The Executive Yuan yesterday published Taiwan’s third national report on the implementation of two international human rights covenants, touting milestones set over the past four years, including the decriminalization of adultery and legalization of same-sex marriage.
The UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights state that member states should submit a national report on the implementation of each covenant every four years.
Taiwan ratified the two covenants in 2009 and then passed legislation to make them part of domestic law.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The latest report documents human rights efforts made by the government, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said.
For example, it has been one year since same-sex marriage was legalized, and although many expressed concerns over the legalization one year ago, polls show that more than half of Taiwanese now support equal marriage rights, Su said.
The government has also established national human rights parks, he said, in an apparent reference to the Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park (白色恐怖景美紀念園區) in New Taipei City and the Green Island White Terror Memorial Park (白色恐怖綠島紀念園區), which commemorate Martial Law era victims.
Yesterday was the first time the report was published under the name of the Executive Yuan. Previously the reports were submitted by the Presidential Office’s Human Rights Consultative Committee, which stopped operating on May 19, after the Organic Act of the Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission (監察院國家人權委員會組織法) took effect on May 1.
To promote “the right to adequate standard of housing,” the Ministry of the Interior has completed national housing projects and their budgeting, as well as promoted the registration of the actual selling prices of real estate, so that house buyers can view transparent details of the transactions, Executive Yuan Human Rights Protection and Promotion Committee convener Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said.
The Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) has been expanded to include resident doctors in its protection, while the Labor Dispute Act (勞動事件法), which took effect in January, safeguards the rights of parties in labor-management litigations, he said.
Fishers have enhanced protection now under the Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members (境外僱用非我國籍船員許可及管理辦法), he said.
The government plans to make several other international human rights pacts part of domestic law, and it is to introduce more action plans on Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, he added.
Additional reporting by CNA
‘UPHOLDING PEACE’: Taiwan’s foreign minister thanked the US Congress for using a ‘creative and effective way’ to deter Chinese military aggression toward the nation The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act, aimed at deterring Chinese aggression toward Taiwan by threatening to publish information about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials’ “illicit” financial assets if Beijing were to attack. The act would also “restrict financial services for certain immediate family of such officials,” the text of the legislation says. The bill was introduced in January last year by US representatives French Hill and Brad Sherman. After remarks from several members, it passed unanimously. “If China chooses to attack the free people of Taiwan, [the bill] requires the Treasury secretary to publish the illicit
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
A senior US military official yesterday warned his Chinese counterpart against Beijing’s “dangerous” moves in the South China Sea during the first talks of their kind between the commanders. Washington and Beijing remain at odds on issues from trade to the status of Taiwan and China’s increasingly assertive approach in disputed maritime regions, but they have sought to re-establish regular military-to-military talks in a bid to prevent flashpoint disputes from spinning out of control. Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, and Wu Yanan (吳亞男), head of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, talked via videoconference. Paparo “underscored the importance
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
RSS