Statistics from the Ministry of Labor show that as of the end of June this year, there were more than 739,000 migrant workers in Taiwan. The Garden of Hope Foundation organized a press conference a few days ago and invited numerous NGOs and 77 representatives of migrant workers to co-author the parallel report of "International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, ICERD" this year. The report's major topic is the prejudice that foreigners encounter in Taiwan. Additionally, the Garden of Hope Foundation requests that the government create commensurate policies and actions to end prejudice.
NGOs publish a parallel report on ICERD with The Garden of Hope Foundation.Photo provided by The Garden of Hope Foundation
The director (李凱莉) of Emigration Service Center of The Garden of Hope Foundation noted that in this parallel report, in addition to presenting many instances of migrant workers receiving unfair treatment, there are also many reflections from migrant workers, whether in the fields of law enforcement, social welfare, or medicine. Some situations call for inadequate interpreting assistance.
Additionally, a sizable percentage of news regarding migrant worker is unfavorable in the media. For instance, among the 240 news stories about migrant workers that were available for search from July 1 to July 26 of this year, more than half focused on migrant workers escaping and drunk driving. These will have an impact on how non-citizen populations are seen by society as a whole.
In order to foster understanding between different ethnic groups and accomplish the aim of eradicating prejudice, the director (李凱莉) further urged the government to develop a Migration Integration Policy and accompanying measures and to include immigrants in the policy-making process.
