Women’s Growing Role in the Fight for Hong Kong’s Freedom  

 This blog is co-authored by Frances Hui, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation, and Chloe Cheung, CFHK’s Media and Communications Junior Manager.  

The CFHK Foundation celebrates International Women’s Day every year. This year, all five Hong Kong women targeted by the Chinese Communist Party with HK$1 million extraterritorial bounties came together to share our experiences. We spoke about the challenges we have faced as women resisting the CCP’s repression and how misogyny is used as a tool to undermine our activism.   

The online event not only celebrated courageous women in the movement who fight for our cause despite unique challenges, but also reflected on why the fight for Hong Kong’s freedom is inseparable from the fight for women’s rights. 

Women have long played an integral role in Hong Kong’s fight for freedom, though far less visibly than male activists. In the past, societal expectations and traditional gender roles often discouraged women from stepping into leadership positions. Activism spaces were frequently dominated by men, and women who took part were often seen as supporting figures rather than leaders. This began to shift in recent years as our movement diversified and more women found their place at the forefront.  

Witnessing Women Stand Up at the Outset of Our Activism

Frances Hui: When I first participated in social movements aged 14, Hong Kong’s democracy movement was mostly male-led. Even among the leaders of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, only one was female. Later, I joined Scholarism, a student activism group consisting of secondary school students, which led the 2012 Anti-National Education Movement and the 2014 Umbrella Movement. From setting up street booths to protesting, teenage boys and girls would lead chants, give speeches, and face down police intimidation. Women, despite being underestimated or told that we should not be there, always rose to the challenge and pushed through to the end. Seeing women fighting at the forefront gave me the courage and strength to believe that I, too, had a place in the fight for Hong Kong’s democracy. 

Years later, in 2019, the outbreak of a city-wide movement led to a decentralised, leaderless approach. People of different ages, genders, nationalities, identities, and occupations joined forces to protest against the CCP’s attempt to breach Hong Kong’s legal framework, as well as Hong Kong police brutality. This diversification of the movement further empowered women, who found new leadership roles. With my years of experience in activism, I took the lead in speaking out on international platforms and taking on advocacy roles in exile.

Over the years, I have been deeply inspired by Wong Ji-yuet (黃子悅), a Hong Kong political prisoner and a close friend since our teenage days in Scholarism. During the 2014 Umbrella Movement, she rose to prominence when she and four other young activists staged a hunger strike in the final days of the 79-day occupation of the city, demanding a dialogue between the government and students for democratic reforms. She persisted until medical intervention became necessary, fasting for 118 hours and dropping to just 36.8 kilograms. In 2015, she became Scholarism’s spokesperson, and even after the group disbanded in 2016, she remained committed to advocacy, speaking out on education and mental health issues. 

Wong Ji-yuet (centre) talks to media while on hunger strike with Isabella Lo and Joshua Wong in December 2014. (Epoch Times)

During the 2019 pro-democracy movement, Wong Ji-yuet took a stand for justice, particularly in exposing reports of police sexual violence against female protesters and demanding accountability. Her activism shed light on the abuse and unique challenges women face in resisting authoritarian regimes. In November 2019, she was arrested at a rally outside the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where hundreds were trapped under a police siege. She was later charged with rioting, a crime carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. 

Despite facing this grave charge, she never stopped advocating. In 2020, she ran as an independent candidate in the pro-democracy camp’s primary election, representing ordinary protesters – especially those without political affiliation who faced legal persecution for their participation in the movement. For this, she became one of the 47 activists charged with subversion under the National Security Law in February 2021. Combined with her rioting charge, she is now serving a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence. 

To me, she represents not just ambition, but the courage to act on her convictions. She was never afraid to share her struggles and vulnerabilities, using her own experiences to connect with others and highlight broader social issues. She openly discussed her mental health challenges, transforming her personal story into a powerful tool to combat discrimination. She taught me that activists don’t have to suppress their emotions or project unshakable strength – being vulnerable is its own form of resistance. Even under immense pressure and in an increasingly repressive political climate, she continued to give back, volunteering at hospitals, providing arts workshops for children with special needs, and creating art for non-profits, as detailed in her mitigation pleas. No matter the circumstances, she always found ways to speak up and contribute.  

Chloe Cheung: In 2019, at the age of 14, I took my first step into the world of activism. With an eager heart full of passion and determination, I was inspired by the powerful voices of Hong Kong women like Claudia Mo (毛孟靜), founding member of the Civic Party, who is known for being an outspoken critic of the government, and has shown the world that women’s voices could create real change. I hoped that, in some way, I too could contribute to the movement and add my own voice to the cause.  

But nothing could have prepared me for what I would witness on the streets. It was not just the violence, but the way it was directed, with cruelty, at the women who dared to stand up. I will never forget a livestream of a police officer dragging a woman, pulling her mercilessly towards a police car. Her legs scraped against the pavement, her dress flipped up, exposing her underwear. And yet, the police officers remained unfazed, ignoring the brutality they were inflicting. 

I then realised just how much more women in the movement had to endure. Protest in authoritarian states is dangerous for everyone, but for women, it comes with added risks. We face sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and inappropriate treatment from the very authorities that are supposed to protect us. Accountability for these actions is scarce, if it exists at all.
 
Gwyneth Ho (何桂藍) is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. A journalist and a candidate in the 2020 pro-democracy primaries, Gwyneth’s courage in the face of danger has been extraordinary. She reported on the horrific Yuen Long attack, continuing her documentation of the violence even after she was assaulted herself. Today, she is serving a seven-year prison sentence under the National Security Law for her activism.  

Before her sentencing, Gwyneth wrote: “We dare to act, and we dare to suffer.” Those words resonate deeply with me and countless other women in Hong Kong. We understand that our activism comes at a price, but we are willing to pay it. We dare to act because the fight for freedom demands it and we dare to suffer because we know that the future is worth every sacrifice. 

As women in Hong Kong, we stand together in solidarity, knowing that the road ahead will not be easy. But we are not deterred. 

The Power of Representation

Our journeys are proof that representation matters. When women take visible roles in activism, it challenges the perception that political leadership is a male domain. It shows that resistance is not limited by gender and that women, too, can make a difference. Sharing women’s unique experiences and struggles allows us to connect with other women, with whom our messages and values resonate. The presence of women ensures our fight belongs to all of us and helps our movement grow.  

This threatens the CCP, and for that reason it seeks to silence women and manipulate misogyny to undermine our work. From propaganda designed to question our legitimacy to targeted harassment, the regime exploits gender stereotypes to diminish the value of our activism. Women activists have been subjected to sexist attacks, with state media and pro-Beijing voices often resorting to character attacks, questioning our morals, or portraying us as “troublemakers” rather than political actors. This is not unique to Hong Kong – autocratic regimes worldwide have long weaponised misogyny to suppress dissent.  

Yet, despite these efforts, women in our movement have continued to rise. Female political prisoners like Gwyneth Ho and Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤) remain resilient and true to their principles despite being behind bars. All five of us bountied Hong Kong women activists in exile, even with HK$1 million rewards out for our capture, have only amplified our voices and come together stronger. Our presence in the movement has not only persisted but grown, with more young women taking up leadership and advocacy roles both in exile and at home. The strength of the movement today is built upon the courage, resilience, and refusal of women to be sidelined, paving the way for the next generation of activists.  

Strengthening the Movement Through Solidarity and Action 

Solidarity is our strongest weapon – both across generations and across borders. To strengthen the movement, we must actively work toward a more inclusive and supportive space for women. This means more than just representation; it means creating an environment where women feel empowered to lead, speak out, and take action. This requires challenging harmful narratives, addressing gender-based discrimination within activist communities, and ensuring that all voices – regardless of gender – are valued. 

To young women who may feel hesitant to step into activism: your voice matters. Whether it’s through advocacy, organising, speaking up, or simply educating yourself on the issues, every action contributes to the movement. Your experiences, your perspectives, and your leadership are vital to this fight. Authoritarian regimes thrive on fear and silence; every time we take a step forward, we grow stronger and more resilient.  

Hong Kong’s freedom movement must also be a fight for women’s rights. Women have always been at the heart of Hong Kong’s struggle for democracy, and we will continue to lead, resist, and inspire future generations.