Medical Students Spend a Day to Commemorate the Human Rights Day
To commemorates the Human Rights Day that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on December 10, the 2017 International Human Rights Forum was held at Taipei Medical University yesterday morning. Organized by the international students association (ISA) of Taipei Medical University (TMU), co-organized by the Association of World Citizens (AWC) in Taiwan, themes of the Forum are focus on healthcare human rights and taxpayer human rights. Though it was cold outside and topics were serious, the room was full of laughing by speakers’ sense of humor and the atmosphere became light and easy. According to Hui Yan Ho, president of ISA, a Masters student at the Department of Healthcare Administration, the objective of the forum is to raise awareness about human rights issues, and to provide a platform for learning, discussion and exchanging ideas on human rights issues.
The topic expressed by Ms. Lee Shing, Lee, a Lawyer and AWC Human Rights Observer, is “tax human rights and a Judge’s caring for human rights solicitude.” Ms. Lee said that tax is that everyone has to pay the government from cradle to grave. But, the Taxpayer’s human rights are still the ideas in development. She mentioned that she had talked with judges from over 60 countries at the 18th International Chief Justice Conference held in India. Many judges replied to her question of core value of a judge that is to be sensitive and close to people, step into people’s shoes to review the case for a fair judgment. Ms. Lee concluded that they are real heroes choosing to do the right things with their conscience and courage.
Mr. Chao Mu, Cheng, Director, Redford Capital Management Limited, expressed his idea of the Power to Tax v.s. the Duty to Protect. Mr. Cheng stated that money can buy many things, but can’t buy for our good life, and that is what a responsible government to fulfill its citizens for a good life. That is the power to tax is needed to practice the state’s duty to protect human rights of its people.
Mr. Hendrick Lam, Senior VP, TSRC Corporation, compared the tax system difference between Taiwan and Hong Kong in his speech. Mr. Lam took the Inland Revenue Department in Hong Kong (HKIRD) as an example to illustrate the contrast between Taiwan’s tax rate (Fig. 1). He then shared a case of his friend in dealing with HKIRD, which had observed his friend’s business for one year and had very solid information on hand to show that his friend did not tell the truth. This story tells that both the authority and taxpayer have to compliance with the Tax Law which is fair and transparent for everyone. So, Mr. Lam concluded that Tax Human Right is for everyone. A country’s future is dependent on it. We have to stand together to demand for our rights.
Fig. 1 The contrast between Hong Kong and Taiwan’s tax rate
Professor Che-Ming Yang, MD, JD, PhD, presented the legal framework of right to health to introduce important documents that protects healthcare. The 9 written papers Professor Yang referred include, just name few of them, bring positive impacts on health and human rights. Article 25 in Universal Declaration of Human Rights tells that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family; 2nd Principle in the preamble WHO (World Health Organization) Constitution clearly indicates that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition. In addition, Article 10 Section 5 in Taiwan’s Constitution said that the State shall promote universal health insurance and promote the research and development of both modern and traditional medicines; Section 3 of Article 3 in International Health Regulations (IHR writes that the implementation of these Regulations shall be guided by the goal of their universal application for the protection of all people of the world from the international spread of disease.
Che-Ming Yang concluded that right to healthcare is the basic human right is, especially in time of commemorating the Huaman Riths Day. Though Taiwan has a very good national health insurance system, we still need to upgrade the system to assure people can enjoy a higher stander and sustanable health care.
Dr. Tsung-Yun Hou of Taipei Municipal Wan-Fang Hospital brought the human rights in healthcare. He emphasized that the 5 cores of human rights in healthcare are respect, equality, dignity, autonomy, and fairness. Dr. Hou elaborate the 5 cores by the principle of yin and yang.
Source: Global People Daily News
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