President Chen Shui-bian (
"Taiwan's current Constitution only designates 14 kinds of human rights protection, which is behind the standards of other modern constitutional countries," Chen told foreign guests at the Presidential Office.
To address that gap, Chen said, "We need to consult with international experts to assist Taiwan in advancing the country's new constitution."
Chen said he hopes international experts can help the country develop a mechanism for comprehensive rights protection.
He added that a new constitution must fit Taiwan's present reality and meet its practical needs.
Chen was addressing a delegation from the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).
He said Taiwan is willing to contribute to the international human rights field and that he hopes the country can reach its ultimate goal of joining global rights organizations.
Chen said he had already outlined the goal of making the country a rights-oriented nation in his inauguration speech in 2000, adding that the government has proposed concrete goals and chalked up achievements during past three-and-a-half years.
"We suggested that the Legislative Yuan make the International Bill of Rights a domestic law, which could become a `Taiwan Bill of Rights.' We also drafted a bill to set up a Human Rights Commission under the Presidential Office," Chen said.
"Now we are devoted to the drafting of a human rights law, which is a crucial part of the new constitution, linking Taiwan's progress with the international human rights system," Chen said.
Chen told the delegation that since former ICJ chairman Kofi Kumado visited Taiwan in 2001, the country has raised its international visibility through the bilateral cooperation.
Since the Taipei Bar Association obtained membership in the ICJ, Chen said, the association has been able to attend various UN-sponsored human rights meetings in Geneva over the past few years.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
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Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique