Legislators yesterday announced they would hold a provisional session next month to review revisions to three major laws to better address sexual abuse and harassment.
The announcement followed cross-caucus negotiations spurred by a series of recent allegations of sexual harassment against high-profile figures as Taiwan’s #MeToo movement gains traction.
The proposals would seek to amend the Act of Gender Equality in Employment (性別工作平等法), the Gender Equality Education Act (性別平等教育法) and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法).
Photo: Screen grab from the Legislative Yuan livestream
However, the Executive Yuan must first finish its proposals and send them to the legislature by July 14, legislators said, adding that the legislature hopes to complete a review of the draft amendments by the end of next month.
Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said lawmakers must thoroughly cooperate across party lines in reviewing the amendments, saying “it is time for gender equality, an issue we need to face solemnly.”
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus convener William Tseng (曾銘宗) said his caucus’ versions of draft amendments are ready, and it is imperative that the government tackle the issue.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Friday said that he had instructed government agencies to propose revisions to the laws as allegations of sexual misconduct spread across the political field.
“No one wants sexual harassment to occur,” he said. “We hope to have the support of lawmakers across party lines to prevent further personal harm, assist the victims, safeguard them and protect their rights.”
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it is fully aware of the situation following reports that the son of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai (薄熙來) has arrived in Taiwan and is to marry a Taiwanese. Local media reported that Bo Guagua (薄瓜瓜), son of the former member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is to marry the granddaughter of Luodong Poh-Ai Hospital founder Hsu Wen-cheng (許文政). The pair met when studying abroad and arranged to get married this year, with the wedding breakfast to be held at The One holiday resort in Hsinchu
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon this morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan between Friday and Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The storm, which as of 8am was still 1,100km southeast of southern Taiwan, is currently expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, the CWA said. Because of its rapid speed — 28kph as of 8am — a sea warning for the storm could be issued tonight, rather than tomorrow, as previously forecast, the CWA said. In terms of its impact, Usagi is to bring scattered or
An orange gas cloud that leaked from a waste management plant yesterday morning in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) was likely caused by acidic waste, authorities said, adding that it posed no immediate harm. The leak occurred at a plant in the district’s Environmental Science and Technology Park at about 7am, the Taoyuan Fire Department said. Firefighters discovered a cloud of unidentified orange gas leaking from a waste tank when they arrived on the site, it said, adding that they put on Level A chemical protection before entering the building. After finding there was no continuous leak, the department worked with the city’s Department
RSS