Digital Minister Audrey Tang (right) is joined by Sweden’s State Secretary to Minister for Gender Equality Karin Strandas in delivering keynote speeches during the “Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment” webinar March 18. (MOFA)
 

Taiwan staged a webinar aimed at accelerating women’s economic empowerment March 18, underscoring the government’s commitment to working with like-minded partners to boost gender equality around the world.

Co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taipei City-based Foundation of Women’s Rights Promotion and Development, and several nongovernmental organizations from home and abroad, the event is in line with the spirit of the 65th session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women running March 15-26. Participants included experts, legislators, NGO leaders and officials from allies such as Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Palau, as well as like-minded partners including Brazil, Brunei, Fiji, India, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, New Zealand, Singapore, Somaliland, Sweden, the Philippines and the U.S.

Digital Minister Audrey Tang delivered a keynote speech on Taiwan’s plan to achieve U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 5—Gender Equality—through social innovation and economic empowerment.

Tang lauded Taiwan’s success as the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019, attributing the achievement to combined efforts of the government and civil society. She also cited several outstanding female entrepreneurs’ contributions to the country’s COVID-19 response.

Following her remarks, Ambassador at Large Lin Ching-Yi discussed representation in Taiwan’s legislature. With 42 percent of seats held by women, the body is better able to formulate gender equality policies while creating a more bias-free working and living environment, she said.

Among the foreign speakers were Karin Strandas, state secretary to minister for gender equality of Sweden, and Ilriana Gashi, director of Kosovo Women for Women. The former focused on economic rights and independence as building blocks for inclusive futures while the latter took the opportunity to thank Taiwan for donating information and communications technology devices and offering skills training and job opportunities for the European country’s women.

In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “Our Accelerating Women's Economic Empowerment webinar hosted with @WomensRightsTW & other NGOs is a wrap! A huge thanks to Denise Scotto, Karin Strandas, @audreyt, @AlgeneSajery46, Iliriana Gashi & all participants for the superb #CSW65-inspired event.” (YCH-E)