Actions constituting discrimination (Article 1) Action Result • Indirect discrimination: Seemingly neutral or identical treatment, which may not be equal (determined by the actual result of the action) structures, historical patterns, and power relations between genders may exacerbate inequalities Exceptions (actions not constituting discrimination) (Article 4) [Source of information]: Prepared by NHRC. c. Preventing discrimination or harm to women by third parties; inadequate protection The Department of Gender Equality, Executive Yuan noted that since 2014, there have been cases addressing regulations such as the Police Uniforms Act, the attached instructions of the Firefighting Uniforms Code, the Customs Service Personnel Uniform Management Guidelines, and the uniform regulations of the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior. These cases involved female employees being required to wear skirts as part of their uniform. Upon review, the special review committee determined that these regulations violated Article 5, Subparagraph (a) of CEDAW; said regulations were thus amended. All schools under the Ministry of Education must obtain their committees’ approval regarding their uniform choices; this ensures that female students are not required to wear skirts. However, previous reviews of uniform regulations conducted by the Department of Gender Equality, Executive Yuan have only examined the public sector and schools, and not the private sector and businesses. In January 2024, letters were sent to government ministries and agencies urging them to request the institutions under their jurisdiction to self-assess their attire regulations to eliminate gender stereotypes. Nevertheless, the ministries and agencies have failed to do their own selfassessments as per CEDAW’s definition of gender discrimination, let alone oversee their subordinate institutions’ self-assessments. Paragraphs 16 and 20 of General Comment No. 16 of the CESCR states that “States parties have an obligation to monitor and regulate the 77