The DPP and KMT sought to win the support of women ahead of Women's Day as President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday vowed to honor his campaign promise to promote women's welfare and the KMT said it will use female campaigners to narrow the gender gap.
Women's Day is on Saturday.
During the presidential campaign in 2000, the DPP promised to reduce the number of crimes against women by 50 percent, to reduce the burden on women to look after their families by 50 percent and to raise the employment rate of women by 50 percent.
At a ceremony to release a study on women's careers, Chen said that he was determined to attain these goals by next year through the collective efforts of government agencies and the Commission on Women's Rights Promotion.
Chen cited the passage of the Gender Equality Labor Law (
Through the cooperation of the public and private sectors, day-care centers and nursing homes are being set up. Chen said these establishments have provided working opportunities for women and allowed working women to pursue their careers without having to worry about caring for their children and the elderly at home.
Chen said the DPP will work harder in the future to improve benefits for women.
In the blue camp, meanwhile, the KMT has established a group of women's campaigners with Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Predominantly made up of KMT female legislators, the group will help map out the KMT's women's policies.
At a press conference yesterday, the KMT lawmakers blasted the DPP's women's polices. The group said it was dissatisfied with the KMT's policies on women, but was even more disappointed with the policies of the DPP.
KMT Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (
She said that under KMT rule, the government provided NT$500 million for women's welfare, but that the DPP has cut the amount to only one fifth of what it was.
KMT Legislator Tsai Ling-lan (
Gender-equality law gets mixed results: council
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