Premier Lin Chuan today instructed the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and other government agencies to step up preparations for a pair of international review conferences later this year when experts from around the world will assess Taiwan's first national progress reports since it adopted the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In remarks following a briefing by the MOHW on the panel review preparations, the premier said Taiwan has been working to improve the protection of disability rights and children's rights in line with international standards. The upcoming reviews will allow the global community to fully appreciate Taiwan's commitment and dedication to safeguarding human rights.
The MOHW said that the two U.N. conventions became the law of the land when the Act to Implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Implementation Act of the Convention on the Rights of the Child took effect respectively on December 3 and November 20, 2014. The acts require Taiwan to publish its first national reports within two years of adopting the conventions and to invite experts and civic groups to review the reports.
The first national reports on the rights of persons with disabilities and the rights of children were thus published on December 2 and November 17, 2016, respectively, the ministry said. For each report, Taiwan will convene an international review conference, inviting five panelists with extended experience in U.N. children's or disability rights protection programs. The conferences will focus on important issues in the fields, promote constructive dialogue among government representatives, civic groups and child rights advocates, and formulate specific recommendations for improvement.
The review conference for the first disability rights report will be held from October 30 through November 3 at the National Taiwan University Hospital International Convention Center, while the conference for the children's rights report will take place November 20-24 at the Civil Service Development Institute in Taipei.