PR-2152
October 27, 2021
The United States, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and Canada Cohost Virtual
Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) Workshop
on Road to Parity: Women’s Participation in Public Life
On October 27, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA), the Australian Office in Taipei, and the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei co-hosted a virtual GCTF workshop entitled “Road to Parity: Women’s Participation in Public Life.” This was the first time Canada co-hosted a GCTF event.
Since the GCTF’s 2015 program launch, this is the fifth GCTF event to focus on women’s empowerment. The workshop provided policymakers, professionals in the private sector, and civil society leaders a platform to share insights on fulfilling women’s equal participation in public life and highlight the critical issues of why women are still underrepresented in public life and how to overcome the obstacles to their full participation.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth provided recorded remarks to kick-off the women in politics panel. Distinguished guests from Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Sweden participated as panelists.
In her opening remarks, AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk highlighted, “Gender equality is key to collective prosperity for a society. Women’s full participation and leadership in public life are essential for creating a safer and more stable world for us all. Women’s equal opportunity in politics, economics, and all areas of public life are among the core values shared by both the United States and Taiwan.”
AIT, Taiwan’s MOFA, and the JTEA jointly administer the GCTF, which serves as a platform for Taiwan to share its expertise with partners around the world.