Taiwan ranks first in Asia and ninth worldwide for gender equality, according to the 2020 Gender at a Glance in R.O.C. (Taiwan) report released Friday by the Executive Yuan's Department of Gender Equality (DGE). The rankings were calculated using methods applied by the United Nations Development Programme for the 2018 Gender Inequality Index, which analyzed five indicators in the three dimensions of reproductive health, empowerment and labor market to measure the state of gender inequality around the world.
Not only did Taiwan place first in Asia for gender equality, the rate of female participation in political processes has continued to climb, the DGE said. In 2018, women held a record high 38.7 percent of seats in the Legislature, compared with less than one-third in the neighboring countries of mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. Moreover, the number of female mayors and magistrates in Taiwan jumped to 37.5 percent in 2018, an increase of 31.2 percentage points from the previous round of elections held in 2014.
The Executive Yuan will remain firmly committed to promoting gender equality policies, including by combating gender stereotypes and discrimination, expanding public child care services, boosting women's economic abilities, and encouraging female participation in decision-making processes. These efforts will reduce the gender gap in a range of areas and allow members of different genders to enjoy all of the same rights and resources, the DGE said.