The “Empower Women! Empower LAC!” forum opened in Taipei on Wednesday. The forum is part of a project from Taiwan’s international development agency aimed at empowering women in Latin America and the Caribbean in the post COVID-19 era.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attended the opening ceremony alongside a number of foreign guests. In her speech, Tsai shared Taiwan’s efforts towards realizing true gender equality. She says Taiwan was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019 and adds that 40% of Taiwanese lawmakers are women, the highest percentage in Asia. Tsai also notes that 37% of Taiwan’s small and medium-sized enterprises are run by women.
Tsai says Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community working actively with like-minded partners to promote gender equality and female empowerment. That includes organizing interdisciplinary seminars on gender issues as well as helping its diplomatic partners raise the professional skills and entrepreneurial capabilities of women.
Foreign guests at the event included Paraguay’s President Mario Abdo Benítez and Belize’s Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children Rossana Maria Briceño. They also include Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Foreign Minister Keisal Peters and Pan American Development Foundation Executive Director Katherine Taylor.