Taiwan lauds its own progress on gender equality

Taiwanese officials have lauded the country’s track record on gender equality, presenting the island state as a role model for women’s equality in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.

Speaking in Taipei, Connie Chang of the National Development Council’s Department of Overall Planning (DoP), said that the country was “second best to hardly anyone” adding the “biggest evidence is that we have a female president”.

“We have a very strong labour protection policy compared with other Asian countries. One is for labourers and the other is for women, but there is always a debate,” she told reporters, arguing that while Taiwan led the way in gender equality in comparison to its neighbours, there was still more to accomplish.

DoP’s internal research showed that 80 percent of the Taiwanese public believed women should be given the same assets as men in the workplace, with the most common complaint being the lack of salary equality in situations where men and women are doing the same job. Chang explained that this was more of an issue in the private sector, as the situation did not apply in the public sector.

“‘In other words we are not totally equal yet, but we are moving ahead. We still believe that we need to try more to solve this issue, but we are ahead compared to Japan, Korea and other Asian countries,” Chang said.

To pursue this end, the government is “doing its best” to work with employers and labour unions in ensuring companies follow regulations with regard to working hours, time off and equal rights for workers, she added.

According to the Taiwanese government, the salary gap between male and female employees has fallen from 33 percent 30 years ago to 14 percent today.

Forms of discrimination, such as mistreatment or unfair treatment over pregnancy and child rearing do continue to exist, but the government is working to reduce these.

Measures include a requirement placed on employers of 100 workers or more to provide nursing rooms and childcare facilities.

Companies not pulling their weight, including international businesses with Taiwanese arms, can be fined if they do not comply with rules regarding gender equality set up by the government of Taiwan.

Authorities in Taipei have also introduced a Gender Equality Index to rate employers according to how equal their gender practices are. 

The seven categories on which they are judged include; gender equality in organisational decision making, mechanisms for promoting gender equality, gender equality in pay increases, education and disciplinary structures in place to promote gender equality, the balance afforded for work and family, parenting measures, and friendly measures for gender equality in workplaces.

As a result, Taiwan ranks first in Asia and eighth globally in terms of gender equality.

Aya Chang, a designer from Taipei said: ‘Women in Taiwan have higher status among other Asian countries, but they are not equally paid yet at least in the private sector. As far as I know, this is still an issue even in more developed countries such as the UK and the USA.”

Roy Chien, a mechanical engineer from Taichung said: “I definitely think that living in a democratic country automatically means that women should get paid the same as men. We are not there yet, but we are working on it.”

A long journey

Taiwan’s current reputation for gender equality would not have been possible without collective action on the part of its politicians.

It has been 23 years since feminist politician, Peng Wan-ru was murdered, in an incident that remains unsolved to this day. 

Today, the country has a female president in the form of Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party.

Many within Taiwan see Tsai’s presidency, which started in 2016, as a sign of the improving status of women in Taiwan.

But it goes beyond just one figure at the top of the political system. In the year Tsai was elected, the number of female legislators in Taiwan’s parliament reached 38 percent, putting it far ahead of the 22 percent international average. The figure was higher than the UK, Germany, and the US.

Beyond the workplace and legislature, politicians are also working to ensure social provisions for women.

The government actively encourages groups promoting gender equality, such as The Garden of Hope Foundation, which assists victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, and the National Alliance of Taiwan Women’s Associations (NATWA), a group of more than 50 non-governmental organisations, which represent Taiwan abroad.

Low birth rate

One of the biggest issues Tsai faces is an ageing population, low birth rates and an excessively heavy concentration of the population in urban areas.

According to projections issued by officials in August 2018, Taiwan’s total population will face a decline in the next three to 10 years. By 2065, the population is expected to fall to 17.35 million from a 2017 level of 23.57 million, representing a drop of more than a quarter.

The government, backed by experts, is responding by investing money into education and healthcare systems, as well as establishing working hours and parental leave arrangements that are more suitable for families.

Another factor influencing the ageing population crisis is the decision made by many young people to settle down and marry later in life. This is largely due to cost involved with doing so, with costs high to rent or buy property in Taiwan.

The situation has forced many out of the country and to counteract this trend, the government is investing in infrastructure and start-ups to keep well-educated people in Taiwan.