National Alliance of Taiwan Women's Associations
Encyclopedia
The National Alliance of Taiwan Women’s Associations (NATWA) (Chinese: 臺灣婦女團體全國聯合會) is the only umbrella group for organizations promoting women’s interests across the island of Taiwan
. The Alliance is both a Non-governmental organization
and a Non-profit organization
. Founded in 2001, the alliance consists of 67 member groups. The alliance was created to more efficiently coordinate the distribution of resources among different organizations operating under different circumstances. It regularly publishes educational material, holds conferences and workshops, and participates in movements that advance the rights and interests of Taiwan’s women.
1. Promoting awareness of women’s rights issues in Taiwan
2. Publicizing the content of UN treaties that specifically address women’s issues
3. Decreasing the disparities between women in rural and urban areas
4. Collaborating with other women’s organizations to promote women’s interests
5. Monitoring government policy related to women’s issues
and Democratic Progressive Party
to set up an independent gender agency in the central government. They held a series of panel discussions and public hearings, eventually convincing the executive branch to include a special gender agency under the Organizational Reform Plan in 2005. Currently, the plan is still pending approval by the Legislative Yuan
.
NATWA works with 10 other women’s groups to form an alliance, the Women on Women's Budget Alliance, which supervises the central government’s inclusion of gender mainstreaming
in the annual budget on women’s affairs.
The Commission of Women’s Rights Promotion and Development (WRPD) heeded the Alliance’s advice and included the Alliance in its 2003 annual plan. Ever since, every February, each department of the central government has had to submit a report on how their budget meets the needs of women to WRPD for commissioners and women’s NGOs to evaluate.
In 2005, NATWA joined 16 women representatives to participate in the UN 49th. NGOCSW, 2005
In 2006, NATWA helped coordinate the participation of Taiwanese women’s organizations in the 50th UN NGO CSW conference in 2006.
In 2007, NATWA presented a paper at the 51st UN NGO CSW conference on the status of gender equity education in Taiwan.
NATWA works with other women’s groups to advocate the practice and the signing of CEDAW in Taiwan.
In 2003, NATWA held conventions on National Women’s Rights in both Taipei
and Kaohsiung
, evaluating the outcome of the women’s rights commission in both central and local governments.
In 2003, NATWA also hosted a program to encourage women’s participation in public affairs.
In accordance with gender mainstreaming theories, NATWA held a convention on The Evaluation of Social Welfare—from a Women’s and Gendered Perspective on Dec. 12, 2003. At this convention, experts and scholars examined current social welfare policy and laws from a gendered perspective.
From 2002-2004, NATWA instituted the “Ms. Science Training Program,” which encouraged gender-neutral educational planning. NATWA brought outstanding female scientists to speak at female high schools, encouraging young women to cross the gender divide in science-related occupations.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The Alliance is both a Non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
and a Non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
. Founded in 2001, the alliance consists of 67 member groups. The alliance was created to more efficiently coordinate the distribution of resources among different organizations operating under different circumstances. It regularly publishes educational material, holds conferences and workshops, and participates in movements that advance the rights and interests of Taiwan’s women.
Goals
The goals of NATWA are manifold and include the following:1. Promoting awareness of women’s rights issues in Taiwan
2. Publicizing the content of UN treaties that specifically address women’s issues
3. Decreasing the disparities between women in rural and urban areas
4. Collaborating with other women’s organizations to promote women’s interests
5. Monitoring government policy related to women’s issues
Lobbying
In 2002, NATWA, along with representatives from other women’s groups, began lobbying legislators in both the KuomintangKuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
and Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
to set up an independent gender agency in the central government. They held a series of panel discussions and public hearings, eventually convincing the executive branch to include a special gender agency under the Organizational Reform Plan in 2005. Currently, the plan is still pending approval by the Legislative Yuan
Legislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
.
Government Collaboration
Since 2002, the Ministry of the Interior has invited NATWA to represent women’s NGOs in collaborating with other NGOs to evaluate local governments’ executions of the Women’s Welfare Policy and Budget. Representatives work with the Ministry of the Interior, touring the island every July to make inspections. They not only supervise policy execution, but also provide advice to local and central governments alike.NATWA works with 10 other women’s groups to form an alliance, the Women on Women's Budget Alliance, which supervises the central government’s inclusion of gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming is the public policy concept of assessing the different implications for women and men of any planned policy action, including legislation and programmes, in all areas and levels...
in the annual budget on women’s affairs.
The Commission of Women’s Rights Promotion and Development (WRPD) heeded the Alliance’s advice and included the Alliance in its 2003 annual plan. Ever since, every February, each department of the central government has had to submit a report on how their budget meets the needs of women to WRPD for commissioners and women’s NGOs to evaluate.
APEC
In 2002, NATWA’s then-president Dagmar Yu was a representative of Taiwan at WLN (Women’s Leaders Network), part of the annual APEC summits. Her speech was called “Best Practice, financial support to the women micro entrepreneur—experience from Taiwan.”United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN NGO CSW)
NATWA first participated in the UN NGO CSW conference in 2004.In 2005, NATWA joined 16 women representatives to participate in the UN 49th. NGOCSW, 2005
In 2006, NATWA helped coordinate the participation of Taiwanese women’s organizations in the 50th UN NGO CSW conference in 2006.
In 2007, NATWA presented a paper at the 51st UN NGO CSW conference on the status of gender equity education in Taiwan.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
Starting in 2004, NATWA held annual conventions on the contents of CEDAW and the importance of its ratification in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan. This eventually resulted in the Legislative Yuan ratifying CEDAW’s stipulations in 2007. Taiwan’s participation in CEDAW is still pending international approval from the United Nations.NATWA works with other women’s groups to advocate the practice and the signing of CEDAW in Taiwan.
Educational Programs and Conventions
In December 2002, NATWA toured 14 counties island-wide to educate local government officials on the Violence in Family Prevention and Sexual Assault Prevention Laws, seeking the practice of these laws on the local level.In 2003, NATWA held conventions on National Women’s Rights in both Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
and Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
, evaluating the outcome of the women’s rights commission in both central and local governments.
In 2003, NATWA also hosted a program to encourage women’s participation in public affairs.
In accordance with gender mainstreaming theories, NATWA held a convention on The Evaluation of Social Welfare—from a Women’s and Gendered Perspective on Dec. 12, 2003. At this convention, experts and scholars examined current social welfare policy and laws from a gendered perspective.
From 2002-2004, NATWA instituted the “Ms. Science Training Program,” which encouraged gender-neutral educational planning. NATWA brought outstanding female scientists to speak at female high schools, encouraging young women to cross the gender divide in science-related occupations.