To enrich and enhance diversity and professionalism in the implementation of its powers, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was quick to hire human rights consultants in accordance with the law within six months of its inauguration more than 2 years ago. On February 20, this year, the NHRC convened the first meeting of human rights consultants for the second term of appointment. Chairperson Chu Chen thanked all consultants for their hard work and dedication over the past 2 years and welcomed two new consultants with backgrounds and specialized knowledge regarding indigenous peoples and new immigrants.
Immediately following the launch of the NHRC’s operations on August 1, 2020, in accordance with Article 8 of the Organic Act of the Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission, the operational procedures for the selection and appointment of human rights consultants were initiated. Such measures included the publication of the selection process for the NHRC human rights consultant role and conducting consultations with eminent individuals and professionals from various sectors.
Including those already in tenure and the newly-appointed consultants, there are currently 16 human rights consultants, primarily specialists from the fields of disability, human rights education, international public law, labor, children and adolescents, gender and women, the environment, the media, and ethnic groups. The consultants are appointed for a 2-year term in accordance with the law, with the second term of consultants serving from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024.
The first new consultant is Professor Awi Mona (Chinese name: Chih-Wei Tsai), a member of the Seediq Nation and the first Taiwanese indigenous person to receive a doctorate in law in the United States. Since his return to Taiwan from Seattle, he has continuously promoted the indigenous rights movement, serving as the convener of the Subcommittee on Land Matters of the Presidential Office Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee.
The second of the new consultants is Trần Thị Hoàng Phượng from Vietnam, who graduated from the Department of Law at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City and now works as a lecturer at the National Chengchi University Foreign Language Center. She founded the Vietnamese Club Taiwan in order to repay the kindness she felt from Taiwanese society and to support 300,000 Vietnamese compatriots who united in a common struggle to build a new life in Taiwan.
Chairperson Chu Chen expressed her hope that human rights consultants from various professional backgrounds would continue to contribute their specialized knowledge and wisdom, working together and expending all their efforts to safeguard human rights in Taiwan.
Vice Chairperson Jung-Chang Wang along with committee members Chiu-Chin Tien, Hui-Jung Chi, Yung-Cheng Kao, Ta-Hua Yeh, Upay Radiw Kanasaw, Li-Chiung Su, and Cheng-Chang Lai attended the meeting of the human rights consultants. In addition to receiving a report on the achievements of work conducted in 2022, a full discussion was held with the consultants regarding the NHRC’s future Medium-Term Strategic Plan (draft) for the following 3 years.