The ADIZ and China

China Makes Waves with the New ADIZ

Read this article to understand the conflict in East Asia.

And it's possible extension to the South China Sea

East Asia Cooperation Summit

Purpose: “Ease tensions in East Asia, specifically concerning the new ADIZ proposed by China”

1) Read the article posted earlier

2) Research your country

                a) Territorial claims (maritime claims)

                b) your country’s position on the new ADIZ

3) Research the ADIZ

                a) What is it? Who wants it? What does it mean? What will happen? How will China enforce it?

4) Prepare a short speech (30 sec to 1 min) about your country's position on the ADIZ

                - What does your country think about the ADIZ?

                - What does your country think should be done about the ADIZ?

                - What is your country worried about regarding the ADIZ?

Each country will present their short speech on the ADIZ. 

Then there will be a discussion and we must come to an agreement about the ADIZ

Gender Equality Around the World

Here is an excellent article about Sweden, perhaps one of the best places to be a woman:
http://sweden.se/society/gender-equality-in-sweden/#start

Here is another article about Saudi Arabia, perhaps the opposite of Sweden:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/12/us-arab-women-saudi-idUSBRE9AB00B20131112

Here's an article about gender equality in Asia:
http://business.inquirer.net/149083/ph-best-performer-in-asia-pacific-in-gender-equality-wef

Contraception Ignorance in Taiwan

Web site set up to help combat contraception ignorance in Taiwan
了解避孕知識別害羞　婦科醫師線上解答

Chen Ching-hui, a doctor in Taipei Medical University Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is talking about unexpected pregnancies among teenagers in Taiwan. Every year obstetricians and gynecologists in Taiwan prescribe tens of thousands of abortion pills to pregnant teenagers. Sighing with emotion, Chen says that every year on Sept. 26, World Contraception Day is supposed to remind everyone about the importance of contraception.

Chen says that in European countries such as Germany and France more than 50 percent of teenagers are having sex, while that number is only 20 to 30 percent in Taiwan. Despite that, the rate of abortion in Taiwan is seven times that of Germany and France, which shows just how ineffective sex education in Taiwan. Teenagers in Taiwan lack knowledge about contraception and have nowhere to turn. Becoming pregnant unexpectedly without ways to financially support themselves, young mothers have no means to take care of the child and have a difficult time staying in school or getting a job.

Taiwanese teenagers get most of their knowledge about contraception from the Internet, and mistakenly assume that safe period calculation methods or coitus interruptus is sufficient protection, or that taking birth control pills will cause cancer, or make them barren or gain weight. All of these ideas are unsafe, Chen says. The condom-pill method — the male wears condoms and the female takes birth control — is currently considered to be the most effective contraceptive method among doctors, preventing both the transmission of venereal diseases and avoiding pregnancy.

To actively combat this issue and help teenagers answer all their perplexing questions regarding sex and contraception, the Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently started a Web site specifically aimed at providing counseling online for teenagers seeking information about contraception (www.8181.org.tw). The site provides accurate sex education info and a platform where medical professionals can offer replies to messages, as well as a navigable guide on contraception and useful medical and pharmaceutical organizations.

A printed version of the guide is available at most medical providers, and there is a free 24-hour hotline that provides professional counseling (0800-25-8181).

(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)

台北醫學大學附設醫院婦產科主治醫師陳菁徽表示，青少女經期較不規則，容易忽略自身狀況，意外懷孕的案例很多，台灣婦產科醫師每年開出好幾萬顆墮胎藥。陳菁徽感嘆，婦產科醫師的天職是不該鼓勵人墮胎的，每年的九月二十六日是世界避孕日，就是提醒大家正視意外懷孕這個議題。

陳菁徽指出，歐洲國家如德國、法國，未成年性行為比例超過五成，台灣只有二、三成，但是台灣的墮胎率卻是德、法的七倍，這顯示台灣性教育落實不足，青少年避孕知識不足、求助無門，意外懷孕後，又因沒有經濟能力，導致孩子扶養、小媽媽就學與就業都陷入困境。

台灣青少年的避孕知識大多來自網路，常誤以算安全期、體外射精就可以了，又誤以為吃避孕藥會致癌、不孕、發胖。陳菁徽表示，這些都是不保險，甚至錯誤的觀念和方法。目前醫界認為最有效的避孕方法就是「保避（保庇）」，也就是以男性戴保險套杜絕性病傳染，女性服用避孕藥防止懷孕。

為了主動出擊、協助青少年男女解答心中對於兩性與避孕的疑惑，婦產科醫學會即日啟用「青少女（年）避孕指引諮詢家」網站（www.8181.org.tw），提供正確兩性教育、線上留言有醫師專業回覆，另可查詢避孕指引和醫藥機構。

紙本的「青少女（年）避孕指引」則可在各衛教通路索取，還有二十四小時免付費諮詢電話（0800-25-8181）提供專業諮詢。

（自由時報記者邱宜君）

AIDS now among top-ten causes of death for youth

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- AIDS is now among the top-10 causes of death among young people in 2012 for the first time in the nation's history, according to CNA News World magazine.

The number of HIV/AIDS patients in Taiwan has been steadily rising, with the fastest rates found in the 15-24 age group,

From 1998 to 2012, the 15-24 age group has seen a 180-percent annual increase in HIV/AIDS cases, the latest issue of the magazine reported.

The magazine cited Ministry of Health and Welfare figures as showing that as of the end of 2012, the accumulated number of HIV/AIDS patients in that demographic totaled 4,716, almost one-fifth of all patients (24,239).

Goals and Dreams

What are your goals for yourself in your life? What do you want to accomplish?

What would be your dream job/career? Where would you like to be in 10-15 years?

What might stop you from achieving your goals? How can you be better prepared for the challenges you’ll face?

Would you stop or slow down your career for a family? Would you try to balance work and family?

Who is your role model? Who can you look to for advice?

Write on this for your next journal assignment

Second Presentation Schedule

10/29 - Monica & Winnie - "Social Status of Women in Taiwan"

11/5 - Synder & Gabrielle - "Maternity Leave", Stacy & Cindy - "Sexual Harassment in Taiwan"

11/12 -Rita & Amy - "Political Representation of Women in Taiwan", Jennifer & Sunny - " Education Rights for Taiwanese Women"

11/19 - Jenny & Emma "Sexual Discrimination Through the Internet", Lina & Joyce - "Domestic Violence in Taiwan"

11/26 - Julia & Janet - "Equal Employment Opportunities in Taiwan", Wyonna & Kitty & Amy - "Marriage Rights in Taiwanese Society" 

Advancing Women's Rights in Taiwan

By: Grace Kuo, writing for "Taiwan Today"

“A married daughter is like water thrown out,” is an old Chinese proverb. The saying, meaning women are outsiders to their family once they are married, demonstrates the low status of females in society.

Women were expected to strictly follow the Confucian “three obediences and four virtues,” or obedience to the father before marriage, husband afterward and son in widowhood, and propriety in behavior, speech, demeanor and employment.

However, women’s status in Taiwan has advanced over the past years thanks to the efforts of feminist advocates. Notable achievements include the passage of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act in 1998, the first such law in Asia, and the Gender Equality in Employment Act in 2002. 

According to Yu Chien-ming, a modern history research fellow at the Taipei-based Academia Sinica, feminist ideas were introduced to Taiwan during the 1970s by students returning from the U.S. “They ran magazines advocating women’s rights during the martial law period, set up women’s organizations after the law was lifted [in 1987], and brought issues such as sexual harassment and gender equality in employment into the spotlight,” Yu said.

Sexual harassment and gender discrimination in employment were a big problem in the 1980s. A survey conducted by the Awakening Foundation in 1984 showed that 80 percent of women had experienced sexual harassment, mostly taking place on public buses, according to Lee Yuan-chen, a former director of the foundation. In the 1990s, cases in which female students were victims of sexual harassment by male students and professors occurred in universities nationwide, prompting feminist study clubs in schools to campaign for measures to prevent such treatment.

Nonetheless, Taiwanese society did not really confront the harassment and violence experienced by women until 1994, when Deng Ru-wen, a long-term victim of domestic violence, killed her husband. “She had tried to seek help from the police, but in vain, because of the common notion at the time that the law does not intervene in the domestic sphere,” Yu said.

Through the intercession of women’s organizations, Deng was sentenced to only three years in jail and obtained custody of her children after serving her time, Yu noted. Moreover, the high profile case spurred passage of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act.

This act, amended in April 2009, allows victims of domestic violence to apply for court orders to protect them from abuse, stalking or other threatening actions by family members.

In addition to sexual harassment and violence, discrimination against women in the work place was rampant in the 1980s as demonstrated in clauses implemented by banks, airline companies and government-affiliated cultural centers, requiring that women be single and not become pregnant.

“These clauses obliged women to quit their jobs once they were married or pregnant,” Yu said. “They were introduced because employers worried females would not be able to concentrate on their work once they gave birth.”

In 1987, protests by employees with the Taipei-based National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall led women’s groups to realize there were no laws preventing employers from enforcing these rules, Yu recalled. In 1989, the Awakening Foundation completed a draft act on gender equality in employment, which was sent to the Legislature in 1990, but later rejected by the Cabinet.

Only after the Cabinet came up with its own version in 1999 and the Legislature passed it in 2002 were women’s employment rights safeguarded.

“Objections from interest groups, especially businesses, were the main reason the act took 12 years to pass, as companies were afraid their competitiveness would be weakened if women had too many rights,” said Ku Yen-lin, a consultant for the Awakening Foundation and a member of Taipei City’s Commission on Women’s Rights Promotion.

“We must constantly call attention to women’s rights, or the government will not take the issue seriously.”

Despite the fact that the ROC was the first nation in the world to reserve legislative seats for women, women have had difficulties competing with men due to the traditionally greater respect for males, and the unequal educational opportunities for women, according to Hu Ai-jo, a professor at the National Defense University.

Looking back at the 30-plus years women have been fighting for their rights in Taiwan, Yu said one of the greatest improvements is that women now exhibit higher levels of feminist consciousness. However, traditional notions are never easy to change, and women must keep up the good fight in this, as Ku described it, “revolution not yet successful.” 

Original article from "Taiwan Today" by Grace Kuo

Another good website about women's history in Taiwan