《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan first in Asia in OECD gender index

Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun speaks in an opening ceremony of an international review on Taiwan’s fifth report on the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

CHALLENGES REMAIN: Taiwan has room to improve, including in the Cabinet, and also to address inequalities brought on by technology, Control Yuan members said

By Chung Li-hua and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan ranked sixth among 179 countries and first in Asia in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s （OECD） Social Institutions and Gender Index, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun （鄭麗君） said yesterday.

The Executive Yuan held an international review of Taiwan’s fifth report on the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women （CEDAW）.

Taiwan has voluntarily submitted national reports based on the convention since 2009, preparing them with input from government agencies, civil groups, academics and experts, Cheng said.

The development of gender equality in Taiwan has been closely tied to the nation’s democratization, she said, adding that tomorrow marks the 39th anniversary of the lifting of martial law.

Gender equality efforts evolved from initially resisting private discrimination to advancing public rights, with amendments to the Civil Code, gender equality laws and harassment prevention protections building a legal foundation for gender equality, the vice premier said.

Taiwan continues to integrate gender perspectives into policies and legislation, reduce gender inequality, protect women’s rights and promote gender equality, she said.

Taiwan ranked 10th among 167 countries in the UN Development Programme’s Human Development Index and sixth out of 179 and first in Asia in the OECD Social Institutions and Gender Index, Cheng said.

Taiwan’s gender reforms include a flexible parental leave policy allowing parents to apply daily, and men applying for parental leave by the day have surpassed women for two consecutive months, reaching 50.7 percent in last month, she said.

The government would continue promoting family-friendly workplaces, supporting dual-income and dual-caregiving families, narrowing the gender pay gap, increasing women’s participation in decisionmaking, enhancing mechanisms for the prevention of gender-based violence and advancing gender diversity, the vice premier said.

Nevertheless, the proportion of women in the Cabinet has remained low for years and the Reproductive Health Act （優生保健法） is inconsistent with CEDAW standards, Control Yuan member Kao Yung-cheng （高涌誠） said at the review, urging the Presidential Office to fulfill its obligations to protect women’s rights.

The Presidential Office lacks a clear system for promoting and implementing CEDAW, while three newly established committees have a gender imbalance, Kao said.

Gender equality is facing new challenges, Control Yuan member and National Human Rights Commission Deputy Commissioner Chi Hui-jung （紀惠容） said.

The rapid development of digital technology and artificial intelligence has increased women’s exposure to gender-based violence, while climate change and economic inequality have deepened intersecting discrimination against women in disadvantaged groups, Chi said.

The commission called for reforms to better protect women’s rights, including preserving a divorced woman’s access to alimony after remarrying and bolstering complaint mechanisms, he said, citing a case that led the Ministry of Labor to require airlines to allow female flight attendants to wear trousers.

Budget cuts have prevented the commission from carrying out key duties, including human rights monitoring and research, the agency said, urging the Legislative Yuan to approve sufficient funding so it can perform its legally mandated functions.

Additional reporting by Chen Chih-cheng 新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES