On the eve of International Nurses Day and to mark Mother's Day on May 14, Premier Chen Chien-jen on Thursday paid tribute to the tireless work carried out by nurses in looking after the public's health, as well as the enormous contributions made by mothers and people performing motherhood roles.
The premier emphasized that nurses undertake one of the most arduous roles in public health. The government therefore has a special responsibility to ensure that nurses enjoy a safe workplace environment with appropriate working conditions. This administration will also continue working hard to create a friendly environment for childrearing, assisting parents to balance home and work life by providing enhanced support and services to every family.
The premier pointed out that to build a friendly environment for childrearing, the budget allocated for government policies to counter declining birth rates has grown from NT$15 billion (US$488 million) in 2016 to over NT$100 billion (US$3.3 billion) this year. Public and quasi-public preschool tuition fees have been capped at NT$3,000 (US$98) per month, while monthly childrearing allowances since August 2022 have been raised to NT$5,000 (US$163). Since 2021, the Executive Yuan has also introduced a succession of legislative amendments, such as to the Employment Insurance Act and the Act of Gender Equality in Employment, to help parents balance home and work life by providing first-rate care and support throughout the process of having children—from conception to pregnancy to prenatal exams, and continuing into infant care.