The Executive Yuan released Taiwan’s third national report on the implementation of the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights June 29 in Taipei City, underscoring the government’s commitment to protecting freedom and human rights.
 
During the launch event, Premier Su Tseng-chang said the document details government policies undertaken in line with the covenants while highlighting cooperation between the public and private sectors on improving practices in Taiwan.
 
Since President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in 2016, tremendous progress has been made in promoting human rights protections in Taiwan, Su said. These include establishing the National Human Rights Museum in 2018 and legalizing same-sex marriage in 2019, he added.
 
A National Human Rights Commission is also set to be established Aug. 1, Su said, adding the new body will be able to investigate allegations of abuse as part of government efforts to make Taiwan a global leader in protecting human rights.
 
According to the Ministry of Justice, international scholars and experts are set to come to Taiwan in March next year to review the latest report and the nation’s human rights practices. Among the recommendations to be assessed are an action plan to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, as well as bills to enhance protections for children, disadvantaged groups, inmates, and the working class, the MOJ said.
 
First published in 2012 and released once every four years, the report on implementation of the covenants is intended to address deficiencies in human rights protection in Taiwan’s legal and administrative systems as highlighted by international experts. (SFC-E)
 
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