MOFA and NGOs to launch Taiwan Gender Equality Week on Int’l Women’s Day
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development (FWRPD) are jointly launching this year’s Taiwan Gender Equality Week (TGEW) on International Women’s Day, March 8.
The program will overlap with the two-week session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which this year focuses on achieving gender equality within the context of climate change. The TGEW has generated considerable interest online since it was first held two years ago, and has successfully attracted the attention of the international community. The 2022 program includes an online Climate Justice Leaders Seminar, various parallel meetings on the NGO CSW66 Forum, and a Women’s Power Night reception on International Women’s Day to kick things off.
The Women’s Power Night reception will be held at 6 p.m. on March 8 at the Taipei Guest House and hosted by Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu. The event will be attended by female ambassadors, cabinet members, corporate representatives, and NGO leaders in the fields of gender equality and environmental protection. President Tsai Ing-wen will make a brief speech to open the TGEW. Palau Vice President Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau Senior and US political leaders will deliver remarks via prerecorded video messages. An on-site exhibition will chart the evolution of women’s rights and gender equality in Taiwan and showcase actions to combat climate change. The whole event will be livestreamed on MOFA’s Facebook page.
The Climate Justice Leaders Seminar will take place online at 8:30 p.m. Taipei time on March 15. The webinar includes a forum with political leaders, keynote speeches, and a dialogue with NGO leaders. Speakers at the political leaders’ forum will be Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua, former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales Baroness Natalie Bennett, and Marshall Islands Minister of Education, Sports and Training Kitlang Kabua. Minister Wang will outline Taiwan’s policies and measures to enhance women’s participation in promoting clean energy, Baroness Bennett will share her party’s environmental policy initiatives, and Minister Kabua—a rising star in the Marshallese cabinet—will discuss the climate challenges faced by Pacific island countries. The NGO leaders’ dialogue will involve Founder and Executive Director of the US Human Impacts Institute Tara DePorte, Executive Director of the Palau Ebiil Society Ann K. Singeo, and Taiwanese climate activist Wang Hsuan-ju. The three women will share their journeys in fighting global warming. The event will be broadcast live simultaneously on MOFA’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. All are welcome to tune in.
The NGO CSW Forum is an important international meeting for civil society groups. The forum is an opportunity to share experiences and exchange ideas in promoting gender equality and women’s rights. MOFA regularly provides assistance to Taiwanese NGOs taking part. This year, three city governments—Taipei, New Taipei, and Taichung—are joining the forum, setting a new high for the total number of participating organizations from Taiwan. From March 14 to 25, these organizations will host 27 parallel meetings, demonstrating the creativity, resilience, and activism of Taiwanese women.
To get involved and help promote gender equality during the TGEW, follow the FWRPD Twitter account @womensrightsTW and use the hashtags #TaiwanforHer and #Taiwan4ClimateJustice. You can also like and share the short video “Power of Women in Taiwan” on MOFA’s YouTube channel. Coproduced by MOFA and the FWRPD, the 80-second film highlights the challenges of climate change for women around the world and shows how Taiwanese women are responding.
For more information go to TGEW.org.
