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Promote status of women, Hsieh tells Taiwan's men

Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday invited the people of Taiwan to recognize women's contributions to society and promote their status during the "Taiwan Women's Dreams Take Off" event to celebrate International Women's Day today.

With economic opportunities, women often achieve more than their male counterparts and bring their talents into full play, Hsieh said.

"I have appointed and promoted many female officials when I was Kaohsiung City Mayor. I am very pleased with their professionalism and the fact that they are less corrupt than many male officials," the premier said.

Hsieh said that gender equality needs collaborative efforts by both women and men. As the new premier, he promised to put minority issues first and create a safer society for women in Taiwan.

Organized by the Ministry of the Interior and the Commission on Women's Rights Promotion, the event including a short film to represent the dreams of women from various backgrounds and a theme song activity, designed to call on the public to share women's dreams and hear their needs.

"To meet Taiwanese women's demands, the ministry has been promoting women's interests, such as the establishment of `the 113' women and children protection hotline and the passing of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Law (性騷擾防治法)," Interior Minister Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) said at the event.

"As a way to celebrate this year's Women's Day, the ministry pledges to promote the idea of gender equality at all levels," he said.

According to the statistics from last year, Women's Rights Promotion Commission, while women receive equal or a higher level of education in Taiwan, their employment rate and average wage are much lower than men's.

In addition, women make up almost 70 percent of the total victims of violent crime. Over 90 percent of victims of sexual harassment or abuse are female, according to the statistics.

Su said that the scope of gender issues is vast and worth the attention of both politicians and the public. He called on all men in Taiwan to treat women with respect and help prevent gender inequality.

To celebrate Women's Day and make women's voices heard, the ministry invited the public to vote on a theme song for all the women in Taiwan. Women above the age of 20 are eligible to cast a ballot from a list of 30 songs chosen by the ministry.

The voting runs through April 20. For more details, please go to the ministry's Web site at: http://www.moi.gov.tw.
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