【By Kuo Yi & Jake Chung】

Accusing the Taipei City Government of paying lip service to gender equality, city councilors urged the city to make a general inventory of diaper stations in public restrooms — especially male restrooms — and earmark a budget for the installation of more facilities.

Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Chien Shu-pei said that of the 15,080 public restrooms in Taipei, only 9 percent, or 1,328, have diaper stations, adding that of the 5,971 male restrooms, only 3 percent, or 196, have diaper stations.

While the concept of gender equality has taken root in younger families, government action has not kept up with the times, National Chengchi University associate professor Liu Hung-en said.

Child rearing is no longer the sole responsibility of mothers, Liu said, adding that based on his own experience, there are not very many public restrooms with diaper stations throughout the city.

Public facilities should not just be about convenience, they should also strive to break gender stereotypes, Liu said.

In response, Taipei Department of Social Affairs Director Chung Ya-hui said the city has seen an increase in the number of fathers who are more actively involved in raising their children.

Chung said that male restrooms at branches of Taipei City Hospital, Taipei City Library and Public Health Center do not have diaper stations, but added that the department has asked them to allocate funds to install them.

Meanwhile, the Taipei City Government’s building administration office said it is considering installing diaper stations in the last stall of male restrooms on the building’s first floor and first basement level.

[Taipei Times, 2016-08-09]