The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) held a press conference on May 14th to release its Independent Opinion on the Third National Report under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Focusing on priority rights issues and the implementation of the Convention, the NHRC presented its observations and recommendations, with the aim of enhancing domestic and international understanding of the status of disability rights in Taiwan through the Independent Opinion.
Commissioner Wang Jung-chang stated that, based on the CRPD Human Rights Indicators developed by the United Nations, the NHRC comprehensively reviewed whether disability rights in Taiwan comply with international standards. The main contents of the Opinion include priority disability rights issues, a review of the implementation of previous concluding observations, and NHRC’s recommendations on human rights legislation such as the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act and the Anti-Discrimination Act, with the aim of urging the Government to address structural issues and safeguard the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities.
Commissioner Yeh Ta-hua highlighted the situation of groups facing intersecting identities, including children and women with disabilities. She noted a year-by-year increase in the number of children in out-of-home care holding disability certification, with around 15% inappropriately placed in adult institutions, contrary to the best interests of the child. She also stressed the urgent need to protect the right of children with disabilities to be heard. Schools should implement the requirement that students with disabilities participate in the development of their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and children with disabilities participating in government meetings as representatives should be provided with age-appropriate, easy-to-understand materials and support measures. Commissioner Yeh further noted that persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and abuse. The proportion of victims with disabilities in protection cases, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and child protection cases, has continued to rise. Women with disabilities are especially vulnerable to gender-based violence and stalking and harassment, and disability-related barriers often make it difficult to seek help, leave dangerous situations quickly, or collect evidence and report incidents to the police.
In addition, 62 long-term care homicide cases occurred between 2018 and 2024, averaging about nine cases per year, highlighting structural problems in the long-term care system and family support mechanisms. Meanwhile, some medical professionals in Taiwan have claimed to have assisted family members of persons with severe disabilities in carrying out “non-voluntary stopping of eating and drinking,” raising concerns over whether the wishes of persons with severe disabilities are being respected and whether their right to life is adequately protected. Commissioner Yeh emphasized that persons with disabilities are entitled to enjoy the right to life on an equal basis with others, and that disability should never be used as a justification, directly or indirectly, for ending a person’s life. The State must take active measures to safeguard the right to life of persons with disabilities.
Commissioner Wang Yu-ling pointed out the 2023 NHRC survey shows the top priority issue in disability rights was the “right to work and employment.” Although there has been some progress since the Government issued the Second National Report in 2020, many problems remain.
These include low labor force participation and high unemployment among persons with disabilities. In 2024, the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities was 7.1%, more than double the 3.3% for the general population. Persons with disabilities are also disproportionately engaged in non-standard employment, and the proportion continues to rise. Because such work is often associated with lower wages and weaker labor protections, workers are more vulnerable to labor exploitation. Women with disabilities face particularly severe disadvantages. Their labor force participation rate was only 16.7%, far below the 26.3% for men with disabilities and less than one-third of the 51.87% for women in the general population. The average monthly regular wage for women with disabilities was NT$26,576, lower than that of men with disabilities (NT$32,925) and less than 70% of the NT$42,752 earned by women in the general population.
Persons with disabilities continue to face stigma and discrimination in the workplace. During NHRC focus group discussions, some persons with psychosocial disabilities stated that they were unwilling to disclose their disability status to employers, fearing that revealing a disability or history of mental illness during job application would prevent them from even obtaining an interview. Others reported that, despite having already been hired, employers learned through National Health Insurance enrollment that they held disability certification and subsequently pressured them to “voluntarily resign.” To encourage civil servants to improve self-awareness and relieve physical and mental stress, the Government introduced three days of annual mental health adjustment leave. However, the measure applies only to civil servants and excludes workers in the private sector. As persons with disabilities often require regular medical visits, it is recommended that the Government consider expanding eligibility for such leave in order to balance employment and healthcare needs. She also noted insufficient accessibility in mobile payment apps and kiosks, and emphasized that although AI may support the development of assistive technologies, oversight mechanisms remain inadequate. In addition, the protection of the rights of detainees with disabilities still requires urgent improvement.
Commissioner Wang Jung-chang added that, in response to the current state of disability rights in Taiwan, the NHRC recommends that the Executive Yuan formulate a national disability strategy and action plan covering all rights under the CRPD, and conduct human rights impact assessments for laws and major policies concerning the rights of persons with disabilities. The NHRC also recommends that the Legislative Yuan amend the Act to Implement the CRPD to incorporate provisions requiring the formulation of a national disability strategy and explicitly designate the NHRC as the independent monitoring mechanism under the CRPD, while ensuring the NHRC’s independence in budget, personnel, and operations in accordance with the Paris Principles. In addition, the NHRC recommends that the Judicial Yuan revise the Guidelines on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities and review existing judicial assistance measures for persons with disabilities serving as citizen judges. The Examination Yuan is encouraged to formulate guidelines on reasonable accommodation within its jurisdiction, and to ensure that accommodation for persons with disabilities participating in national examinations fully reflect the CRPD principle of reasonable accommodation.
He further explained, in preparing NHRC’s CRPD Independent Opinion, the Commission conducted four focus group discussions between August and October 2025 with children with disabilities, women with disabilities, persons with intellectual disabilities, and persons with psychosocial disabilities, respectively, to explore intersectional issues faced by persons with disabilities in multiple disadvantaged situations. In December 2025, the NHRC held three regional consultation meetings in Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei to gather views from persons with disabilities and their representative organizations across Taiwan, promote the participation of persons with disabilities in monitoring efforts, and respond to the concluding observations relating to the NHRC issued during the international review of the Second National Report. In January 2026, the NHRC organized three consultation meetings with government agencies to exchange views on the Third Report and the Government’s implementation of the CRPD. The NHRC expressed appreciation to persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, experts and scholars, and government representatives for their participation and for providing views and information. It will continue working with all sectors to advance the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
The NHRC’s Independent Opinion on the Third National Report under the CRPD was overseen by Commissioners Wang Jung-chang, Yeh Ta-hua, and Wang Yu-ling, and contains a total of 139 observations and recommendations. NHRC Vice Chairperson Chi Hui-jung and French technical expert for human rights Jérémie Beja also attended the press conference. The NHRC has submitted the Independent Opinion to the international review committee. In accordance with Articles 9 and 21 of the CRPD, NHRC’s CRPD Independent Opinion shall be made available in accessible formats, including Braille, audio, and easy-to-read versions. However, as this year’s budget has not yet been approved, these versions may not be completed in time for the international review meeting scheduled for November.