The suggestion to display baby photos in Hong Kong government offices to encourage civil servants to have children was made by lawmaker Bill Tang during a meeting of the Subcommittee to Study Population Policy and Initiatives. Tang proposed that showing images of infants around government offices would promote the idea that “babies are cute” and resemble “mini” versions of their parents, thus boosting the birth-giving sentiment among government employees.
The Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Jonathan Ho Kai-ming, responded positively to Tang’s recommendation, calling it “very innovative.” He mentioned that he would discuss with the Civil Service Bureau the possibility of displaying more baby photos in government offices. This initiative aims to address Hong Kong’s record-low birth rate, as each couple in the city had an average of only 0.7 children according to World Bank data in 2022, making it the lowest worldwide.
In response to the declining birth rate, Chief Executive John Lee introduced a one-off HK$20,000 allowance for families with at least one Hong Kong permanent resident parent and babies born between October 2021 and October 2026. This measure, along with other initiatives, was implemented to boost the city’s birth rate. Additionally, the government announced that government staff with children under three years old would receive childcare leave starting from April 2025.
Lawmaker Doreen Kong raised the issue of extending the 10-year time limit for the storage of gamete for non-medical reasons under the Human Reproductive Technology (Licensing) Regulation. Raymond Cheung of the Hospital Authority mentioned that specialists would need to review the latest scientific developments to determine if any legislative amendments should be made in this regard.
It is important for the government to continue exploring innovative ways to address the low birth rate in Hong Kong and create a supportive environment for families. By promoting the idea of parenthood and providing incentives for civil servants to have children, the hope is to reverse the trend of declining birth rates and ensure a sustainable future for the city.
