Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je announced the “Taipei City Government Equal Pay for All Genders” policy during a career networking event for middle-aged and senior laborers on December 16. The move marked the first of its kind in Taiwan to promote pay equity through policy instruments. 

According to Ko, Taiwan has long been confronted with challenges in labor shortage and an aging society, involving low female labor force participation rates and low birth rates.

Women often have to drop out of the job market when they marry or give birth. They are also expected to take the responsibility of caring for the kids and senior members of the family. As a result, the number of women workers sees a sharp decline after women reach the age of 35 – one of the causes of the gender wage gap.

The “Equal Pay for All Genders” policy is the city government’s solution to this problem, seeking to encourage participation of women in the labor force through measures such as establishing community-based daycare centers and non-profit kindergartens, providing after-school programs for kids, and subsidizing the implementation of childcare measures for corporations.

The mayor also urged the central government to address the issue of gender pay gap by means of increasing salary transparency in the job market, reverse the trend of falling wages, eliminate gender role stereotypes, fight workplace gender discrimination, and promote gender equality -- so as to empower women and remove the barriers to female involvement in economic activities. The approach will help businesses retain talent while generating productivity growth. 

To learn more about workplace equality, please visit the Chinese website of Department of Labor (DOL) at http://bola.gov.taipei/mp.asp?mp=116003 or dial 1999 Citizen Hotline, ext. 7023.