Taiwan has made progress in the representation of women in politics as shown by the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, the country’s first female head of state, according to an international panel that also gave recommendations for further advancing gender equality.
The international review of the third national report on the implementation of the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) released its conclusions to a weeklong study July 20 in Taipei City.
The panel, made up of five foreign academics and women’s rights advocates, praised Taiwan government officials and local nongovernmental organizations for their help in the review process. They also pointed out the country’s progress in the representation of women in political and public life as evidenced by Tsai’s election and the increase of women legislators.
Other accomplishments include government efforts in promoting the return of female employees to work after parental leave and improving women’s health by fostering a gender-sensitive health care environment.
The report also listed 73 areas for improvement, spanning issues such as the availability and accessibility to justice systems; awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights; efforts to break down gender stereotypes; and the establishment of an independent national human rights institution.
Responding to the report, Minister without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng said the recommendations will play a major role in shaping policy and help bolster Taiwan’s progress in fostering gender equality.
Taiwan ratified CEDAW in 2007 and produced its first national report on the implementation of the convention two years later. By law, the government must deliver a report on the promotion of gender equality every four years and revise all relevant laws and administrative measures contravening CEDAW within three years.
The third national report was released by the Cabinet in December 2017. (KWS-E)
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