台灣許下人權承諾

2009年4月9日

　　台灣的立法機構已批准兩份最重要國際公約，以促進人權發展。立法院於3月31日審查並批准了《公民與政治權利國際公約》和《經濟、社會與文化權利國際公約》。

　　「國際特赦組織對於台灣批准這兩份公約表示歡迎。這兩份公約與《世界人權宣言》共同構成國際人權架構的基礎。」國際特赦組織亞太部主任Sam Zarifi說。

　　「台灣這項行動為亞太區域樹立典範，證明經濟成長與繁榮，和提升對人權的尊重可以攜手並進。」


　　台灣在1967年簽署這兩份公約之後，由於各種阻礙，花費42年才完成後續的過程。當時的台灣政府人權紀錄不佳，並未致力完成批准程序。

　　1971年台灣退出聯合國之後，兩份公約長期受到忽略。直到1990年代，台灣許多公民社會團體開始共同推動兩公約的批准。

　　台灣的國會議員們在批准兩公約時沒有提出任何保留，並且同時通過其施行法。這部施行法要求建立國家人權報告的制度，對兩公約的履行進行例行性的監測。

Taiwan signs up for human rights

9 April 2009

Taiwan’s legislature has ratified two of the most important international conventions for the development of human rights. On 31 March, the Legislative Yuan debated and ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 31 March.

“Amnesty International welcomes Taiwan’s ratification of these two covenants, which form the basis of the international human rights framework together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International Asia-Pacific Director.

“Taiwan’s actions present a strong model for the region that economic growth and prosperity can go along hand in hand with increasing respect for human rights.”

Taiwan signed the two conventions in 1967, but the rest of the process ran up against various obstacles and has taken 42 years to complete. Taiwan’s government at the time had a poor human rights record and did not press to complete the ratification process.

The conventions languished after Taiwan withdrew from the UN in 1971. Taiwanese civil society groups launched a concerted campaign pushing for ratification in the 1990s.

Taiwan’s lawmakers ratified the conventions without reservation and passed a law on their implementation. The implementation law calls for the forming of a national human rights reporting system to regularly monitor the implementation of covenants.

Tags: 聲明論述