Gender Equality Committee meeting reviews achievements

2025/01/02

Premier Cho Jung-Tai convened the 31st meeting of the Cabinet-level Gender Equality Committee Dec. 30 in Taipei City to review 2024’s progress in government policy measures.
 
According to Cho, gender equality is an important indicator of social development and a key component in President Lai Ching-te’s National Project of Hope. The policy blueprint aims to build a society with zero tolerance for sexual harassment and that encourages more female involvement in decision making and public participation, among other goals.
 
Cho said Taiwan tops Asia when it comes to experience in promoting gender equality, citing as examples revisions to the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act, Gender Equality in Employment Act and Gender Equity Education Act. he also mentioned achievements highlighted in activities and events organized by government agencies and ministries.
 
In particular, the premier said new regulations allow more working individuals to take parental leave for work-family balance, while same-sex couples with one individual from China can now register marriage in Taiwan.
 
Another achievement is the narrowing of the gender pay gap in Taiwan. The Ministry of Labor said the difference in pay between men and women decreased from 15.8 percent more for males in 2022 to 14.7 percent more in 2023. Statistics compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed that the medium pay gap for full-time workers in Taiwan averaged 15.3 percent in 2022, which is narrower than those of Canada, Finland, Japan, South Korea and the U.S.
 
The premier directed agencies and ministries to continue reviewing projects on a regular basis, such as those to encourage more females to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, eliminate gender barriers for women in careers and monitor the gender pay gap in all segments of society. 


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