Gender Equality Education Act () of Taiwan was enacted on June 23, 2004. The General Provisions states the purposes of the act: "to promote substantive gender equality, eliminate gender discrimination, uphold human dignity, and improve and establish education resources and environment of gender equality." In recent years, this act has become controversial because it has implemented anti-discrimination on LGBT rights and LGBT sex education.
Content
(Note: this is not an exact quotation)
General Provisions
The chapter states that the central competent authority is Ministry of Education, and local competent authorities are city government, etc.
All competent authorities and schools shall have a "gender equality education committee", whose tasks include promoting curricula, teaching, and assessments on gender equality education.
At least half of the members of such a committee shall be women, and at least two thirds of the members shall be experts in the area.
This chapter specifically defines "sexual assault or sexual harassment on campus" as "sexual assault or sexual harassment that involves the school principal, faculty, staff or student as one party and student as the other party", separate these events from others.
Learning environment and resources
The chapter states
The school shall not discriminate in its teaching, assessments, etc. against students on the basis of their gender or sexual orientation. But shall affirmatively provide assistance to students who are disadvantaged due to those (such as lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and pregnant students) in order to improve their situation. The admission acceptance shall be gender neutral, except schools with historical tradition or other reasons. (Many famous schools in Taiwan are single-sex) Faculty shall be given gender equality courses before and during career. The school shall build safe campus, such as safer toilets. The chapter specifically states the school shall affirmatively protect pregnant students' right to education. At least one-third of members shall consist of either sex, in Staff Appraisal Committee and similar organization of schools, unless members either sex are too few.
Curriculum, teaching materials and instruction
Curricula shall cover gender equality education. The school shall develop relevant plan and assessments. All curricula shall comply with principle of gender equality. All teachers shall maintain gender equality consciousness, and "shall encourage students to take courses in fields that are not traditionally affiliated with their gender".
The Enforcement Rules for the act further states that gender equality education curricula shall cover "affective education, sex education, and gay and lesbian education".
Prevention and handling of sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus
When handling such a case, the school shall report according to relevant laws, and turn the case to its gender equality education committee. The party's and offense-reporter's identities shall be kept confidential. The victim shall be informed with rights, and provided with protection measures if necessary.
Application for investigation and relief
If the school violates the act, victim can apply for investigation to the supervising authority.
History
The act originated from Taiwanese local feminism movement in 1980s, began to be drawn in 2000, and was announced in 2004.
Origin
The act originated from earlier demands of "sex equality" (, literally translated as "Equality of two sex") education. 1988, Awakening Foundation published a handbook, which examined the official edition of textbooks of primary and high schools on language and social science, and concluded them full of gender stereotypes.
1996, following then policy of educational reforms, Awakening Foundation presented the Education Reform Council of Executive Yuan with five demands: Improve textbooks Train faculty Establish gender equality committee Increase women's participation in decision making Set up women studies curricula The first four demands became the content of Gender Equality Education Act.
In the end of the same year, Sexual Assault Prevention Act was passed quickly because of the shock of the rape-murder case of a feminist Peng Wan-ru. The act states that primary and high schools shall have "gender equality education". This is the legal basis of Gender Equality Education Act. In March 1997, the Ministry of Education established the "Gender Equality Education Committee", which later gave rise to the act.