The Disappearance of Hong Kong in Comics, Advertising and Graphic Design by Wendy Siuyi Wong

Author:Wendy Siuyi Wong
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9783319920962
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

The Background and Development of the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s steady population growth after the Second World War was accelerated by the migration of mainland Chinese. From 1950 to 1971, 80 percent of the population growth was due to a “natural” increase (Mok, 1974), which is the rate of growth attained by subtracting deaths from births, as Hong Kong was experiencing a post-war baby boom. However, with the rapid industrialization in the 1960s, the decade saw a steady decline in fertility. The decrease in fertility rates averaged one percent per year between 1961 and 1965, and six percent per year between 1965 and 1971. Researchers acknowledged the trend as part of the social and economic changes that accompany industrialization, and believed the decline was related to the FPA’s activities, including publicity work and provision of contraception (Chan, 1976).

The FPA of Hong Kong was established in 1950 to address the urgent need to control population growth during a phase of high unemployment. The FPA built on the experience of its precursor, the Eugenics League of Hong Kong, which was founded in 1936 and devoted its resources to providing guidance in family planning. In 1957, the FPA began to focus its attention on resettlement areas such as Shek Kip Mei. Its clinics, which initially received only 2971 cases in 1951, were handling more than 200,000 cases by the mid-1970s. The FPA offered a broad range of services and messages related to reproduction and family planning, including services for the disabled, promotions in special communities, sex education in school and at home and youth services (The Family Planning Association, 1990).

Among the various campaigns and activities throughout the FPA’s history, the most recognizable ones are campaigns aimed at controlling family size. Its slogan, “Two is Enough ” (兩個就夠哂數), promoting the idea that two is the optimal number of children in a family, is still widely accepted and followed in Hong Kong. It has been estimated that the public’s perception of the ideal family size changed significantly, from a likely average of about 4 in the early 1960s to 3.8 in 1967 to 3.2 in 1972 (Chan, 1976). This shift away from the traditional Chinese large family structure was a result of economic, social and educational developments, which created the foundation for family planning programs.

Sociologist Siu-kai Lau labels post-war changes in family structure as “utilitarianistic familism” (Lau, 1981/1988). This pragmatic approach characterizes Hong Kong family relationships. Throughout the period of industrialization from 1953–1971, a majority of Hongkongers believed that “survival and economic betterment” were “the imperatives of the family” (Leung, 1996, p. 85). As families attained modest affluence they moved away from the refugee mindset and saw that their own material interests were served by keeping family size smaller than it had been in their parents’ generation; only then could they enjoy a better life.

The FPA’s enormous success in its informational, educational and inspirational role is due to its ability to clearly target its audience and use the most appropriate media channels to disseminate its messages.

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