If we treasure human dignity and value life, we must take action now and make a choice to transform and resist the present forces that deny life and destroy community.

Rose Wu Lo Sai (54) works in the field of community development. She has brought civil and community concerns to the Church since the 80s. An educator, feminist and Christian social activist, Rose is founder and leader of several NGOs that work for gender equity, social justice, political and civil rights and against poverty. She was convener of the Civil Human Rights Front in 2002-04, an alliance of NGOs instrumental in organizing the rally on 1 July 2003 when over 500,000 people took to the streets to protest against government bureaucracy and the controversial draft National Security Bill.

Rose speaks softly, listens attentively and speaks her mind. Reflective, uncompromising, critical of the mainstream Church, Rose has a doctor of ministry degree from Boston, and identifies herself as a feminist and Christian social activist. Rose has played strategic roles in the women, social, civil and political fronts in Hong Kong since the 80s. She is emphatic that different social and political movements are and should work as an organic and integrated whole. She served as the first female executive committee member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, an alliance set up shortly after China’s Tiananmen pro-democracy movement in 1989. She took on the post of general secretary of the Hong Kong Women Christian Council (Hkwcc) from 1993 to 1998. It was the period when equal opportunities for women were vigorously fought for. A faithful Christian, Rose has always – despite criticism from the Church and others – been supportive of sex workers and sexual minorities. Her book, "A Dissenting Church" (2003), positions her in a prophetic Church to confront society’s injustices. Rose upholds the principles of diversity, openness, good governance, social justice, respect for basic human rights and love. Before and after the 1997 Handover, Rose initiated and promoted cooperation among civic groups. The July First Linkage and the Civil Human Rights Front (Chrf) were set up in this regard. They have not only acted as platforms for consultation and dialogue among groups with different opinions, but also as a space where people could work together for a shared goal. The Chrf was critical of the Hong Kong government’s controversial draft National Security Bill in 2002. The alliance, with Rose as convener from 2002 to 2004, was instrumental in organizing the pro-democracy rallies in 2003 and 2004.

Hong Kong Christian Institute (Hkci) Civil Human Rights Front (Chrf)