New law allows more women to apply for government aid

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 26, 2006. It reports that the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan recently passed a law amendment that will make it easier for disadvantaged women to apply for government subsidies.

Previously, under the Statue on Assisting the Families of Women in Difficult Circumstances, only pregnant rape victims qualified to apply for government assistance. Now, the new amendment stipulates that all unmarried pregnant women are eligible to receive subsidies.

The new amendment further abolishes the minimum age requirement for subsidy applications and introduces a subsidy to pay college fees for the children of disadvantaged women, in order to make the benefits more wide reaching. A monthly subsidy of about NT$10,000 will be provided to all disadvantaged women.

Specifically, the Statue on Assisting the Families of Women in Difficult Circumstances was promulgated in 2000, so that the government could provide assistance to certain categories of disadvantaged women between the age of 15 and 55. Now, under the new amendment, disadvantaged women under the age of 65 who are in difficult circumstances and who are classified as from low-income families will be eligible to seek government assistance.

A low-income family is classified as one whose average monthly income per family member is less than 2.5 times the lowest cost of living index and less than 1.5 times the average monthly living cost in Taiwan, and whose total property assets are less than a fixed amount.

Previously, the definition of a disadvantaged woman is one whose husband is either dead, mission or in prison; a single mother without the ability to work and with unemployed children; the victim of domestic violence or abuse; and a regnant rape victim. Now, the new amendment has broadened the definition to include unmarried pregnant women, whether or not they are the victims of rape; those who became mired in financial difficulties due to unexpected circumstances; those who have had to seek divorce after being abandoned or abused by their husbands; and those who are raising minor children on their own without the ability to work or who cannot work because of serious illness.

In addition to the existing 60 percent remission of senior or vocational high school tuition fees, the new amendment will also provide remission of 30 percent of college or university tuition fees for the children of disadvantaged women.