NGO Hong Kong Unison disbands after 24 years serving ethnic minorities

Hong Kong Unison, a non-profit organisation that has served the city’s ethnic minorities for 24 years, has decided to disband on Friday.

Chairwoman of Unison, Alice Chong Ming-lin, said today that a general meeting was held among its members this morning to discuss the dissolution, adding that the decision was made as the organisation had accomplished its mission, dismissing claims of political or financial reasons.

Unison was founded by registered social worker Fermi Wong in 2001. According to a 2017 interview, Wong established the NGO when Hong Kong had few organisations serving ethnic minorities, such as ethnic Indian, Nepali, and Pakistani.

Chong told reporters today that the group has appointed two liquidators to handle the dissolution, with the remaining funds to be donated to organizations with similar objectives and target beneficiaries.

She said the idea of the group’s dissolution had already emerged as early as two to three years ago, describing the disbandment today as a "glorious ending".

She noted there were limitations and difficulties in advocating for the rights of ethnic minorities under different administrations, yet she stressed the consideration is not due to financial reasons or political pressure.

Meanwhile, Wong said there was little attention to the voices and rights of ethnic minorities when Unison was established, and only a few organizations provided services to them.

However, after years of effort, there are now over 30 social welfare organizations serving ethnic minorities, with the government continuously allocating resources and introducing new services, she said.