Title: Grassroots Organizations in Taiwan Support Lowering Voting Age to 18 Taiwan Church News 2823 3-9 April 2006 Reported by Gu Hao-jan. Written by David Alexander
"Support the Right to Vote at Age 18. Enfranchise the Young!
Many local grassroots organizations have joined to promote a movement to lower the voting age, hoping that social participation and contributions from a new generation can be brought into play. Bringing the young to the polls, they believe, will bring them into society.
The organizations include the Taiwan Youth Rights Alliance, the 21st Century Reform Alliance, the Humanistic Education Foundation, the Garden of Hope Foundation, and others. Recently they convened a joint press conference on human rights of the young. The issue of voting age was included among other matters.
Lin Shin-yi, executive secretary of the 21st Century Reform Alliance, said, ¡§A person¡¦s attainment or non-attainment of maturity cannot be determined by his or her age. Young people are capable of rational thought. It is important that adults include youth within the context of the ongoing conduct of national affairs.¡¨
He cited the examples of 162 nations around the world where the voting age is 18 and noted that only in Taiwan does it remain at 20. Asserting that grassroots organizations put their hope in the viability of open discussion and education, he called for allowing the young to participate in social leadership.
Mr. Lin also noted that other rights and duties, such as military service, are granted to persons who attain the age of 18 in Taiwan's society, but those who serve Taiwan at that age do not have the right to participate in selecting this nation's leaders.
Sponsoring agencies and organizations plan meetings in all regions of Taiwan at the end of April to gather support for their movement.
For More Information: Garden of Hope <http://www.goh.org.tw/>www.goh.org.tw Taiwan Church News is Published Weekly in Taiwan¡¦s local languages. Visit our web site: <http://www.pctpress.com.tw/>www.pctpress.com.tw