A virtual dialogue on progress toward gender equality was held Aug. 4 by Taiwan and the Czech Republic, underscoring the like-minded partners’ commitment to boosting cooperation and exchanges on gender equity.
Co-organized by the Department of Gender Equality under the Executive Yuan alongside the central European country’s Prague City Hall, the half-day event was opened by Taiwan’s Women Empowerment Ambassador at Large Lin Ching-yi and Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib. Topics discussed spanned equal marriage rights, gender mainstreaming policy and women’s participation in politics.
According to the EY, the dialogue builds off the areas outlined in the Taiwan-EU Gender Equality Cooperation and Training Framework. As the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, Taiwan is well placed to share its experiences in realizing equitable treatment in this regard, it said.
In a prerecorded video, Hrib said that he believes reducing gender stereotypes and creating a friendly environment for women to participate in politics are actions that are sure to benefit the whole of society.
Other high-profile participants included Jennifer Lu, the EY’s gender equality commissioner; Ku Hui-yin, the DGE’s senior executive officer; Czeslaw Walek, former Czech deputy minister of human rights and minorities and chairman of Prague Pride; Marcela Linkova, head of the Department of Gender and Science Institute of Sociology under Czech Academy of Sciences; Marketa Adamova, member of the Czech parliament; Michaela Krausova, member of the Prague City Assembly; and Martin Churavy, head of international relations and protocol for Prague City Hall.
Launched in 2019, the Taiwan-EU Gender Equality Cooperation and Training Framework aims to foster a wide range of exchanges between the two sides on policies related to achieving gender equality. (YCH-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw