you_believe_is_right%E2%80%9D\" >Another helper from HelperChoice platform Mary Grace Gonzaga, who has been working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper for 10 years shared with us: \u201cTo every woman, you should know that you are powerful and beautiful. You gotta be yourself and stand for what you believe is right.\u201d<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/international-womens-day-2023-embrace-equity\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/eige.europa.eu\/thesaurus\/terms\/1102\">European Institute for Gender Equality<\/a>, there are <strong>5 elements for women\u2019s empowerment<\/strong>: <strong><em>sense of self-worth; the right to own and to make decisions; the right to capture opportunities and resources; the right to control and own their lives; and the ability to change the society both nationally and internationally.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In Hong Kong, there are around over <strong>350,000<\/strong> migrant workers serving both local and expat families.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite the previous Covid-19 lockdown, domestic workers have been proved their due diligence as reported in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/press-centre\/foreign-domestic-workers-in-hong-kong-havent-been-home-for-more-than-3-years\">&lt;&lt;62.5% of Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Haven\u2019t Been Home For More Than 3 Years&gt;&gt;<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>One of <strong>HelperChoice ambassadors<\/strong> <strong>Ellen<\/strong> has happily accepted our invitation for an interview sharing her story as a domestic helper in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\" https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/9770007a-7978-477d-8bb5-a98f22853c8c-facebooklivewithellenmarch5iwd23embraceequity28129.jpg\" alt=\"HK Domestic Workers #EmbraceEquity\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>HK Domestic Workers #EmbraceEquity<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_How_long_have_you_been_working_in_Hong_Kong\"><\/span>Q:\u00a0 How long have you been working in Hong Kong?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: I have been working here in Hong Kong for 15 years.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_What_is_your_working_goal_Why_do_you_want_to_earn_money_here_in_Hong_Kong\"><\/span>Q: What is your working goal? Why do you want to earn money here in Hong Kong?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: My goal is to help myself (become) financially independent and to help support my family. I work in Hong Kong because Hong Kong is one of the financial centres in Asia and the minimum wages for domestic workers are reasonable.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_How_do_you_maintain_your_relationship_with_your_family_and_children\"><\/span>Q: How do you maintain your relationship with your family and children?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>:\u00a0 By communicating (with) them discussing the good things happening in our life. Using the internet nowadays is more convenient. We communicate daily just to update our daily lives. And my employer allows me to use my mobile phone, especially for communication with my family.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_How_do_you_feel_as_an_independent_working_woman_in_a_foreign_city\"><\/span>Q: How do you feel as an independent working woman in a foreign city?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: Well, I&#8217;m feeling comfortable though I&#8217;m far from my own family. People surrounding me here are treating me so well, especially my employer. They&#8217;re so kind and they count me as a family member too.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_What_kind_of_support_system_do_you_have_to_help_you_navigate_the_challenges_of_being_independent_working_women_in_a_foreign_city\"><\/span>Q: What kind of support system do you have to help you navigate the challenges of being independent working women in a foreign city?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: One is like joining and being active at HelperChoice as ambassador. We have free Sunday yoga classes or we go to church. I also have some friends to lean on and most of all the support from my employer and my own family.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_So_lets_talk_about_successful_initiatives_that_promote_womens_empowerment_and_equality_What_difficulties_did_you_encounter_in_the_first_place\"><\/span>Q: So let&#8217;s talk about successful initiatives that promote women&#8217;s empowerment and equality. What difficulties did you encounter in the first place?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: For me, when I first came to Hong Kong, the difficulties were the differences in language, culture, tradition and weather\u2026 because Hong Kong has winter but in the Philippines it\u2019s always summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_You_mentioned_learning_language_for_15_years_in_Hong_Kong_Have_you_learned_the_language_already\"><\/span>Q: You mentioned learning language for 15 years in Hong Kong. Have you learned the language already?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: Yes, I know how to speak, you know, basic Chinese or Cantonese.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_But_how_did_you_overcome_these_difficulties\"><\/span>Q: But how did you overcome these difficulties?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: Oh, well, for me, I overcame these difficulties by being flexible, being observant and more on adjustment until I was used to it.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_Now_lets_talk_about_some_concrete_steps_that_we_can_take_to_embrace_equity_What_are_some_unique_challenges_faced_by_domestic_workers_and_how_can_we_address_these_issues\"><\/span>Q:\u00a0 Now, let&#8217;s talk about some concrete steps that we can take to embrace equity. What are some unique challenges faced by domestic workers and how can we address these issues?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>:\u00a0 Well, the most challenges we are facing as a domestic worker are some employers treating us too badly or very inhuman. To address this issue, we must know our rights and know how to protect ourselves. We don&#8217;t allow people to be abusive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_How_can_we_empower_and_support_women_to_achieve_their_full_potential_in_all_areas_of_life\"><\/span>Q: How can we empower and support women to achieve their full potential in all areas of life?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: For me, to all women around the world, we must be confident in our own way. We don&#8217;t allow people to manipulate us and we must again, know our rights and fight for it.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_What_is_one_message_that_you_would_like_to_share_with_our_viewers_about_%E2%80%9CEmbrace_Equity_Or_what_advice_would_you_give_your_fellow_women_in_your_home_country\"><\/span>Q:\u00a0 What is one message that you would like to share with our viewers about \u201cEmbrace Equity? Or what advice would you give your fellow women in your home country?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ellen<\/strong>: Happy Women&#8217;s Day to all women around the world, especially in the Philippines. <strong><em>Always remember that no matter what life brings us, don&#8217;t forget that life must go on. Stay positive, be prayerful and thankful to all the blessings that we receive. Just keep going. Keep going.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\" https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/4a40821b-287c-4bec-8f67-0cebe8842c94-facebooklivewithellenmarch5iwd23embraceequity.jpg\" alt=\"Mary Grace Gonzaga, Helper From HelperChoice platform\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Mary Grace Gonzaga, Helper From HelperChoice platform<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Another_helper_from_HelperChoice_platform_Mary_Grace_Gonzaga_who_has_been_working_in_Hong_Kong_as_a_domestic_helper_for_10_years_shared_with_us_%E2%80%9CTo_every_woman_you_should_know_that_you_are_powerful_and_beautiful_You_gotta_be_yourself_and_stand_for_what_you_believe_is_right%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Another helper from HelperChoice platform <strong>Mary Grace Gonzaga<\/strong>, who has been working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper for 10 years shared with us: <strong>\u201cTo every woman, you should know that you are powerful and beautiful. You gotta be yourself and stand for what you believe is right.\u201d<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you would like to learn more other helper stories from <strong>HelperChoice platform<\/strong>, please like and follow our Facebook page (<strong>for domestic workers:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/helperchoice\">@helperchoice<\/a> ; <strong>for employers: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/helperchoice.employers\">@helperchoice.employers<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equity is not a slogan. It\u2019s a call to action! Let\u2019s embrace equity together starting from today!<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"891\" data-end=\"1242\">As we celebrate <strong>International Women\u2019s Day 202<\/strong>3, the stories shared by domestic workers in Hong Kong highlight the courage, dedication, and leadership that women demonstrate in their daily lives. Their experiences remind us why embracing equity matters\u2014and how meaningful change begins with awareness, respect, and support within our own communities.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1244\" data-end=\"1505\">At HelperChoice, we remain committed to amplifying women\u2019s voices and promoting fair, ethical employment for every domestic worker. To read more inspiring stories or join our mission toward equity, follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/domestic-helpers\/hong-kong\">HelperChoice<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/helperchoice\">Facebook<\/a> and explore our platform today.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IWD 2023 &#8211; Interview With HelperChoice Ambassador Ellen To celebrate International Women\u2019s Day 2023 on March 8, we invited domestic workers from HelperChoice platform to share their stories and experiences as empowered women in the workforce.\u00a0 According to European Institute for Gender Equality, there are 5 elements for women\u2019s empowerment: sense of self-worth; the right [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"description":"Celebrate IWD 2023 with inspiring stories from HelperChoice domestic workers in Hong Kong regarding empowerment, equity, and resilience. Read their journeys.","title":"International Women\u2019s Day 2023 - Embrace Yourself. Embrace Equity\u00a0 - HelperChoice Blog"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[182],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-celebration-holiday"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11916"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14290,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11916\/revisions\/14290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}