Taiwan Centers

 

Known Centers based in Taiwan

If your center is not in this list and you want to be added, please contact HURIGHTS OSAKA and we will assist you.

 

 

 

Taiwan Centers Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights Human Rights Education Advisory and Resources Center John Paul II Institute for Research into Dialogue for Peace Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR)

 

 

Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights

- Soochow University

 

Year Established: 2000

 

Short Historical Background

 

Beginning in 1995, several faculty members of Political Science Department at Soochow University, including Professor Mab Huang, now the Director of Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights and the Human Rights Program, offered courses in the human rights field, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They also collaborated with colleagues in Yang-ming Medical College (now National Yang-ming University) and the Taipei Municipal Teacher's College (now Taipei Municipal University of Education) in training teachers and compiling teaching materials for primary and secondary schools. In1998, an International Conference on Human Rights Education was held in Taipei, and scholars and experts from the US, Europe and Japan were invited to give advice as to how to strengthen human rights education in Taiwan.

 

In 2000, the Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights was founded at Soochow University, Taipei. It is dedicated to research and education in the human rights field, including promotion of human rights education in primary and secondary schools. Four years later, an undergraduate human rights program was launched. In the fall of 2008, the Center inaugurates the human rights MA program.

 

 

Objectives

 

The Center seeks to encourage research in the human rights field and to help facilitate human rights education, thus contributing to the development of a human rights culture in Taiwan.

 

 

Programs

 

1. Advancing Human Rights Research in Taiwan – since human rights research has long been neglected in the universities and research institutes in Taiwan, the task of the Center is to advance human rights research.

2. Promoting Human Rights Education – since human rights education was a taboo during the period of authoritarian rule in Taiwan, the founding of the Center is a major step forward in meeting the needs for human rights education

3. Training Local Human Rights Workers – while non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been playing an important role world-wide in the process of the protection of human rights, their training in both theory and practice is inadequate. The founding of this Center helps provide training for professional human rights advocates and the promotion of human rights values

4. Deepening International Exchanges – with great progress in human rights research over the last fifty years in the Western nations, diversification and pluralization in terms of research perspectives and approaches are remarkable, and the United Nations Organization has accumulated much information and knowledge. This Center aims to intensify international exchanges and enable Taiwan to be part of the international human rights movement.

 

Its human rights MA program is designed to integrate theory and practice, emphasizing inter-discipline approach and international liaison. The Center aims to recruit students from university and college graduates, government officials related to human rights work, primary and secondary school teachers and administrators as well as NGO staff. The program offers courses in many areas, including philosophy, science and technology, feminism, medical care and law, as they are related to human rights. It is mandatory that a student completes twenty-four credit hours to graduate. A MA thesis is required.

 

In contrast to the MA in Human Rights, the undergraduate human rights program aims at the inculcation of the ideas of human rights, drawing students from different disciplines. Upon the completion of twenty-four-credits hour program, the students are awarded a certificate. By early 2008, more than one hundred students have registered for this program, and more than twenty have completed the requirements.

 

 

Activities

 

In addition to the undergraduate Human Rights Program and MA in Human Rights Program described above, through the years, the Center has also engaged in the following activities:

 

1. Sponsoring international conferences, such as the International Conference on Indigenous Peoples' Rights (2003), the International Conference on Human Rights Education in Taiwan (2004), and the International Conference on Human Rights Education in a Diverse and Changing Asia (2006)

2. Sponsoring lecture series by internationally well-known experts and scholars, including Dr. Heinrich Klebes, Honorary Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (2001), Judge Georg Ress of European Court of Human Rights (2001), Professor Theodore van Boven of Universitiet Maastricht (2006), and Professor Ian Neary of Oxford University (2008)

3. Sponsoring book reading and holding workshops. For example, for 2006, the reading was primarily concerned with Radical Evil, and from August 2007 to July 2008 it was concentrated on Globalization, Development and the Rights of the Disadvantaged Groups

4. Encouraging the participation of students in international conferences and community action activities, such as defending patient's rights of the historic Lo-sheng Sanatorium. Sponsoring international conferences: such as the International Conference on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights (2003), the International Conference on Human Rights Education in Taiwan (2004), the International Conference on Human Rights Education in a Diverse and Changing Asia (2006), Civic and Human Rights Education in Asia (2009), Propagation and Implementation of the Idea of Human Rights (2010), 2011 Conference on International Human Rights Covenants (2011).

5) Sponsoring lecture series by internationally well-known experts and scholars, including Dr. Heinrich Klebes, Honorary Secretary- General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (2001), Judge Georg Ress of the European Court of Human Rights (2001), Professor Theodore van Boven of the Universitiet Maastricht (2006), Professor Ian Neary of Oxford University (2008), Professor Flora Arellano of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (2009), Professor Boshu Zang, Independent Chinese Scholar, China (2010), Professor Bill Black, the University of British Columbia, Canada (2010), Professor Theodore S. Orlin, Utica College, USA (2011).
6) Sponsoring study groups and holding workshops: Radical Evil (2006), Globalization, Development and the Rights of the Disadvantaged Groups (2007), Global Poverty and Theories of Justice: Thomas Pogge, Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum (2009) and Theories of Democracy and Public Reasoning: John Rawls, Amartya Sen and Ronald Dworkin (2010).
7) Encouraging the participation of students in international conferences and community action activities, such as defending patient’s rights of the historic Lo-sheng Sanatorium, saving Tenzin Delek of Tibet and condemning Genocide in Darfur.

 

Publications

 

• The Directory of MA Human Rights Programs (primarily in the United States and Europe), Tong Jo-chu (ed.) (2006)

• The Directory of NGOs, Tong Jo-Chu (ed.) (2006)

• Human Rights Dictionary: International, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan (Bilingual), Mab Huang (editor-in-chief) (2007).

• Taiwan Human Rights Journal, inaugural issue, December 2011.

 

Address

 

Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights

70, Linhsi Rd., Shihlin, Taipei, Taiwan111, R.O.C

ph (886-2) 28819471 ext. 6110, 6951 or 6952

fax (886-2) 28805650

e-mail: hrer[a]scu.edu.tw

www.scu.edu.tw/hr

www.scu.edu.tw/hrp

 

 

 

 

 

Human Rights Education Advisory and Resources Center

Year Established: 2007

Short Historical Background

The Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan established the Human Rights Education Advisory and Resources Center in 2007 with the aim of integrating the resources that facilitate studies on
human rights and promote human rights education. The Center created a database of relevant human rights publications and teaching materials for public use, and actively encouraged networking
among the human rights educators. The Center will attempt to deepen the linkage between theories and practice, provide the resources for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to build up
their theoretical knowledge and, most importantly, translate their practical experiences into the materials for human rights education.

Objectives

The Center aims to integrate the resources that facilitate studies on human rights and promote human rights education.

 

Program and Activities

The Center implements the following activities:
• Database for Human Rights Education – this is web-based database for human rights education. It provides information on books, periodicals, teaching materials and audio-visual aids. For the longer-term plan, it will build a human rights library open to the academic community and the public. Besides, the Center will cooperate with international academic institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the International Human Rights Education Consortium, and HURIGHTS OSAKA in collecting the teaching materials and syllabuses.
• Integrating the resources for promoting human rights education - drawing upon the resources at the Chang Fo-Chuan Center for the Study of Human Rights, the Human Rights Program as well
as the Consortium for the Education of Human Rights, Peace and Development, the Center aims to help design a more comprehensive plan regarding human rights education in Taiwan.
• Promotion of human rights education by the Ministry of Education - the Center helps the Ministry of Education build up criterions for monitoring human rights education programs in the local governments and schools.
• Professional Consultation – the Center provides consultation service through an open hotline and e-mail that enable government officials, school and the public to easily consult the Center regarding
human rights education.

Special Concern

Center has a special concern for promoting human rights education in Taiwan.

Publications

 

• Human Rights Education E-Newsletter

Address

 

Human Rights Education Advisory and Resources Center
No.1, University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
ph (632) (886-6-2757575 ext.50369)
ph/fax (632) (886-6-2343858)
e-mail: hrecenter[a]gmail.com
http://hre.pro.edu.tw/intro-eng.htm

 

 

 

 

 

John Paul II Institute for Research into Dialogue for Peace

Fujen Catholic University

 

Date Established: 1997

 

Short Historical Background

 

The Fujen University John Paul II Institute for Research into Dialogue for Peace was founded in August 1997 as an integral part of Fujen Catholic University. The Institute intends to sponsor the study of peace from a Chinese and Catholic perspective. An Annual Lecture on these themes is held in the first term.

 

The Institute's Library is integrated into the University's Social Science Library, situated in the premises of the School of Law and Business. The Institute has its own annotated bibliography of all works relating to Peace held in the University Library.

 

Objectives

 

The Institute aims

1) To study issues of peace from a Chinese and Catholic viewpoint

2) To study, in a systemic manner, the methods and purpose of dialogue for peace with the intention of promoting, especially in the Asian context, genuine dialogue between individuals, groups, nations and between different religious and cultural traditions

3) To establish contacts and academic cooperation with similar centers or institutions in Asia and the world and with relevant Vatican Congregations

4) To gather materials sufficient to enable the Institute to function as a research center; collecting relevant data about persons, publications, centers and institutes working in the field of peace studies

5) To encourage some preliminary research in the field, including: Papal pronouncement on Peace, Peace Studies at University level, Peace movements at home and abroad; Conflict Resolution.

 

 

Programs and Activities

 

 

Peace research –Institute promotes the application of Chinese philosophy to peace issues and the presentation (in Chinese language) of important peace-related materials. The Institute has worked with the Taiwan Peacetime Foundation since its foundation on 25 August 2000 and the Chang Fo-chuan Human Rights Institute to promote peace studies in Taiwan.

 

Annual peace lectures and conferences – the Institute holds lectures and conferences on the various themes: peace studies, human rights and peace, civilian-based defence, peace education, engendering security, etc.

 

Human rights research - from its inauguration the Institute has been engaged in the research and promotion of human rights. Four major conferences have been held as well as a number of shorter talks. The major research topic has been that of the initial reception of human rights into China. A subsidiary topic has been the field of indigenous persons’ rights.

 

Conferences on human rights – the Institute has been holding conferences on human rights issues such as human rights and values in Asia, human rights education, the abolition of the death penalty, indigenous peoples, human rights in the Pacific rim, among others.

 

Research project on the Church’s social teaching in the Chinese language –This referential work will help local Chinese communities to better understand and respond to different social problems that they may encounter.

 

 

Publications

 

• The Former Generation Discusses Human Rights: An Anthology of Chinese Texts on Human Rights (in 4 volumes) (Chinese)

o Volume 1 - The Emergence of Human Rights

o Volume 2 - Women and Rights

o Volume 3 - Liberty and Equality

o Volume 4 - Human Rights and the Law

• Human Rights and Values in East Asia (in English & Chinese)

• Proceedings of the Fujen International Conference on Human Rights and Values in East Asia 21-23 June 1998,(in Chinese & English)

• The Human Person as the Foundation of Human Rights - Proceedings of the East Asian Regional Seminar of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (English & Chinese)

• Taiwan Opposes the Death Penalty - Proceedings of the Fujen University International Conference on Abolition of the Death Penalty in 2001, Fujen University (English)

 

 

Other Information

 

The Institute’s library has special sections on human rights, indigenous rights, United Nations publications, Catholic Peace and Justice and Vatican documents.

 

 

Address

 

John Paul II Peace Institute

Loyola Building, Fujen University

24205 HSINCHUANG, TAIWAN

ph (8862) 2903 1111 ext. 3111

fax (8862) 2904 3586

e-mail: peace[a]mails.fju.edu.tw

www.fju.edu.tw/homepage2/peace/d4.htm

 

 

Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR)

 

Year Established: 1984

 

Short Historical Background

 

Established on International Human Rights Day, 10 December 1984, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) is the oldest independent human rights organization in Taiwan. In its early years, TAHR operated under a repressive political regime as an underground organization. Authoritarian General Chiang Kai-shek from China imposed martial law on Taiwan in 1949 (and lasted for thirty-nine years), suspending the Constitution and subjecting thousands of individuals to illegal arrests, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial executions. In the years prior to TAHR's formation, Taiwanese people witnessed a series of major governmental crackdown on oppositional voices, such as the Formosa Incident (1979), the Lin family murders (1980), and the murder of Chen Wen-cheng (1981). Despite horror and grief, these tragedies only strengthened Taiwanese people’s determination to speak out for human rights, rule of law, and democracy. Since establishment, TAHR fought for basic civil and political rights together with the growing social and political opposition movements. Main work included: campaigns to free political prisoners; ending the practice of blacklisting; and demanding freedoms of speech, association, and assembly.

 

The late martial law era into the 1990s was a transitional period for Taiwan. Riding on a growing democracy and public demand, the first genuine opposition party DPP was established in 1986, and martial law was lifted in 1987. The government also demonstrated a gradual openness to public elections, rights to free expression, and freedom to assemble and to form civil society organizations. During this transitional period, TAHR entered into its second phase of work and focused its campaign on repealing and revising the remaining undemocratic laws and regulations, including the National Security Law, the Parade and Assembly Law, the Civic Organizations Law, to name a few, as well as restrictions on radio broadcasting —all of which continued to arbitrarily deprive people of basic civil rights.

 

Today, Taiwan no longer holds political prisoners. Nevertheless, the legacy of authoritarian rule still remains. The rule of law, independence of the judiciary, and accountability of the police and military authorities remain elusive; and many forms of discrimination are still common. Furthermore, public awareness about human rights, particularly about international human rights norms and mechanisms, is far from adequate. Taiwan’s involuntary diplomatic isolation represents continuous challenges in the promotion of human rights, and isolates the government from the necessary participation, interaction, and obligation to the international human rights community.

 

Objectives

 

TAHR is an independent civil society organization committed to securing and protecting human rights from all forms of violation. It believes that human rights, rule of law, and democracy are indivisible and interdependent. Without human rights, rule of law can easily degrade into rule by law, and democracy into a winner-take-all struggle.

 

Programs

 

TAHR focuses mainly on safeguarding due process of law, eliminating different forms of human rights violation and discrimination, promoting human rights education, as well as expanding the human rights discourse to meet the needs of contemporary society.

 

Activities

 

TAHR conducts awareness campaigns that aim to stimulate grassroots support and policy-advocacy. Its main activities include investigating individual human rights cases and assisting victims, monitoring state policies and advocating legal and constitutional amendments to meet international human rights standards, and conducting human rights education to promote deeper understanding of human rights. TAHR also participates actively at international human rights forums. It aims to build solid network that will strengthen the work of human rights defenders through active interaction and collaboration with international NGOs.

 

Special Concerns

Privacy and personal data protection; rights to peaceful assembly and association; Covenants monitoring.

 

Publications

 

• Taiwan Human Rights Report (annually)

• TAHR e-newsletter

• Human Rights Quarterly

 

Other Information

 

TAHR is a member of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (regional) & International Federation of Human Rights (international).

 

Address

Taiwan Association for Human Rights

2F No. 22, Ln. 61, Tianxiang Rd., Zhongshan Dist.,

Taipei, Taiwan 104

ph (886-2) 2596-9525

fax (886-2) 25968545

e-mail: info[a]tahr.org.tw

www.tahr.org.tw

 

 

 

TAIWAN

 

Directory of Asia-Pacific Human Rights Centers