Discrimination against pregnant employees hurts women and reduces the birth rate, women’s rights activists said yesterday, adding that the government should be more concerned about the rights of mothers-to-be in the workplace.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the Awakening Foundation, chairwoman Fan Yun (范雲) said that although the Gender Equality in Employment Act (兩性工作平等法) was introduced in 2002 to protect the rights of female workers, the lack of proper implementation of the law has contributed to the decreasing birth rate and will affect the nation’s social structure.
The foundation was founded in 1982 to protect women’s rights and the rights of minorities, and to promote gender equality.
According to Fan, 132 complaints about unfair treatment in the workplace were made to the Taipei City Government between 2002 and 2006, of which 66 related to discrimination against pregnant women.
“In order to save on costs, many employers tend to harass expectant mothers, forcing them to quit their jobs,” said Fan, adding that “this hurts female workers and makes some female employees reluctant to become mothers.”
A mother-to-be who was dismissed when she became pregnant told the press conference she hoped the government would pay more attention to pregnant workers rights.
“There must be others who have similar experiences to mine but who are afraid to speak out,” said the woman, who requested anonymity, adding that “hopefully the victims of gender discrimination at work can stand up for their rights.”
Kuo Ling-huei (郭玲惠), a professor of judicial administration at National Taipei University, said the government should create an environment in which “females are willing to become pregnant.”
If there are no channels through which workers can complain about discrimination against pregnancy, “it will be a punishment for pregnant working women,” Kuo said.
Liu Mei-chun (劉梅君), a professor at National Chengchi University’s Institute for Labor Research, said Taiwan should learn from Western countries in terms of women’s rights in the workplace and should provide a friendly and pleasant working environment for women.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS