The government remains dedicated to promoting “a more friendly and freer environment” for every person in society, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday as he marked International Women’s Day.
Lai in a post on social media said that the government would work hard to realize the spirit of gender mainstreaming and create a “friendlier and freer environment,” for everyone in society.
Gender mainstreaming is a strategy adopted by organizations, governments and institutions to integrate gender perspectives into all policies and programs with the aim of fostering gender equality.
Photo: Screen grab from President William Lai’s Facebook page
Lai said Taiwan has made great strides in promoting gender equality, citing how the country ranked first in Asia and sixth globally in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Social Institutions and Gender Index in 2023.
Taiwan also has the highest proportion of female lawmakers in Asia, he added.
Lai also cited how women make up a majority of employees in the Executive Yuan, and its affiliated agencies and schools.
Taiwan has also collaborated with its allies on women’s empowerment programs, Lai said.
However, advocacy groups have criticized Lai for not fulfilling his presidential campaign pledge to have one-third of his Cabinet positions filled by women.
Nine out of 44 Cabinet-level officials and two of the 14 ministry heads are women, whereas in the Cabinet of former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), seven out of 43 Cabinet members were women.
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