The National Alliance of Women and Children Organization held a press conference Tuesday calling on the government to establish a ministry for children and families in order to better integrate policies and resources and protect children’s rights.
The organization borrowed terminology from former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who made a pledge in his inaugural address in 2000 known as the Four Noes and One Without, to describe the crisis faced by children today; they said children “are not being born, are not surviving, are not being cared for, are not smiling, and have no future.” In addition to establishing a dedicated department for children and families, convener Chieh Hui-chen (解慧珍) says the organization also called upon the government to promote child-friendly workplace policies.
Mothers Shield Alliance Deputy Secretary-General Tan Hsin-ai (單信愛) says child mortality and suicide rates in Taiwan have increased. The mortality rate for children under five was 4.3% in 2020 and rose to 5.0% in 2022. A Health Promotion Administration analysis showed that preventable causes accounted for 35% of all child deaths between 2022 and 2023. Momday CEO Kate Chen (陳渝淇) adds that Labor Ministry’s statistics show the average parental leave period applied per child was only 7.7 months in 2020, and that children of absent parents are vulnerable to victimization.
National Association for Children and Family CEO Louis Chou (周明湧) says that since the Interior Ministry’s Children’s Bureau was abolished in 2013, Taiwan’s child policies have been scattered across various ministries and commissions. He emphasizes the need for a centralized department that integrates all child-related resources.