History

The Chinese Women Judges* Association - Taiwan , R.O.C. was formed officially on January 7, 1995. The Association had come a long way before the formation.

As early as in the 1970's, some 10 women judges and prosecutors, all serving in the Taipei area, started to get together once in a while for the purpose of reinforcing their friendship. One of them, the late lady Grand Justice Shin-Hsiang Fan, forged a plan of forming a women judges association during the 1980's, but the idea was left without fulfillment due to some unknown reasons. The friendship meeting, however, continued.

Later, by the help of Mrs. Edith S. Coliver, former Taiwan Representative of the Asia Foundation, and Mr. Shih-Joung Wang, Executive Director of the Foundation's Taiwan branch, women judges in Taiwan were able to sent delegates to participate in the meeting held by the preparatory committee of the International Association of Women Judges and then to attend the inauguration ceremony of the IAWJ's first President Judge Arline Pacht in 1992. At the time, 12 women judges from Taiwan joined in the IAWJ and became its founding members in accordance with the IAWJ Bylaw.

By the inspiration of the inauguration of the IAWJ, in light of the experience of the Philippine Women Judges Association, and, most important, with the amendment of rules governing functionaries establishing associations, women judges in Taiwan under the leadership of then Supreme Court Justice Rene Ren-Shu Chang had a new restart toward the formation of an association by the end of 1992. 77 women judges were recruited as founding members, who worked hard in drawing up the association's bylaw. Based on that draft bylaw, the women judges, represented by Justice Chang, were assented to set up an association by the Interior Ministry and afterwards by the Judicial Yuan* in July 1994. During the following six-month period, a seven-member organizing panel led by Justice Chang successfully completed its task.

Finally, the long-awaited association, with 102 members, was inaugurated in Taipei on January 7, 1995. The Honorable Justice Pacita Canizares-Nye, then President of the IAWJ, was invited to attest the inauguration ceremony. As soon as the first general meeting of the members passed the bylaw, elected president, and appointed officers, the Chinese Women Judges Association - Taiwan , R.O.C., the first of its kind, was formally established. On March 9, 1995 the Interior Ministry approved the registration of the Association, acknowledging the Association's national organization status.

*Although the word "judges" is used to construct the Association's title, its members include judges and public prosecutors alike. This is because in Taiwan judges and public prosecutors are of the same origin -- i.e. going through the same examination and training processes and by the same appointment mechanism to become either judges or public prosecutors. The term of "judges" hereinafter refers to both judges and public prosecutors.

*Under the R.O.C. Constitution, the Judicial Yuan along with the Executive Yuan, the Legislative Yuan, the Examination Yuan, and the Control Yuan form a "Five-Power Government." Chinese calls each branch of the government a "Yuan." The Judicial Yuan, being the highest judicial organization of the nation, supervises the administration of all courts below. The Executive Yuan is equivalent to the Cabinet. The Legislative Yuan exercises the authority of Congress. The Examination Yuan administers nationwide examinations for all civil service positions and manages the personnel affairs for all government agencies. The Control Yuan has the power to investigate and to impeach high-ranking government officials, as well as to audit the government budget.

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