A new department of human rights and transitional justice was launched by the Executive Yuan June 27 in Taipei City, marking a milestone in government commitment to protecting peoples’ rights.
During the launch ceremony, EY Secretary-general Li Men-yen said Taiwan was ranked the second freest country in Asia by Washington-based Freedom House and continued to be rated a free country in the latest Freedom in the World report.
While the country has made great strides in ensuring rights for every member of society, Li said there is still work to be done when it comes to rights for migrant workers and gender equality, as well as addressing issues related to same-sex marriage.
Echoing Li’s remarks, Minister without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng said the government attaches great importance to promoting transitional justice and protecting human rights. It has promulgated enforcement acts on six of nine major international conventions to have effect as domestic law, he added.
Following the May 30 dissolution of the Transitional Justice Commission, the department will play a key role in implementing the inaugural National Human Rights Action Plan through coordinating interagency efforts and fast-tracking policy.
In particular, the department will allocate budgets, compile performance indicators, draft laws and set up impact evaluation mechanisms, among other tasks, Lo added.
The Executive Yuan cited the adoption of the first action plan on human rights in the fishery industry in April and the release of the fourth national report on the implementation of the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women earlier this month as achievements in its implementation of human rights this year. (SFC-E)
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