A six-member delegation led by Pierre Kompany, Vice Chair of the Petitions Committee of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, visited the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) this afternoon (May 8). The delegation was received by Vice Chairperson Chi Hui-jung, Commissioner Yeh Ta-hua, and Commissioner Wang Li-jen.
In her welcoming remarks, Vice Chairperson Chi noted that Belgium, often regarded as the “heart of Europe,” has long served as an international model for human rights through its pioneering legislation on the abolition of the death penalty, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. Although Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, it has proactively incorporated major international human rights conventions into domestic law and invited international experts to conduct independent reviews in Taiwan, demonstrating its commitment to upholding international human rights standards and engaging with the global human rights community.
Delegation leader Pierre Kompany first conveyed greetings from the people of Belgium. Reflecting on his own journey from political refugee to becoming Belgium’s first mayor of African descent, he remarked that his life story could be seen as a history of the struggle for human rights. He noted that although Belgium is a small country, it hosts institutions and organizations from around the world, making dialogue and exchange relatively accessible. At the same time, he emphasized that advancing and safeguarding human rights is never easy. In a world facing numerous challenges rooted in human experiences, fears, and religious beliefs, identifying the underlying issues is an essential starting point for realizing human rights.
The delegation expressed strong interest in Taiwan’s current human rights policies, including the living conditions of LGBTQ+ communities, gender representation in the workplace, public support for human rights initiatives, whether Taiwan has specialized courts for human rights cases, and the challenges facing human rights work.
In response, Vice Chairperson Chi noted that Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage and consistently ranks among the region’s leaders in gender equality. She added that the NHRC is currently advocating for transgender rights, including legal gender recognition without mandatory surgery and the legalization of assisted reproduction for transgender individuals, while also monitoring whether government agencies are conducting human rights impact assessments of legislation.
Commissioner Yeh Ta-hua further noted that according to public opinion surveys conducted by the NHRC, most people in Taiwan are highly concerned about issues such as the rights of persons with disabilities, children's rights, and socioeconomic inequality. The NHRC conducts systematic investigations into human rights issues of public concern and provides research findings and recommendations to executive and judicial authorities as references for policymaking and the adjudication of human rights cases. In addition, the NHRC participates in proceedings before the Constitutional Court as an expert institution, providing opinions on significant human rights cases.
The delegation also shared insights into Belgium’s human rights framework under its federal system. In addition to institutions at the federal level, each major region maintains dedicated human rights bodies responsible for human rights affairs, helping to ensure that human rights protections are effectively implemented at the local level. The meeting fostered a deeper mutual understanding of Taiwan’s and Belgium’s respective experiences and current developments in the field of human rights protection. The NHRC looks forward to expanding future cooperation and exchanges with Belgium on human rights issues and working together to advance human rights standards around the world.