Research data has revealed a lower proportion of women are elected at the municipal government level, creating a significant gap between urban and rural women’s political participation in Taiwan. Female legislators and women’s groups have called upon the Internal Administration Committee to review a draft for legislation that would increase the male to female gender ratio for municipal positions from 3:1 to 2:1.
While women’s representation in Taiwanese politics has seen women elected to major leadership positions such as the presidency and vice presidency, gender inequality persists throughout local governments. Awakening Foundation Secretary General Tan Yu-rung (覃玉蓉) pointed out 40 constituencies out of the 135 local council districts without a single woman in office. The smaller the election, she said, the lower the proportion of women elected; that’s according to the research of National Taiwan University political science professor Huang Chang-ling (黃長玲).
DPP Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) said the original Local Government Act was amended in 1999 to add the 3:1 gender quota. She suggested changing the law such that any constituency with more than three electoral candidates must include a woman, calling on the Interior Ministry to propose a revision as soon as possible.
DPP Secretary-General Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and legislator Huang Jie (黃捷) also came out in support of an amendment. Wu additionally suggested holding public hearings on related amendments in the future in the hopes of promoting further dialogue and eventually reaching a nationwide consensus regarding gender equality in politics.
