The Ministry of Justice has drafted a proposed law that would allow same-sex couples to form families through adoption.
The provision is a part of the Human Rights Protection Law. If passed by the Legislative Yuan, the law would be the first that specifically mentions gays and lesbians.
Sue Wang, (王時思), executive general of the Judicial Reform Foundation, welcomed yesterday the government's efforts to respect the rights of gays and lesbians.
"We're pleased to know that the government has acknowledged same-sex couples," Wang said.
But while hailing the initiative, Wang also voiced concern over what may happen to the proposed law as it winds its way through the legislative process.
"To ensure that the provision is a practical one that meets the purpose of its intentions, the government should have publicized the proposal more and gathered more input from relevant parties such as gender groups and lawyers," Wang said.
"After all, the primary goal in proposing a law is to implement it and have the results be well received," she said.
In related news, the details concerning the formation of the National Committee for Human Rights have been submitted to the Presidential Office by the Ministry of Justice. The formation of the committee is one of the agenda items for the president's human rights task force.
According to Tsai Ming-hua (蔡明華), secretary-general of the task force, the purpose of the committee is to oversee government agencies and private organizations when it comes to human-rights violations.
"Aside from receiving complaints from the general public concerning violations of human rights, the committee will also have the authority to investigate issues concerning human-rights violations that take place in both government agencies and private corporations," Tsai was quoted as saying.
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
WIDE NET: Health officials said they are considering all possibilities, such as bongkrekic acid, while the city mayor said they have not ruled out the possibility of a malicious act of poisoning Two people who dined at a restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 last week have died, while four are in intensive care, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday. All of the outlets of Malaysian vegetarian restaurant franchise Polam Kopitiam have been ordered to close pending an investigation after 11 people became ill due to suspected food poisoning, city officials told a news conference in Taipei. The first fatality, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on Friday last week, died of kidney failure two days later at the city’s Mackay Memorial Hospital. A 66-year-old man who dined
‘CARRIER KILLERS’: The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes’ stealth capability means they have a radar cross-section as small as the size of a fishing boat, an analyst said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presided over a ceremony at Yilan County’s Suao Harbor (蘇澳港), where the navy took delivery of two indigenous Tuo Chiang-class corvettes. The corvettes, An Chiang (安江) and Wan Chiang (萬江), along with the introduction of the coast guard’s third and fourth 4,000-tonne cutters earlier this month, are a testament to Taiwan’s shipbuilding capability and signify the nation’s resolve to defend democracy and freedom, Tsai said. The vessels are also the last two of six Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered from Lungteh Shipbuilding Co (龍德造船) by the navy, Tsai said. The first Tuo Chiang-class vessel delivered was Ta Chiang (塔江)
EYE ON STRAIT: The US spending bill ‘doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan,’ while also seeking to counter the influence of China US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a US$1.2 trillion spending package that includes US$300 million in foreign military financing to Taiwan, as well as funding for Taipei-Washington cooperative projects. The US Congress early on Saturday overwhelmingly passed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 to avoid a partial shutdown and fund the government through September for a fiscal year that began six months ago. Under the package, the Defense Appropriations Act would provide a US$27 billion increase from the previous fiscal year to fund “critical national defense efforts, including countering the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” according to a summary