A recent inspection by the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) found that only 3.4 percent of gender-friendly restrooms meet standards set by the Ministry of Environment.
The ministry said that most of these restrooms were around before it established its gender-friendly restroom action plan.
The Environmental Management Association (EMA) set up gender-inclusive restroom certification at the end of last month, it said, vowing to continue providing guidance and funding.
Photo: CNA
The ministry launched its gender-friendly restroom action plan in August last year, budgeting NT$280 million (US$8.97 million) to double the amount of these restrooms within five years, from 623 to 1,246.
TAPCPR randomly inspected 149 of the restrooms listed by the ministry and found that only 54 meet basic gender-friendly restroom principles.
If additional requirements are considered, including posting signs about gender-friendly concepts, then only five restrooms passed, less than 3.4 percent.
TAPCPR urged the ministry to establish and enforce clear standards, and reclaim subsidies if restrooms fail to meet requirements.
When the ministry launched its action plan, it found that only 1.4 percent of public restrooms nationwide were gender inclusive.
The plan was established to ensure that no one is left behind and to promote gender-friendly policies in public spaces, the ministry said.
The EMA set up gender-friendly restroom certification on Oct. 30, setting clear standards to recognize the friendliest restrooms, the ministry added.
The goal is to help people easily identify certified gender-inclusive restrooms and encourage more venues to create and improve them, it said.
EMA official Lee Jui-ling (李瑞玲) said that the plan provides local governments with subsidies to promote gender equality in public restrooms.
The plan is not a legal regulation, nor does it have a set inspection schedule or timeline, Lee said.
Most registered gender-friendly restrooms existed before the plan was implemented, and efforts to improve such restrooms would continue through guidance and subsidies, she added.
Subsidy priority would be given to authorities that are promoting gender-friendly restrooms rather than making general repairs, she added.
The ministry said that concerns raised by TAPCPR align with the goals of the action plan, and welcomed all input to help build a more inclusive society.
Promoting gender-friendly restrooms requires active participation and cooperation among government agencies and private organizations, it added.
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