More than 50 civic groups yesterday called on all political parties to consider young people’s demands for generational justice when planning their legislator-at-large nominee lists.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) are expected to announce their at-large nominee lists for the Jan. 11 legislative elections on Wednesday next week.
The Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy, the Taiwan Alliance for Advancement of Youth Rights and Welfare, and the Humanistic Education Foundation initiated the statement issued yesterday.
The young generation was considered an “advertisement” for campaigns in the past, but the groups urged all political parties to respect and respond to the young generation’s voices, and take the younger generation into consideration when compiling their at-large nominee lists, the statement said.
Taiwan’s younger generation is facing bigger challenges than ever before — long working hours, low wages and extremely high housing costs — so all the parties need to think about how to improve labor rights protection and raise salaries, by improving minimum wage laws and labor inspections for example, it said.
Parties should respect young people’s right to political participation, by backing lowering the voting age and age of majority to 18, lowering candidacy age requirements and reducing election deposits, which would allow more young people to participate in politics and achieving generational justice, it said.
Parties need to address the high suicide rate among the younger generation, and enhance gender education and emotional education, to achieve a diverse and inclusive society capable of respecting others, the groups said.
Sustainable energy is an important aspect of generational justice, but the amendments made to the Factory Management Act (工廠管理輔導法) and the Mining Act (礦業法) are not aiding environment protection, they said.
Parties should promote the use of electric vehicles, water conservation and energy-from-waste recycling, the groups said.
They should also face up to the problems inherent in storing high-level radioactive waste, transforming coal-fired power plants and rising electricity rates, the statement said.
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