The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and some of the nation’s diplomatic allies yesterday launched Taiwan Gender Equality Week on the sidelines as the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
The opening event, titled “Taiwan Night: Celebrating Women in Tech,” was held at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.
Close to 100 people attended the event, including representatives of Palau and Saint Lucia’s missions to the UN, Taiwanese women’s rights groups, and non-governmental organizations from other countries.
Only 5 percent of workers in sectors dominated by science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates are women, office Director James Lee (李光章) said, calling it a symptom of a digital divide that hobbles global efforts to achieve gender equality.
As a global leader in information technology, Taiwan is committed to eliminating sexual discrimination in the tech sector through education and digital policies, he said, adding that the nation is eager to share its experience and knowledge with its partners.
Digital rights are crucial for providing women with access to education, economic opportunities, healthcare and social services, Eswatini Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku said, adding that civic participation requires equality.
Taiwan has valuable experience in promoting women to leadership positions in government agencies tasked with digital technology, he said, adding that other nations can benefit from Taiwan’s experience.
The Kingdom of Eswatini is grateful that it was invited to the event, Masuku said, adding that cooperation on women’s rights would bolster the relationship between the two countries.
Taiwan’s exclusion from the UN is unjust and unreasonable, as it robs female Taiwanese leaders of the opportunity to exchange ideas with their peers from other nations, he said, adding that Eswattini firmly supports Taiwan’s right to become a full UN member.
Female leaders and officials from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies posed for a photograph at the event, donning clothes created by Taiwanese fashion designer Claudia Wang (王子欣).
Tsao Hsiao-yue (曹筱玥), a professor of interactive design at the National Taipei University of Technology, said Wang crafted the clothes utilizing a virtual reality-assisted design process that minimized waste, addressing an issue that critics often associate with the fashion industry.
The technology has greatly improved the sustainability of the garment industry and created new opportunities for fashion shows through the integration of the metaverse, she said.
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