Taiwan marks 29 years since feminist pioneer Peng Wan-ru's unsolved murder

Taipei, Nov. 30 (CNA) The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Sunday commemorated feminist pioneer Peng Wan-ru's (彭婉如) enduring impact on gender equality reforms in Taiwan, on the 29th anniversary of her unsolved murder.

On Nov. 30, 1996, Peng, then 47, was serving as head of the DPP's Women's Affairs Department when she disappeared in Kaohsiung while campaigning for a proposal to reserve one-quarter of elected government positions for women.

She was found three days later, having been raped and fatally stabbed. No one has ever been charged with her murder.

In a Facebook post, the DPP's Gender Equality Department said it was compiling and reviewing Peng's archives and had begun work on a documentary about her life.

The department said her advocacy later shaped the Local Government Act, which in 1999 required that at least one-quarter of seats in local councils be held by women.

That framework took another significant step last week, when the Legislature approved amendments raising the minimum gender quota for local councilors from one-quarter to one-third starting in 2030.

DPP Legislator Fan Yun (范雲), who helped drive the amendment, said that while the reform was "the most fitting way" to honor Peng's legacy, Taiwan remains far from meeting Peng's aspirations.

In a Facebook post, Fan said gender disparities between urban and rural areas have widened, with "21 of the 159 council districts electing no women at all" in the most recent local elections.

"If we truly want to honor Peng Wan-ru, we must strengthen political participation at the grassroots, move beyond one-quarter quotas, and address gender-based violence and unequal access to political resources," she wrote.

"Wan-ru, you left us 29 years ago, but the reforms you started have transformed Taiwan. We will keep working to carry the light you ignited farther," Fan said.