2018-05-30 ARN Alan Turing LGTBIQ Awards
Channel: PDIS
Date: 2018-06-03

Hello everyone, this is Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Digital Minister. I'm honored to receive the Alan Turing award from ARN, and I'm grateful for our Ambassador to accept the award on my behalf.

Taking this opportunity, I’m very happy to share with you our progress on gender inclusivity in Taiwan.

# On the legal front...

1. Our act of Gender Equality in Employment stipulate the protection of labor rights and interests and the prohibition of discrimination of sexual orientation and gender identity.

2. Our Gender Equality Education Act stipulates gender equality education is to generate respect for gender diversity, eliminate discrimination based on gender, sex characteristics, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

3. In January 2011, we have established the “Department of Gender Equality” as part of the central government, in order to enrich the operational functions of the Gender Equality Committee established in 1997, and work with our counterparts in local governments and the civil society.

This process shows that gender governance issues have been upgraded from a demand for participation to an actual pursuit of transformation, both at the domestic level and at the level of international organizations such as the United Nations.

# On the administrative front...

1. Under the active promotion of the policy of “gender mainstreaming” by central departments, our Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics completed the establishment of “gender statistics” and “gender analysis” reports, as well as the preparation of “gender budget” and performance review processes.

2. Our National Development Council and Legal Affairs committee are tasked to produce regular “gender influence assessments” to include a gender-inclusive perspective into all substantial mid- and long-term plans and legislative amendment proposals.

3. The Directorate-General of Personnel Administration continuously provides on-the-job training programs for “gender awareness training” for public servants.

Although no single legislation or policy can immediately change the existing social relationship, we are committed to integrate inclusive perspectives into all policy implementation plans, in order to promote substantive gender equality.

# Last but not the least...

I'm glad to report that Taiwan is the first place in Asia to constitutionally recognize marriage equality, through an unique collaboration between three branches of government — the Constitutional Court’s interpretation a year ago; the President’s responses; and the Administration’s work since then to prepare a bill for the Parliament.

1. The rulings of our Constitutional Court upheld both the people’s freedom of marriage as protected by Article 22, and the people’s right to equality as guaranteed by Article 7 of the Constitution, and instructs the authorities concerned to determine the formality for achieving the equal protection of the freedom of marriage within two years.

2. Our President, Tsai Ing-wen, supports marriage equality; she firmly believes that all stakeholder communities place a great importance on family values. She understands the importance that many religious groups place on the family, and she has also heard many stories from LGTBIQ families; there is no absolute conflict between family values and marriage equality.

3. Therefore, our President has instructed the executive departments to draft a bill in accordance with the outcome of the Constitutional Court's judgment.

Throughout the past year, the Administration has been working on reviewing the Civil Code, in order to propose relevant amendments of law to ensure marriage equality.

While we are making progress on the review, the President reminds us that:

1. The outcome of the judgment is not about winning or losing; nor is the bill its final objective.

2. The President has called for continuous dialogue; for an attitude of understanding; for inclusiveness; and for respect among all parties who do not yet share the same opinion.

As the Minister in charge of Open Government, I believe that Taiwan has a mature democratic mechanism to convert social differences into social innovations. We are committed to work with all stakeholder communities — domestic and international — to discover the values we share, and find solutions that works for everyone.

Thank you, for listening.