Oxfam today (5th) released the "Hong Kong Poverty Report: Poverty and Employment in Hong Kong under the Epidemic", which analyzed data from the Census and Statistics Department, compared the median monthly income of the poorest and the richest 10% of households, and found the "rich-poor gap" It has expanded from 34.3 times before the epidemic to 47.3 times in the first quarter of this year.
The monthly income of the poorest group fell from $3,500 in 2019 to $2,700, while the monthly income of the highest group rose from $120,000 to $127,600.
The report also found that although the unemployment rate and underemployment rate have rebounded, the unemployment rate of the poor tends to be more severe. The unemployment rate of the poor reached 26.1% in the first quarter of this year, more than eight times higher than that of the non-poor. , in the first quarter of this year, as many as 77% of the poor work less than 20 hours a week, and the situation is still serious.
Oxfam pointed out that the median monthly income of the poorest and the richest 10% of households increased by 47.3 times in the first quarter of this year. The monthly income of the poorest group dropped from $3,500 in 2019 to $2,700, but the monthly income was the highest. The group rose from 120,000 to 127,600 yuan.
(Photo by Ma Weijie)
The monthly income gap between the poorest and richest households widened from 34.3 times before the epidemic to 47.3 times
Oxfam released the "Hong Kong Poverty Report: Poverty and Employment in Hong Kong under the Epidemic", comparing the data of the "General Household Statistics Report" of the Census and Statistics Department for the first quarter of 2019 to 2022, comparing the poorest and the richest 10% of households monthly Entering the median, it was found that the gap widened from 34.3 times before the epidemic in 2019 to 47.3 times in the first quarter of this year, reflecting the worsening disparity between the rich and the poor under the epidemic.
The income of the poorest adult fell from $3,500 to $2,700 in the first quarter of this year
In the data from the Census and Statistics Department from 2019 to the first quarter of this year, Oxfam divides the median monthly household income into ten grades, with grade 1 being the poorest and grade 10 being the richest. The decline in other incomes has become more severe. The income of the poorest 10% of households in the first quarter of this year has dropped by more than 20% compared with that before the outbreak, from 3,500 yuan to 2,700 yuan, a drop of 22.9%;
The monthly income of the "Tier 2" and "Tier 3" poor also fell by 2.4%, with the richest rising to $127,600
The second and third tiers also fell by nearly 10%, significantly higher than the overall decline of 2.4%; on the contrary, the median monthly income of households in the seventh to tenth tiers all increased, and the income of the richest 10% of households was higher than that in 2019. The annual increase of 6.3%, from RMB 120,000 to RMB 127,600, reflects that under the epidemic, the poor are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer, and the disparity between the rich and the poor is becoming more serious.
CPI(A) rose 5.2% Oxfam: grassroots life is getting harder
Huang Shuohong, project director of Oxfam Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, said that the minimum wage was frozen in 2019, and the grassroots citizens’ wages were frozen for two years under the inspection every two years. According to Oxfam’s living wage in 2022, the living wage is 58.9 yuan, and the minimum wage is far behind.
For reference, other places such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and other countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and South Korea have raised their minimum wages during the epidemic. In addition, the CPI in Hong Kong and other categories has increased by 5.2%, making the life of grassroots citizens even more difficult. Disaster.
Huang Shuohong said that the minimum wage was frozen in 2019, and the grassroots citizens will be frozen for two years under the inspection every two years. According to Oxfam's living wage in 2022, it is 58.9 yuan, and the minimum wage is far behind.
(Photo by Ma Weijie)
Unemployment of the poor in the first quarter reached 26.1%, 62% were 40 years old or above
In addition, although the unemployment rate and underemployment rate have rebounded, the unemployment rate of the poor tends to be more severe. For reference, the unemployment rate of the poor in the first quarter of this year was 26.1%, which was more than 8 times higher than that of the non-poor, of which 62% The poor and unemployed are more likely to be aged 40 or older.
Under the epidemic, both the poor and the non-poor and unemployed have to face the trouble of being unemployed. However, the poor and unemployed have been unemployed for a relatively long time. Sixty percent of the poor have been unemployed for more than two months, and one-quarter has been unemployed for more than half a year.
Retail, lodging and food services, and low-skilled jobs are hardest hit by unemployment.
In terms of working hours, as many as 77% of the poor work less than 20 hours per week in the first quarter of this year, a significant increase from 59% in 2020, reflecting the worsening problem of underemployment of grassroots workers.
The economically inactive poor also rose sharply, reaching 1.09 million in the first quarter of this year, up 3.2% from 2020.
Among them, 466,000 are elderly people aged 65 or above, a sharp increase of 15.2% compared with 2020. It also means that one out of every two elderly people without a job is in poverty.
Inadequate childcare facilities make it difficult for women to find work
On the other hand, during the epidemic, children are studying at home, coupled with the lack of childcare facilities. In disguise, the labor participation rate of poor women continues to be low. Nearly 80% of them have difficulty going out to work. Liang Mingfeng, assistant research and advocacy manager of Oxfam, believes that this is also a problem in the labor market. On the one hand, it is one of the reasons for the lack of manpower, but the high unemployment rate.
Under the epidemic, children are studying at home, which in disguise has led to the continued low labor participation of poor women. Liang Mingfeng believes that this is also one of the reasons why the labor market says that there is a shortage of manpower, but the unemployment rate is high.
(Photo by Ma Weijie)
The current Chief Executive Li Jiachao's first policy address is about to be launched, and Oxfam believes that it is necessary to actively allocate resources to solve the problem of the disparity between the rich and the poor and poverty.
Oxfam proposed to extend the "Temporary Unemployment Support" program to the end of the year. President Zeng Jiahui said that although society is gradually returning to normal, it is expected that it will take some time before people's lives can resume. The extension of the program to the end of the year will make the current unemployment Those in need can apply for relevant support, which can help the public transition back to normal life.
Urge the "Policy Address" to implement the annual minimum wage inspection
In addition, Oxfam also proposes to implement an annual inspection of the minimum wage to ensure that companies will not exploit the grassroots by saving costs.
Zeng Jiahui pointed out that the minimum wage plays an important role in the recovery of the grassroots after the epidemic. If the minimum wage is implemented once a year and adjusted to the 45.4 yuan per hour recommended by Oxfam, it will benefit at least nearly 340,000 low-wage workers, covering the current 9 % of the overall number of employees.
We also call on the government and other capable employers to go the extra mile and pay grass-roots employees a living wage.
Oxfam advocates increasing longevity allowance to 4,400 yuan per month 80% of respondents said social welfare is insufficient The wealth of the rich has doubled CUHK poll: only 3.29 points in the budget, 150% of the people give zero points Oxfam promotes the establishment of a minimum wage for unemployment assistance
