Hong Kong philanthropist Anne Marden, who advocated for rights of children and marginalised communities, dies aged 96
- Marden was a pioneer in special needs education and served as director of Hong Kong Red Cross in early 1960s
- ‘Mrs Marden dedicated her life to serving others and helped thousands of people with special needs to lead a dignified and meaningful life,’ city’s leader says
Hong Kong philanthropist Anne Marden, who was a key advocate for the rights of children and marginalised communities, has died at the age of 96.
Marden, who was a pioneer in special needs education at a time when there were almost no facilities for children and adults with disabilities, died on Tuesday in her home in Shek O.
In later years, she also gave financial support to the now-suspended Human Rights Press Awards.
On Wednesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Marden.
The city’s leader said in a statement that she had known Marden for over 20 years since her days as the director of social welfare in the early 2000s and admired her passion and dedication to improving the welfare of people, especially those with disabilities and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
