Chairperson Chen Chu of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a delegation of Commissioners including Chi Hui-jung, Kao Yung-cheng, Tien Chiu-chin, and Su, Li-chiung were invited to the International Review on National Report on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) held by the Executive Yuan's today (Nov. 28), and Chairperson Chen Chu was invited to deliver the opening speech.
Chairperson Chen Chu expressed gratitude to the members of the International Review Committee (hereafter IRC) who have visited Taiwan several times and who have contributed to the success of Taiwan's local international review model. In particular, Chairperson Heisoo Shin made four consecutive trips to Taiwan, insisted on upholding human rights principles, defied international repression, took part frequently, and offered selfless counsel, all of which made a significant contribution to the advancement of women's rights and gender equality in Taiwan.
Concerning the establishment of the NHRC, Chairperson Chen Chu stated that domestic NGOs in Taiwan pushed for its establishment in the 1990s; the IRC members recommended that Taiwan establish a national human rights institution in its concluding observation of the first International Review on the CEDAW (2009), and has since reaffirmed its recommendation during the following three reviews.
Chairperson Chen Chu underlined that today, on behalf of the NHRC, she would like to honor and thank all of the domestic partners in human rights NGOs and women's organizations as well as the IRC members on the CEDAW.
Chairperson Chen Chu also thanked the women rights groups for supporting a serious of legislative movements after the lifting of martial law, particularly in the 1990s, to reverse the long-standing gender inequality in the marriage and family system, which led to the enactment and amendment of several laws to prevent gender violence, including the Act of Gender Equality in Employment, which was passed during her tenure as the Chairperson of the Council of Labor Affairs to outlaw long-standing workplace sexual harassment.
Taiwan elected its first female president in 2016; the percentage of female members of the Legislative Yuan has reached 41.59% in 2020, both of which Chairperson Chen Chu considers to be significant milestones in our country's advancement of women's rights.
Regarding the defense of gender diversity rights, Chairperson Chen Chu noted that she led the country in promoting the "registration system for same-sex couples" in 2015, while she served as mayor of Kaohsiung. Other counties and cities have since followed suit, but more significantly, in 2019 the Legislative Yuan passed a special law on same-sex marriage, making Taiwan the first and only country in Asia to do so.
The NHRC Commissioners Chi Hui-jung and Kao Yung-cheng were in charge of overseeing the creation of the Independent Opinion on Taiwan's Fourth Report on the Implementation of the CEDAW. They also organized 15 expert consultation meetings, seminars for government agencies and civil society organizations, and review meetings to bring together issues affecting women across society in the hopes of elucidating the government's actions and challenges in putting the CEDAW into practice.
Commissioner Chi Hui-Jung provided a briefing on behalf of the NHRC, pointing out that the government's intersectional gender statistics and analysis on issues like gender violence, the effects of COVID-19 and recovery plans, and payroll improvement data still need improvement and offering some recommendations.
In the briefing, Commissioner Kao Yung-cheng stated that he expected the Legislative Yuan to move quickly on the legal actions relating to the management and prevention of cyber gender-based violence. Additionally, he suggested that the Judicial Yuan enhance the training and nurturing environment for judicial officers and broaden their understanding of sexual equality.
The IRC enquired into the NHRC, including how Commissioners are chosen and how diversity and gender equality are upheld. Can people participate in constitutional tribunals voluntarily in addition to being invited to do so? Has the application process for membership in the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) begun?
In response, Commissioner Kao Yung-cheng stated that the commissioners are appointed by the Legislative Yuan and nominated by the President, in accordance with the Paris Principles of independence, professionalism, and plurality; we may take the initiative to participate in the Constitutional Court, but we must consult with the Judicial Yuan first for the debate; The NHRC and APF are actively communicating and have held high-level dialogues, and the NHRC has also expressed our desire to join, but everything is still in the works.
Chairperson Heisoo Shin, Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Niklas Bruun, Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, and Ayse Feride Acar are among the invited International Review Committee.