President Tsai Ing-wen said March 8 that the government is sparing no effort to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment while working with like-minded partners around the world to create a sustainable and equitable society.
Taiwan has made great strides in relevant fields, Tsai said, citing the latest report released by the Executive Yuan earlier this year. It revealed that the country ranks sixth globally and first in Asia in overall gender equality, with female lawmakers accounting for 42 percent of the total seats in the Legislature, she added.
This healthy state of affairs can be attributed to the Gender Equality Policy Guidelines issued by the government in 2011, Tsai said, adding that an ongoing comprehensive review of laws is expected to bring related policies further in line with international standards.
Tsai made the remarks during the Women’s Power Night reception marking International Women’s Day in Taipei City. Co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and locally based Foundation of Women’s Rights Promotion and Development, the event kicked off Taiwan Gender Equality Week in the run-up to the 66th session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, which takes place March 14-25.
According to Tsai, Taiwan continues to pursue broad engagement with like-minded partners and international organizations to boost gender equity. Notable examples include the country’s participation in innovative initiatives for women’s empowerment in the Indo-Pacific as well as local civil society organizations’ robust presence at CSW’s NGO Forum, she said.
The concerted efforts of the public and private sectors are also playing a critical role in combating climate change, the priority theme of CSW66, Tsai said. The government will keep working with civil society groups to realize climate justice and ensure sustainable development, she added. (YCH-E)
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