Group urges candidates to address four women's rights priorities

Taipei, Oct. 15 (CNA) A women's rights group on Thursday urged candidates running for top local government positions to address four priorities: housing for survivors of domestic violence, action against workplace sexual harassment, childcare and caregiver training.

The Garden of Hope Foundation, a charity that campaigns for gender equality, put forward eight demands under the four categories to 81 candidates running for magistrate or mayor in Taiwan's 22 counties and cities in the local elections on Nov. 28.

The foundation said in a news release that it hoped to turn needs identified by frontline social workers into concrete proposals that local governments can put into practice. "Gender-responsive policies should be part of local governance," it said.

Citing a 2025 survey showing that 52 percent of survivors of domestic violence struggled to find housing after fleeing their homes, the foundation called for more housing options that meet survivors' needs while keeping them close to work, school and their daily routines.

It also called for giving survivors priority in public housing allocations and for setting up shelters within such housing that offer childcare and other support services.

On workplace sexual harassment, the foundation called on local labor authorities to hold at least two legal advice sessions a month to help employers handle cases and access outside support.

Many companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, still struggle to follow central government guidelines on workplace sexual harassment because they lack dedicated staff, the foundation said.

On childcare, the foundation called for more drop-in childcare services to meet parents' occasional needs, including at least one daytime center and one nighttime center open until 10 p.m. in each district.

It also urged more flexible working hours to help parents manage childcare drop-offs and pickups, and called for easing eligibility rules for public childcare so more families can use the services.

On caregiver training, the foundation called for home-based childcare providers to receive at least three hours of gender equality training every two years, matching the mandatory requirement for workers at childcare institutions.

The foundation is awaiting a response from candidates, as of press time.