Taiwan, US, Japan, Australia, Israel stage GCTF workshop on rights for people...

2021/11/09

A workshop on implementing the rights of persons with disabilities was staged by Taiwan, the U.S., Japan, Australia and Israel under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework Nov. 4 to 5 from Taipei City.
 
Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Human Rights Commission, American Institute in Taiwan, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Australian Office Taipei and Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, the virtual event involved officials such as MOFA Deputy Minister Harry Ho-jen Tseng, AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk, JTEA Representative Hiroyasu Izumi, AOT Representative Jenny Bloomfield and ISECO Representative Omer Caspi.
 
The workshop is significant for several firsts. It is the first under the GCTF to focus on ensuring people with disabilities enjoy equal access to opportunities, protection from discrimination and full inclusion in society and the first co-hosted by ISECO.
 
According to Tseng, the government is fully committed to upholding human rights via ongoing efforts to bring Taiwan’s relevant laws and practices more in line with global standards.
 
Several major international covenants on human rights protection have been adopted, Tseng said, adding that voluntary international reviews resulted in the amendment of 423 domestic regulations to create a more inclusive society for those with special needs.
 
Echoing Tseng’s remarks, Oudkirk said Taiwan’s track record highlights its respect for human rights—a value it shares with the U.S. and other democracies. The event served as a valuable opportunity for participants to learn from Taiwan’s experiences, she added.
 
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “#Taiwan, #US, #Japan, #Australia & 1st-timers #Israel staged a #GCTF workshop on implementing the rights of persons with disabilities. Around 100 experts from 16 countries discussed ways of powering progress on promoting @UN #CPRD principles.”
 
Since the GCTF’s launch in June 2015, more than 1,000 experts and officials from about 70 countries and territories have participated in 41 workshops spanning disaster relief, energy security, law enforcement, media literacy, public health and women’s empowerment, the MOFA said.”


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)