IV) Equality and Non-Discrimination for Women

No. Action Competent Authority Timetable Key Performance Indicator

advocate for themselves, and protect the fundamental rights of the elderly.

(IV) Equality and Non-Discrimination for Women 1. Improve women’s economic power

Gender statistics show that as women’s education level and awareness of economic autonomy rise in Taiwan, the labor force participation rate of women between the ages of 25 and 29 is high, but factors like marriage and childbirth prompt women to leave the workplace. After that, women’s labor force participation rate drops sharply with age, making the second career and labor force participation rate of middle-aged and elderly women in Taiwan lower than other major counties. Women retiring early in Taiwan is not in line with the current international trend of later retirement. Therefore, the plan is to foster a friendly employment environment that encourages women of marriage and childbearing age to continue to stay in the workplace and strengthen mechanisms for those who have left the workplace and return or seek re-employment. The goal is to avoid early retirement for women and enhance the labor participation rate and economic power of women in Taiwan.

2. Promote domestic division of labor

Article 5 of the CEDAW states that governments should take all appropriate measures to eliminate prejudices based on stereotyped roles for men and women while emphasizing the common responsibility of men and women in the upbringing and development of their children. According to the 2019 survey report on the living conditions of women aged 15 to 64, women with partners (including cohabitation) over the age of 15 spend an average of 4.41 hours each day on unpaid care (including caring for children under the age of 12, caring for family members over the age of 65, caring for family members age 12 to 64, housework, and volunteer services), while their partners (including cohabitants) spend an average of 1.48 hours, which shows that women are the main caregivers of family. Therefore, the central and local governments should establish measures like advocacy campaigns and programs regarding domestic division of labor.

3. Promote gender equality in decision-making

Taiwan’s gender equality policy framework, the CEDAW, and the UN SDGs all stress the importance of women’s participation in decision-making and public affairs. Due to the influence of traditional gender stereotypes, there is a significant gender gap in public affairs decision-making participation and influence in Taiwan. Compared to men, women have fewer avenues and opportunities to participate in public affairs. To give women more opportunities to participate in public affairs and become a decision-maker, ensuring their full and equal rights to participate in national policies and therefore achieving true democracy, the government has strengthened its promotion of gender equality in government decision-making. Raising the rate of neither gender occupying less than one-third of the seats of the committees subordinated to the ministries of the Executive Yuan is the priority goal of gender equality.

4. Promote gender equality in health

Article 13 of the CEDAW states that governments should take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in other areas of economic and social life in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, particularly the right to participate in recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life. According to a 2021 Sport and Athletics Survey, 33.9% of Taiwanese people over the age of 13 engage in regular exercise, with a gap of three percentage points between men (35.4%) and women (32.4%). The biggest gap of 24.6 percentage points between genders is among adolescents aged 13 to 17. In addition, according to the analysis of the Report of the Senior Citizen Condition Survey 2017, 31.43% of women over the age of 65 have trouble with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), which is higher than that of men at 24.14%. Therefore, a gender-friendly exercising environment should be established to eliminate gender stereotypes regarding exercise. Women should be actively encouraged to participate in regular exercise to improve their physical and mental health and reduce the risk of disabilities caused by aging.

No. Action Competent Authority Timetable Key Performance Indicator

61 1. Improve women’s economic power:

Implement strategies like Department of Gender Equality, Executive Yuan Ministry of Labor 2020-2022 Raise the labor force participation rate of women aged 30 to 39 and 50 to 59 so that the growth rate in

No. Action Competent Authority Timetable Key Performance Indicator

promoting women’s entrepreneurship (employment), creating gender-friendly work environments, promoting flexible working hours/locations, facilitating re-employment, and avoiding early retirement. Ministry of Economic Affairs Council of Agriculture Ministry of Education the next four years will not be lower than the average growth rate of the previous three years.

62 2. Promote domestic division of labor:

Promote measures like advocacy for domestic division of labor, relevant programs, and surveys of women’s living conditions at the central and local government level to facilitate shared domestic responsibilities. Ministry of Health and Welfare Ministry of Education Department of Gender Equality, Executive Yuan 2020-2023 Increase the average daily unpaid care time of the spouses (including cohabitants) of women over the age of 15 with partners (including cohabitants) from 1.48 hours to 1.83 hours.

63 3. Promote gender equality in decision-making:

Supervise Department of Gender Equality, Executive Yuan 2024 Increase the percentage of committees under Executive Yuan ministries and departments (including

No. Action Competent Authority Timetable Key Performance Indicator

committees under Executive Yuan ministries and departments (including second and third-level agencies) to discuss relevant measures, revise relevant measures, or formulate temporary special measures to ensure that they comprise at least one-third of each gender.

64 4. Promote gender equality in health:

Improve the physical and mental health awareness and physical health of women in different life cycles and disadvantaged situations, establishing more accessible and gender-sensitive environments for physical exercise. Ministry of Education Ministry of Health and Welfare Department of Gender Equality, Executive Yuan second and third-level agencies) that comprise at least one-third of each gender from 89.53% in December 2019 to over 97%.

2024 Increase the rate of regular exercise among women aged 13 to 34 byfour percentage points.