President Tsai pledges to advance children’s rights at ADHR Award ceremony

2023/12/11

President Tsai Ing-wen said Dec. 7 that Taiwan is committed to safeguarding its hard-earned democracy, freedom and respect for human rights while working to further entrench the rights of children at home and abroad.
 
The government and members of civil society have joined forces to protect children and their rights via a sound legal framework, Tsai said. The country has incorporated international standards into domestic law for nearly a decade, as demonstrated by the passage of legislation adopting the principles of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2014, she added.
 
Two national progress reports have also been submitted to date, Tsai said, adding that each was followed by review meetings between officials, nongovernmental organizations, international experts, and child and youth representatives to assess the current situation in Taiwan.
 
According to Tsai, the government is taking a proactive approach to preventing emerging types of violence. The president cited as an example the addition of a chapter on sexual privacy offenses to the Criminal Code earlier this year, which benefits children as well as youths in the digital age.
 
Tsai made the remarks at the 18th Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award ceremony organized by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy in Taipei City.
 
This year’s prize went to Amihan Abueva, regional executive director of the Philippines-based Child Rights Coalition Asia. She is dedicated to fighting all forms of violence against children, especially trafficking and sexual exploitation, and advocates for children’s participation in society and child welfare policymaking, as well as strengthening relevant national and international legal frameworks.
 
Abueva’s leadership has helped connect child rights organizations throughout Asia, including Taipei-headquartered Child Welfare League Foundation, Tsai said, adding that the winner also strives to raise public awareness through speeches and print materials.
 
Founded in 2003, TFD is the first national-level foundation in Asia aimed at promoting democracy. The annual ADHR Award honors individuals and groups for promoting a fair and just society.


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