Yuan-Ting Chang is chief of staff and a legislator who has worked in the Taiwanese Parliament since 2016. She has a track record of political activism and involvement in Taiwan's social movements. Yuan-Ting is passionate about promoting equality and inclusion. Taiwan's Ministry of Education granted Yuan-Ting the opportunity to be an international volunteer for teaching and leadership in Myanmar, where she worked with a volunteer group to assist local teachers who lacked access to training by professional institutions. In 2018, she participated in a panel discussion hosted by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. As a result, she successfully introduced new policies to improve the livelihoods of women and to raise awareness about the importance of women's perspectives in public decision making for cities. 

Throughout her career, Yuan-Ting has drafted many amendments and documents to promote women's rights, including the Act of Gender Equality in Employment, and to promote environmental protection, social welfare, education policies and Taiwanese diplomatic relations. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Sporty Women Confident Girls

The project fostered confidence in over 100 young girls in Taiwan through sports activities and an exhibition. The project organized two empowerment lectures; in the first female sports role models shared their life stories and advice, and in the second students were taught leadership skills. Yuan-Ting also implemented a mentorship program where university students acted as mentors for 100 high school students. Each mentor educated the high school students on the common gender inequality practices in professional sports. Yuan-Ting also organized a photo exhibition for over 2,000 people to increase the visibility of women in the sports sector. As a result, visitors were able to connect to the experiences of female athletes, reflect on the gender inequality still prevalent in sports, and encourage more women’s participation in athletics.

 

 "After participating in this event, I realized there are so many people advocating for women in sports... I believe promoting gender equality and women in sports in the sports industry is crucial. I also hope to have the opportunity to engage in more related activities." - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Yuan-Ting was a participant in the IVLP Project A Global Moment in Time- Reflections on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

Yuan-Ting's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "The program's sequence of events draws inspiration from the Strong Women, Strong Girls organization based in Boston, USA."

U.S. Communities Visited

San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Boston, MA

Location: Taiwan

Click here to go back to the IVLP Impact Awards Main Page