Anti-nuclear activists inspired by Japanese women

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Female leaders of the anti-nuclear power movement in Taiwan said they became involved in the issue and the development of the movement because they were confident that women could play a “pivotal” role in the campaign that has swept the nation.

“I am glad that so many people stepped up and took action to voice their opinions on this important issue, but this is just the beginning. The road ahead is still long,” Irene Chen (陳藹玲), Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation board director and founder of Mom Loves Taiwan, an association for mothers against nuclear power, said yesterday.

Lu set to open women’s conference

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) is set to open the 2012 International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International) Asia-Pacific Regional Conference today in Taipei.

Lu, founding president of BPW Taiwan, said yesterday that the conference with the theme “Empowered Women Leading Business and the Green Economy” marks a step in Taiwan’s international participation.

Women’s rights can improve: DPP

DISPARITIES:Pan Men-an said women in Taiwan work 65 more days in a year than men on average, while earning 17.6 percent less in salary than their male counterparts
By Chris Wang and Mo Yan-chih  /  Staff Reporters

Women’s rights and welfare under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration has significant room for improvement, opposition lawmakers said on International Women’s Day yesterday.

“The misery index of Taiwanese women has skyrocketed in the past few years as the current administration has not brought hope on almost every issue they care about,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Pan Men-an (潘孟安) said.

Tsai campaign theme failed to win support: poll

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) presidential campaign theme of “Taiwan’s first female president” failed to resonate with voters, according to a poll released by the Taiwanese Association for Pacific Ocean Development (TAPOD) yesterday.

A survey conducted three days before Saturday’s presidential election, in which President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) won his re-election bid, showed that two in three voters, or 66.7 percent, said they were “not interested” in Tsai’s campaign theme, TAPOD chairman You Ying-lung (游盈隆) said at a press conference held to announce the results.

Tsai Ing-wen pledges to promote sexual equality

RIGHTS FOR ALL:Tsai, who also promised to protect new immigrants and gays, said one-third of elected officials should be female and said women can facilitate harmony
By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said her administration would keep promoting gender equality and emphasize women’s political participation, as well as pass legislation to protect people of all races, genders and sexual orientations if she were elected president in January.

The DPP has always prided itself on being a political party that stresses gender equality and respects human rights for all since its foundation and it will continue to do so, Tsai told representatives from women’s organizations from across the nation at a symposium.

ANALYSIS: Tsai is changing female voters’ view of the DPP

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 - Page 3

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has traditional appeared to fare poorly among female voters, but that could change with the January legislative and presidential elections.

The main reason is DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who not only became the nation’s first female presidential candidate and party chairperson, but has also steered the party from the radical end of the political spectrum to the moderate middle.

Given that the DPP has usually trailed the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in support among women, the transformation is seen as critical for the party.

DPP holds 25th anniversary rally party

SMOOTHING THE EDGES:Tsai Ing-wen said her party would govern Taiwan ‘rationally’ and would change the nation’s politics with style and substance if it is elected
By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter, in GREATER TAICHUNG

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is not only ready to return to power next year, but is also determined to change the nation’s politics with style and substance, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday in Greater Taichung.

Speaking in an unusually strong tone, Tsai ezuded confidence in her campaign and criticized President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in a speech at the party congress.

“Strong criticism [of the KMT] is not enough for us to win back power,” she said, referring to the January presidential election. “The DPP will strike fear into the KMT, whose biggest fear is an opponent with better policies and that is seen as a more trustworthy party.”

If there is anything that could explain why the campaign atmosphere has been described as worrying to some supporters, that was the reason, according to Tsai.

The DPP presidential candidate is confident her party has a better vision of Taiwan’s future and is more than ready than the KMT to govern with its 10-year policy guidelines.

In addition, the modest, soft-spoken Tsai could very well represent a new style of the DPP, which has long been known for its “roughness.”

“Being rational does not mean being indifferent. Being calm does not mean you don’t hold any sentiments. The DPP is going to be rational and passionate at the same time,” she said.

Taiwanese are facing a difficult time, but they are working as hard as ever, she said.

The government’s China policy, seen by the Ma administration as its crown jewel, did not benefit Taiwanese, Tsai said.

“On top of that, the political prerequisite of the so-called ‘1992 consensus’ and ‘one China with different interpretations’ has created more internal divisions,” she added.

The pro-China Ma administration has made the distance between Taipei and Beijing closer while distancing itself from Taiwanese, Tsai said, adding that an administration that could sell out Taiwan was a great concern.

Tsai said that unlike the so-called “1992 consensus,” which has never had input from the public, her proposed “Taiwan consensus” would initiate a democratic process involving all parties that intends to consolidate Taiwan.

Tsai also made a pitch to the KMT, saying the “Taiwan consensus” could not be achieved without the participation of different political parties.

“Instead of voicing opposition, the KMT will be more than welcome to join the process of building up a Taiwan consensus so Taiwan could face a rising China after the 2012 presidential election,” she said.

Explaining her campaign slogan, “Taiwan NEXT,” Tsai said Taiwanese were able to achieve different historical missions in different periods of time, such as an “economic miracle” in the 1970s and a democratic transformation in the 1980s.

“The historical mission upon us is to achieve fairness and justice. And we will walk toward that goal with consensus and consolidation,” Tsai said.

In an evening rally, former vice premier Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), mayors Chen Chu (陳菊) of Greater Kaohsiung, Helen Chang (張花冠) of Chiayi County and Su Chih-fen (蘇治芬) of Yunlin County endorsed Tsai, saying she would make a good president for her wisdom, moderate approach and determination.

About 10,000 supporters attended the evening rally held at Gancheng Park in Central District (中區), which took place after the party congress, to celebrate the DPP’s 25th anniversary. The rally was the first of many large-scale campaign events to follow for the Tsai campaign.

Taiwan making effort to eliminate discrimination against women

Taipei, Nov. 22 (CNA) Taiwan has been making substantial moves toward eliminating discrimination against women, but government officials and civil workers will need to increase participation in international networking to achieve higher goals, U.N. representatives said in a conference held in Taipei Thursday.

The ultimate goal is Taiwan's accession to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), one of the few U.N. conventions which allows non-U.N. members to actively participate.

What Taiwan can do is increase its visibility by actively engaging in international non-government organization (INGOs) events. Aside from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) , women rights advocates can also participate in the U.N. DPI-NGO (Department of Public Information-Non-government Organizations) , said Denise Scotto, Vice Chair of U.N. NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGOCSW.)

"You can also work around the U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) , " she said, stressing that it will show the world Taiwan's progress in women's rights issues and help Taiwan's accession in the long run.

In February 2007, the Legislative Yuan passed and adopted CEDAW. President Chen Shui-bian has also ratified the convention, stressing the importance of promoting women's human rights. Taiwan's ratification of CEDAW was not accepted by the U.N. because of it the country's political status, however.

In examining the status of women in Taiwan, the Awakening Foundation found that Taiwan has done well in several international reviews, such as the Gender Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) , ranking in the Top 25 in the world in both. It has also found that Taiwan ranks among the best in the ratio of female representatives among public officials, national and local legislators, and management in private corporations.

However, Taiwan needs to make improvements in areas such as the rights for female immigrants and migrant workers, human trafficking, and the implementation of regulations and laws, the foundation stated in the "checklist".

The ratification of CEDAW could mean much to Taiwan, said Theresa Yeh, a professor at National Taiwan University who's also a women's rights advocate. It provides Taiwan with an all-dimensional platform for cross-national dialogue on women's issues and situates the contribution of Taiwanese women in the global women's human rights movement, while, of course, keeping women's rights issues at the top of the priority list.

Changing attitudes and behaviors are sometimes even harder than legislation and the implementation of the law, noted Nancy Wallace, Treasurer of the U.N. NGOCSW.

"Sometimes it's not happening fast enough for those who are suffering from discrimination. And that's why we have to hit the streets: to help and empower them, " she said.

WOMEN'S GROUP CALLS FOR JAPANESE COMPENSATION FOR COMFORT WOMEN

Taipei, June 27 (CNA) A women's rights advocacy group protested in front of Japan's representative office in Taiwan Wednesday on the heels of passage of a U.S. House committee resolution on the Japanese military's wartime sexual enslavement of women in Asia, demanding a formal apology and compensation from the Japanese government.

"This can be seen as a huge victory in our 15-year effort to get compensation for comfort women, " said Fran Gau, Executive Director of the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation (TWRF) , on the overwhelming 39-2 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee passed that day, which called on the government of Japan to "formally acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility" for its coercion of young women into sexual slavery during World War II.

The foundation and two former comfort women, Cheng Chen-tao and Chen Yang, staged a 30-minute protest in front of the Interchange Association, Japan's official representative office in Taiwan, under the watchful eyes of dozens of policemen. They were not received by Japanese officials.

"At 86 years old, I can no longer work and make a living. For many years the Japanese government has refused to recognize the existence of comfort women or offer a formal apology and compensation. With the passage of the resolution, I hope for Japan's apology and compensation, " said Cheng.

Chen Yang also questioned why the Taiwan government and legislature failed to initiate a practical solution in pressuring Japan now that the U.S. has shown support for the compensation claim movement.

"The governments of South Korea and China have been very active and supportive of the compensation claim. The Taiwan government and legislature should step up their efforts as well, as the resolution has now received support from Canada, Australia, Germany, South Korea, China and the Philippines, " said Gau.

"We are not requesting Japan's apology forever. We want the truth to be recognized, " said Legislator Joanna Lei, who also attended the protest.

"The government of Japan has never taken the responsibility it should have taken. On the contrary, it has spent a lot of money lobbying in the U.S. for the resolution not to pass, " Gau said, adding that the TWRF also condemned 44 Japanese lawmakers' denial of the existence comfort women in a full-page advertisement in the Washington Post earlier this month.

The non-binding Resolution 121, which was introduced by Representative Michael Honda last January, will now be voted on in a full House.

VOLUNTEERS TO HELP NEW IMMIGRANTS ADJUST TO LIFE IN TAIWAN

Taipei, June 2 (CNA) More than 80 volunteers will start paying home visits in July to new immigrant families in Taipei City and Taipei County in a program that seeks to help new arrivals adjust to Taiwan's environment and culture, organizers said Saturday.

The volunteers, who are mostly retired workers, will try to collect information and learn about the problems that foreign spouses face and tell stories to children in their upcoming home visits under the program organized by the Eden Social Welfare Foundation, said Huang Juo-sung, executive director of the foundation.

Four foreign spouses -- three from Vietnam and one from Indonesia -- and two men who are married to Vietnamese women are among the most notable volunteers in the program.

Huynh Trang Phuong Thuy, who came to Taiwan five years ago when she was just 20, said she decided to join the program because she understands how difficult it is adjusting to a new environment. As happy and comfortable as she is now, Huynh said she felt the urge to reach out a helping hand to her "Vietnamese sisters."

Lin Jian-chung, who is married to a Vietnamese women, also joined the program, determined to help thousands of new immigrant families like his own.

Meanwhile, Yen Wei-te, a graduate student at National Taiwan University, said he joined the program "to involve myself more in social activities, rather than just focusing on studying."

Volunteers like Huynh Trang, Lin and Yen will be assigned to different regions, such as Sanchong and Sindian, and provide counseling, story-telling and Chinese-language learning book distributing services. Having received just three days of training and being fully aware of the possibility of being turned away at the door on their visits to the homes of new immigrants, the volunteers said they are still upbeat about the task they will embark upon Saturday.

"This is only the beginning of a massive and important project that tries to respond to a national issue, " said Huang.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) statistics, an estimated average of 12,000 Vietnamese women arrive in Taiwan every year in mixed marriages, Huang said, adding that currently, one out of every four babies born in Taiwan is born into a new immigrant family.

"The new immigrant issue has been ranked in the top three of the ten most important social issues of the future by analysts and observers, which means the government and civil groups have to look at and deal with the issue seriously as soon as possible, " he noted.

The program is mainly being sponsored by Cathay Life Charity Foundation.

VECO HAILS INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE BROKERAGE BAN

Taipei, June 1 (CNA) The ban on interracial marriage brokerage to be implemented by the government is "the right thing to do, " but accompanying measures and enforcement of the law are even more important, a Vietnamese representative in Taiwan said Friday.

The Vietnamese government has always opposed interracial marriage brokerage, said Nguyen Cong Manh, deputy head of the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei (VECO) -- the Vietnamese representative office in Taiwan.

Nguyen was responding to an amendment to the Immigration Law in which legislators agreed Thursday to put an end to the controversial interracial marriage brokerage industry. Effective immediately, cross-border marriage brokers will be banned from doing business and offenders will be subject to punishment.

There are approximately 100,000 Vietnamese women married to Taiwanese men living in Taiwan at present, and one in three foreign spouses in Taiwan comes from Vietnam, Nguyen said.

"While most of them have happy marriages, there's no denying that problems such as abuse, fraudulent marriages and human smuggling are happening, which is why we, as a government, agree with the amendment, " he said.

The number of cross-border marriages between Taiwan and Vietnam reached a very high level from 1993-2003 before the Taiwan and Vietnam governments started implementing stricter regulations on marriage applications, Nguyen said, adding that the number has been stable ever since.

However, the demand was always there and Nguyen stressed that the governments of both sides will have to cooperate and work out a solution for those Taiwanese men who want to legally marry Vietnamese women.

"Otherwise, most of the brokerage companies will go `underground' and still do the same things under the guise of travel agencies or friendship societies," he said.

VP PROUD OF WHO SHE IS, HER METHODS

Taipei, May 2 (CNA) Never fear being extraordinary, Vice President Annette Lu, who is seeking the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) nomination to run for the next presidency, said Wednesday, adding that she is proud of being a female leader and of the way she has conducted herself in a brutal primary.

"I believe that the people of Taiwan are ready for a female president, although some of the DPP supporters are not, " Lu, alluding to a claim by a senior DPP supporter that women are not suited to being a national leader, said in an interview with CNA.

Lu is one of the most prominent female political figures in Taiwan and has always advocated what she describes as the "soft power" that women can bring to the political table.

Citing well-known examples in history, including Elizabeth I of England, Catherine the Great of Russia and Wu Zetian, the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Emperor, Lu said that women are able to achieve great feats just like men.

"And look at German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was named by Forbes Magazine among the most powerful people of 2007, " Lu said, adding that there are 14 female heads of state in the world.

"99.9 percent of wars in history were launched by men. Women can find another way to cope with difficulties, challenges and conflicts," she claimed.

Women also approach politics differently, she said, which is why she has been insisting a "no fund-raising, no mobilization" policy in her DPP primary campaign, hoping to win the approval of party members through her ideals and vision.

Lu expressed hope that her integrity and her accomplishments and dedication in different fields can win the heart of the voters.

A women's movement advocate, Lu became the first female vice president in Taiwanese history in 2000. Before that, she was jailed in the early1980's for her involvement in the opposition movement when the Kuomintang (KMT) was still in power.

She has devoted herself for years to various international affairs, such as Taiwan's bid for a U.N. seat and establishing the Democratic Pacific Union (DPU) and the Pacific Congressional Caucus (PCC).

"If I win the DPP nomination, I believe I can beat Ma Ying-jeou (who is expected to win the KMT nomination soon) in the 2008 presidential election and start writing Taiwan's `her-story', " she said, an apparent mis-reference to the word "history."

ROTARY INT'L PRESIDENT PRAISES CONTRIBUTION OF TAIWAN MEMBERS

Taipei, Dec. 7 (CNA) Rotarians in Taiwan have made a great contribution to Taiwan society and communities over the years, Rotary International President William Boyd said in an interview with the CNA Thursday.

Taiwanese Rotarians donated an average of US$138 per person per year to the Rotary Foundation, which is one of the highest figures in the world, Boyd said on the first day of his three-day visit to Taiwan. He added that membership in Taiwan has been growing strong, with a 10-percent increase this past year.

The most satisfying fact, according to Boyd, a New Zealander who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, is knowing that Rotarians in Taiwan have been helping communities and people through collaboration with government agencies and various organizations.

Boyd made the comments on the heels of an anti-drugs and anti-AIDS campaign in Taipei.

Rotary International is an organization of more than 32,000 Rotary clubs located in more than 200 countries. Its members are known as Rotarians. The purpose of the group is to bring together business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace around the world.

Boyd, who was invited to join the Rotary club in 1971, said he has always been interested in helping people. Being a Rotarian has helped him expand his vision and get involved in many international events. As the current president, he has been able to travel with his wife Lorna to different countries and meet different people, he said.

In Uganda, Boyd met a young man who lost his arm in an accident and was later able to make a living as a cab driver after receiving an artificial arm, which was donated by a Rotary club and cost only US$50.

"It's amazing to see what a difference a little effort can make," he said.

Boyd, whose term as president will end in June 2007, has made "water, hunger and health" the three main areas for Rotarians around the world to work on in 2006 and 2007. Stressing his philosophy of "local Rotary clubs know best," Boyd said that he only sets a general direction and then lets local clubs make decisions on specific areas they want to work on.

Boyd said he believes Rotary International's role will increase in the future, adding that it is gratifying to see so many international organizations, such as UNICEF, actively approach Rotary International for collaborate on projects.

What Rotary International can do to help the world is not limited to its 1.2 million members, Boyd said, pointing out that several of the organization's programs involve women and youth as well and that Rotarians usually bring their family members along to participate in community services.

"The future of Rotary International is looking as good as ever, " Boyd said.

WOMEN JOURNALIST CONGRESS DISCUSSES INTERNET AGE MEDIA

Taipei, Oct. 28 (CNA) Women journalists and writers from all over the world gathered in Taipei Saturday to discuss media in the Internet age in a two-day congress.

The 17th World Congress of the World Association of Women Journalists and Writers (AMMPE) will discuss the theme in four topical seminars: television and broadcasting, e-papers, print media and e-writing.

"The Internet has brought significant changes to the ways people send messages between people and countries. It makes communications more instant and more interactive. However, it also brings about certain dangers and blind spots, " said AMMPE International President Jennifer Shen, who is an anchorwoman of China Television Company (CTV).

AMMPE, a member of the non-government organizations of the United Nations, was incorporated by founder Gloria Salas de Calderon in Mexico in 1969.

International participants of the event came from Chile, Canada, Japan, Mexico and Hong Kong.

Topics to be discussed in the open seminars included Taiwan's media reforms and women's activism, Internet journalism in Latin America, how the print media copes with online fashions and trends and challenges, and opportunities of online reading.

VICE PRESIDENT SHARES `THREE RIGHTS' WITH WOMEN JOURNALISTS

Taipei, Oct. 28 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu said in a speech Saturday to women journalists that the pubic have three rights, which she described "as the right to know, the right not to know, and the right not to be known."

Lu made the remarks in a keynote speech of the opening ceremony of the World Congress of World Association of Women Journalists and Writers in Taipei.

"The time has come for women to be in charge. Can women play an important role in media? Of course they can, " Lu said.

"But before that can happen, women have to be professional, independent. We have to be equipped with gender awareness and the courage to innovate and break through, " she said.

Lu, an important figure in the history of Taiwan's women's activism, also claimed that "world history has been written by men for thousands of years" because the word is spelled "his story."

It's time for women to write history as "her story, " she said.

NEW CHALLENGE AHEAD FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS: FORUM

Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) The relative success of Taiwanese women's participation in politics will face a new challenge in the future to go from policy counselling to policy making, participants in a forum said Thursday.

Taiwan women's political participation rate ranks among the highest in the world, but women should play an even more important role in the government, National Taiwan University Professor Huang Chang-lin said in the forum organized by the Department of Women's Development of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP.)

At present, women's participation in politics is generally restricted to elections, the legislature, and policy counseling, said DPP Legislator Wang Shu-hui. However, women's participation in politics should be "broader and further" than that, she added.

"Democracy is more than policy elaboration, policy making is equally important. There should be more women participation in major public policies because women tend to look at the world in a different perspective to men, " said DPP Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung.

"We have to reconsider the partnership between women's groups and the government. And I believe we'll have a better government with more women participating, " he said.

To achieve this aim, government attitude will be a key factor, said Huang, citing the example of the Commission on Women's Rights Promotion (CWRP) under the Executive Yuan as saying that CWRP has been involved more in policy making since
2004.

The issue of gender equality is one of the most important processes in democratization. And as successful as Taiwan women already are, there are still more challenges ahead, she said.

The forum is the last in a series of events that commemorates the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the DPP's Department of Women's Development.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS CROSS-BORDER MARRIAGES

Taipei, Sept. 18 (CNA) A two-day international conference will be held Sept. 19-20 to discuss the rapid increase and impact of cross-border marriages in Asia and Europe.

The Conference on Intermediated Cross-Border Marriages in Asia and Europe, which is being organized by the National Science Council (NSC) , the Institute of Sociology of Academia Sinica and the Netherlands-based International Institute of Asian Studies has invited 13 foreign academics for discussions with their local counterparts.

"In Taiwan, cross-border marriages accounted for 27.4 percent of the total marriages in 2002, with one out of every eight children in Taiwan born into a cross-border family, " said NSC Deputy Minister Yang Hung-duen.

The same phenomenon can be seen in East Asian countries like South Korea and Japan, he said.

"The phenomena of 'brides from Asia' in Japan, 'mixed marriages' in South Korea, and 'foreign and Chinese brides' in Taiwan, all attract huge media attention, cause public panic and challenge these societies whose population policies are based on mono-ethnic principles, " he claimed.

In Europe, marriage migration also has been steadily growing, resulting from globalization and the expansion of the European Union, he said. The issues of the political, social and cultural citizenship of migrants and their children are constantly in public debate, he added.

`RESPECT' KEY WORD IN GENDER EQUITY: WOMEN'S RIGHTS ADVOCATE

Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) Regulation of the law is the last line of defense in terms of gender equity and respect is the key word in solving issues like sexual crime, sexual harassment and employment discrimination, a women's rights advocate said Monday.

"In that sense, gender equity education may be the most important task for us, although women also need the protection of the law at all times, " said Ku Yen-lin, Director of the Taipei Public Service Institute, on the sidelines of an international conference of U.N. Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW.)

Since the establishment of the Committee for Promotion of Women's Rights under the Executive Yuan in 1997, Yen said, the passage of bills such as the Sexual Harassment Prevention Law, Sexual Crime Law, Domestic Violence Prevention Law and Gender Equity Education Act has provided more protection than before for women.

But those bills focus on details and punishments, she said.

"Do we really need a law to tell us which parts of a woman's body a man can and cannot touch or what a man should and should not say to a woman? " she asked, adding that there have been many problems regarding the implementation of the laws.

Integration of the law should be done as well, Yen said. For example, it is sometimes confusing that the issue of sexual harassment is regulated by three different bills.

"Government policy should be goal-oriented and priorities should be established, " she said, adding that the protection of "new immigrant women" is also an urgent task.

WOMEN'S GROUP TO PUSH FOR TAIWAN'S INCLUSION IN U.N. CONVENTION

Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) Taiwan's devotion and success in promoting women's rights is obvious, and this is why Taiwan should be accepted as a party to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) , a women's group said Monday.

Taiwan ranks in the top 30 among 177 countries in two of the most important women's rights indexes -- 24th in the Gender Development Index (GDI) and 19th in the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) , said Mary Chen, chairwoman of National Alliance of Taiwan Women's Associations (NATWA).

"The success and hard work has been ignored as Taiwan is not yet a member state of CEDAW, which has been signed by 183 countries, because of political factors," Chen said.

Taiwan's government has made its move. Premier Su Tseng-tsang approved a proposal for Taiwan to seek to join the CEDAW in July, and the proposal will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan in the next session for ratification, Interior Minister Lee Yi-yang has said.

According to a NATWA release, the CEDAW is one of three U.N. conventions that accept non-U.N. members, which means it's possible for Taiwan to become a party of the convention barring political interference by China.

Taiwan's ratification of the convention, in the meantime, shows that the government has the ability and determination to fulfill its duties in the international community -- even if it is not a U.N. member yet, Lee said.

The CEDAW, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1979, is often described as an international bill of rights for women. The convention defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

To promote understanding of the convention, NATWA is conducting a two-day international conference from Aug. 28-29. Denise Scotto, vice chairwoman of the U.N.'s NGOCSW (Committee of the Status on Women) , and Nancy Wallace, main representative of World Federation for Mental Health at the U.N. headquarters, have been invited as speakers.