Human Rights Advancement in Taiwan

As introduced by the Government Information Office:

Introduction

While people generally think of great economic and political achievement when one mentions Taiwan, human rights is also an area in which much progress has been made. Since elected in March 2000, Republic of China President Chen Shui-bian has made many gestures and outlined many plans.

"The Republic of China cannot and will not remain outside global human rights trends. We will abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention for Civil and Political Rights, and the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action," said President Chen in his inaugural address last year.

Towards this end, President Chen has set up an independent group that will advise him on the implementing a national human rights bill modeled on those he mentioned above, on setting up an independent National Human Rights Committee, among other things. Last year, ROC Vice President Annette Lu was appointed to head up the President's Advisory Group on Human Rights. She has since selected 21 members to help her with these goals, including Bo Yang and Peter Huang, two well-known human rights activists in Taiwan. In addition to creating a reference book for Taiwan, the group will act as a non-governmental organization and liaison with international human rights organizations.

President Chen is making good on his premise that "human rights, democracy and peace are the cornerstones upon which we are building a better world." This past Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, 2000, he added 180 names to the Human Rights Memorial, promised to make Taiwan a human rights model for the 21st century, and granted 21 pardons, which is only the third time in ROC history that a president has invoked this power.

Furthermore, President Chen plans on giving an ambassador at large of human rights the power to represent Taiwan internationally. No longer will these positions be purely honorary, but rather they will be a way to inject private sector resources into diplomatic channels. The other areas to have ambassadors at large will be medicine, women's rights, business, and Aboriginal rights.

While the ROC will continue to step up efforts to defend human rights internationally, other countries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are beginning to recognize Taiwan's strides towards improved human rights. Freedom House, a human rights organization based in New York, announced at the end of 2000 that Taiwan is on par with Japan as the freest country in Asia. Taiwan's political rights garnered the top rating this year while civil liberties remained at a "2," according to the organization.

Taiwan's Tzu Chi Foundation in garnering awards for recognition of its service to helping international human rights. Its founder, Master Cheng Yen or the "Mother Teresa of Asia," and many volunteers have won awards for such activities as bringing shelter, basic food staples, and water to stricken areas like Turkey, El Salvador, and Taiwan after their respective natural disasters.

More recently, in January 2001, Taiwan hosted the International Conference on National Human Rights Commission. The three-day forum on promoting and protecting human rights included advocates from Japan, Australia, India, the United States, Nigeria, and Hong Kong.

As we can see from this as well as other conferences and forums, the universal values inherent in human rights aren't limited to borders, nationalities, or ethnicities. This international trend should continued by all governments and peoples. The Republic of China, its NGOs, and its people will do everything possible to ensure that this is true on Taiwan and to spread the word to others.

Further Information

The following ROC Web sites as well as those of some NGOs will provide short introductions to them and up-to-date-details:

• Dignity, Respect & Freedom - Human Rights in Taiwan -- The human rights situation in Taiwan has been dramatically transformed over the past two decades, and the ROC's peaceful evolution into a vibrant democracy and civil society has won plaudits from observers throughout the world. To detail Taiwan's progress with regard to human rights, highlight current issues, and clarify relevant government policies, the Roc's Government Information Office has prepared this special issue.

• Amnesty International in Taiwan -- This branch of Amnesty International was formed in 1994. Currently, there are six groups in Taiwan with others being formed. Its first chairperson was Bo Yang, a prominent historian, writer, and human rights activist. Currently, the chairman is Mr. Lin Min-tzu.

• Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation -- Taiwan's largest and most influential philanthropic group, Tzu Chi has more than 2 million members worldwide. Its leader, Master Cheng Yen, has been called the "Mother Teresa of Asia" and recently won the Noel Foundation Life Award for her selfless work. The organization's most recent domestic project is the building of a Tzu Chi Volunteer Services Center in Kaohsiung.

• Chinese Association for Human Rights (in Chinese only) -- Founded in 1991 after a UN convention, which advocated that every country should have a local chapter of the international human rights association, the CAHR .

• Human Rights Educational Foundation -- The Human Rights Education Foundation was formally established as a corporate body in 1994, at the Amnesty International conference, with Bo Yang elected as the chairman of the board of directors. Our main goal is to promote human rights education.

• Humanistic Education Foundation (in Chinese only) -- This group's mission is to improve education and students' rights in Taiwan. Organized in 1987, it provides youth support in a number of areas.

• Judicial Reform Foundation (in Chinese only) -- Along with law professors and judges, lawyers in this group started the JRF in 1995 to start a grassroots movement to help protect human rights and build a trustworthy legal system.

• Taiwan Association for Human Rights -- Established in 1984, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) is the oldest independent human rights organization in Taiwan, operating before martial law was lifted on the island. Although Taiwan no longer holds political prisoners, TAHR continues to deal with the legacy of authoritarian rule. It aims to raise public awareness about human rights-particularly international norms and mechanisms.

• United Nations -- The United Nations has been a world leader in terms of human rights. Its Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been the foundation for countries around the globe to follow. Visit their Web site to see what new information it has posted.

• World League for Freedom and Democracy -- This organization is the only United Nations accredited organization in Taiwan. Working together within a global network, this group's mission is to spotlight and encourage political freedoms through the strengthening of democratic principles in all countries of the world.