In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare sponsored the “A Rising Tide: Women in an Age of Technology” event at the NTUH International Convention Center on March 8, 2016. President Ma Ying-Jeou, Executive Yuan Cabinet Member Tsai Yu-Ling, and Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Shiu Ming-Neng all attended. The theme of this year’s Women’s Day celebration was women in science and technology. Five groups of women’s technology manufacturers/organizations and women professionals from the technology industry presented on integrating women’s perspectives into technological products in a “demo show” format. They emphasized that “integrating gendered perspectives into the design and manufacturing of technology will create more woman-friendly and human-centered products and services.” The women professionals also shared about their rich and diverse professional lives in the technology world. 

A highlight from this year’s event was the “The Power of Women in Technology” interactive forums, in which three professional women from the new technology and industry sector shared on the themes of “Technology and Women,” “Women under the Lens,” and “Women and Games.” It is hoped that through analyses and interpretation of social phenomena, the self-worth of women in a technological age can be enhanced. 

In his remarks, President Ma noted the global trend of encouraging women to join the technological disciplines, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to foster a friendly society that supports women in technology. He called on all sectors of society to support women’s participation in technology with open-minded and egalitarian attitudes, so that women can enjoy the same opportunities as men. The President stressed that practical concretization of gender equality is needed to create a flourishing and progressive society. 

Executive Yuan Cabinet Member Tsai Yu-Ling noted that although women’s rights and gender equality are widespread values, traditional views perpetuate a number of tangible and intangible disadvantages for women. The Executive Yuan’s Council for Gender Equality and Bureau of Gender Equality will continue to assist various central and local government agencies to advance women’s development and protection in all contexts. The goal is to establish a harmonious, gender-equal society in which people of all genders are appropriately supported in their development. 

Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Shiu Ming-Neng remarked that with the rise of women’s educational attainment and awareness of gender equality, more and more women have smashed traditional frameworks with their unique expressions of “women’s power,” and utilized technology to bolster their competitive edge and enrich their own lives. Shiu believes that the government plays an active role in promoting a gender-inclusive environment in which women can use their talents to participate equally in all sectors and contribute to the society. 

After the opening ceremony, President Ma visited the “demo show” exhibits and greeted the participating women manufacturers, designers, and professionals in technology. He affirmed their efforts and accomplishments in the area of technology, and encouraged more women to use their talents to shine in the technology world. 

Additionally, Taiwan Women’s Center is holding a concurrent special exhibition named “From here to equality” (which runs from March 8 through December). The Ministry of Health and Welfare indicated that the exhibition makes clear the current disparities between women and men in Taiwan through systematic organization of gender-specific statistics in the areas of population and family, healthcare, education, workplace, power and decision-making, violence against women, and environment. The exhibition also offers a basis for planning future goals and strategies toward gender equality. The Ministry extends an enthusiastic invitation to all to attend the exhibition. (URL: http://www.taiwanwomencenter.org.tw; address: 9F, No. 15, Sec. 1, Hangzhou S. Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City)