HONG KONG - Family responsibility is the major reason that keeps women from seeking better development in their career, according to the result of a survey released by the Women's Commission (WoC) of Hong Kong Monday.

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The WoC conducted the survey entitled "What do Women and Men in Hong Kong Think about the Status of Women at Home, Work and in Social Environments?" between February and May, 2010, during which a total of 3,002 Hong Kong residents were interviewed.

The survey results concerning family and social environments were announced in November, 2010 and last month respectively.

According to the survey, more than 80 percent of people agreed that having a job is the best way for a woman to be independent, indicating a general view that there is a direct relationship between a woman's job and independence.

However, almost 60 percent of people agreed that women had to sacrifice more than men in order to achieve career success.

More than 70 percent of society believe that men stand a better chance of promotion than women of similar age or with similar abilities. At the same time, the identity of women is an obstacle in women's career development. This reflects a general view that women's promotion prospects are still limited by a "glass ceiling".

On women's career expectation, the survey found that a quarter of women and more than one-fifth of married/cohabiting men said that they did not want themselves/their companions to be very successful in their career. The main reasons given were related to family responsibility in general.

The findings revealed that some members of society thought that there were conflicts between commitment at work and family duties and these two things could not coexist, Chairperson of the WoC Sophia Kao said.