In Taiwan live redan over a million people with disabilities, and this year Taiwan is expected to become a super-aged society. Despite progress in legislation and increased awareness of the rights of people with disabilitiesar significant challenges remain.
– Many employers see a person with en disability and immediately think: “No, we don’t want them”, even though it’s illegal, says Deng-Wei Lin.
Lin has just finished a meeting when he arrives and warmly welcomes me. His worksgiver, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, is one of the foundations in Taiwan that works to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities. Linseed is section manager at their center for research on the rights of people with disabilities and practice.
It is a bright office with colorful slogans such as equality, education and inclusion on one wall and the foundation's orange logo on others. The headquarters is in Taipei but they have more than 200 service centers all over Taiwan, including in smaller islands.
In Lin's opinion has the several advances have been made in improving the rights of people with disabilities in Taiwanbut hindrance remains. Laws that introduced over the years includes the Protection of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2007 and one law from 2014 to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The CRPD is an international human rights treaty adopted by the UN in 2006.. conventions was ratified av Sweden a couple of years later, year 2008. The Treaty aims to ensure job full and equal participation in society by promoting accessibility, inclusion and equal opportunities.
To discriminatesecure Taiwan is a work in progress
We do still missing one comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in Taiwan, but a teamsuggestions has been submitted and is in the process of being formulated. It is a process that Lin believes will require more discussion between the civil societyt and members of Congress.
– If the law passes, it will be an important step […], which will benefit everyone, not just people with disabilities, says Heng-Hao Chang, professor of sociology with a focus on disability at National Taipei University, to Utvecklingsmagasinet.
There are some laws against discrimination but these are focused on certain specific sectors and groups, such as in Article 5 of the Employment Service Act which means that an employer is prohibited from discriminating against any job applicant or employee on the basis of for example disability. Despite this, discrimination still occurs, something that is not unique to Taiwan; in an investigation of svenska Statistics Sweden 2019 Around a quarter of people with disabilities in Sweden responded that they had experienced discrimination in working life.
A society in change
Already in 2023, six of Taiwan's twenty-two administrative regions have become super-aged according to Taipei Times. This means that more than 20 percent of the population are over 65 years old. By 2025, all of Taiwan is predicted to become a “super-aged” Society.
This brings new challenges in supporting the increasing number of people who need accessible environments and services. Integrating disability and long-term care policies remains a challenge, says Lin, as the latter is still primarily rooted in a medical approach.
In the capital Taipei and some other major cities, there are more resources and accessible environments, but outside these cities, the situation is different. Support services for people with disabilities are inadequate, and accessibility is uneven, with better infrastructure and accessibility in cities like Taipei compared to others, says Professor Chang. In addition, government agencies often work separately, leading to gaps in accessibility.
– For example, the hospital is accessible but the road to the hospital is not, says Lin.
Excluded from international functional rights cooperation
Under 2025 expected en evaluation of how well Taiwan implements the UN:s convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD). For Taiwan, it is dparticipation in the international community is a challenge due to UN Resolution 2758 which recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legal representation of China in the UN, preventing one taIwanAsian membership.
Usually it is The United Nations as conducts evaluations of compliance with the CRPDTaiwan has solved the problem by hire an international independent party for this. These make icea potentially more thorough evaluation because it takes place over three rather than one day.
Utea closingone of the CRPD'sthe system limits Taiwan's ability to share its experiences and insights on the implementation of the convention and rights workt.
- We make perhaps a better evaluation of the CRPD to change Taiwan, but if we join the UN, we can use the CRPD to change the world, says Lin.
He is hopeful about an even more inclusive and just Taiwan, but for this to become a reality, these challenges need to be addressed and he highlights the importance of collaboration between government and civil society.
Professor Chang has collaborated with Finnish research teams and also observed what it looks like in Europe. They have points out that in Europe there are people with disabilities who are academics, politicians, work in congress and so on., but that there are comparatively very few people with disabilities in likneading roles in Taiwan.
– If I can hope for anything, is it maybe more disabled people who are leaders and participates in mainstream politics, or any area, reflects Professor Chang.
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