UBI Taiwan hosted a press conference to spotlight the progress of its basic income pilot program for single-parent households. The event brought together policymakers, academics, and beneficiaries to celebrate this milestone and advocate for a more equitable future.
Two Taiwanese national legislators were present at the event, offering their support and emphasizing the broader implications of basic income for Taiwan. They stated they hoped this experiment could become a stepping stone for Taiwan to become a more fair and just society.
Yu-Ling Chang, Assistant Professor of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley, hailed the initiative as a pivotal development in Taiwan’s social welfare history. “Implementing the basic income experiment is a new milestone for social welfare in Taiwan,” she remarked.
Adding a personal dimension to the event, Ms. Yu, the first participant in UBI Taiwan’s basic income experiment, shared her experience. She expressed gratitude for the program, which provided much-needed stability and relief during a challenging period in her life. “The basic income gave me a moment to breathe,” she said, reflecting on how it allowed her to focus on her child and navigate life’s uncertainties, such as her recent battle with cancer.
A documentary about Yu’s journey with basic income will be released later this year.
To further raise awareness and funds for the single-parent basic income program, UBI Taiwan held a national charity debate competition in December. Students from Taiwan and Japan participated to deliberate on whether Southeast Asia should implement basic income, presenting diverse perspectives on issues such as entrepreneurialism, foreign direct investment, fiscal capacity, and governance challenges in developing nations.
The championship round showcased arguments from both sides, with opponents emphasizing feasibility concerns while proponents argued that the social costs of inaction outweigh the investment required to implement basic income.
The tournament raised over $1,000 USD, with the proceeds going toward developing the single-parent program. The fundraiser was organized by UBI Taiwan and Ascent Academy’s Youth Leadership Program, which is designed to connect young people with social impact initiatives in the spirit of basic income.
Beyond the debate competition, students in the Youth Leadership Program are developing additional programs to address pressing social issues. Current projects include initiatives to support the homeless using cash cards and provide educational resources for low-income students.
UBI Taiwan plans to expand the single-parent basic income program this fall. To support this initiative, the organization also hosted a fundraiser talent show in January, inviting supporters to perform in support of the program.
Jiakuan Su, chairman of UBI Taiwan, said he saw positive changes during the pilot program from finding a better job to improved educational development for the child.
“The value brought by basic income is not just the money, but more importantly the changes it brings to your life,” Su said.
Social currencies have emerged as an innovative instrument not only for transferring cash, but also for promoting local development. By boosting local consumption and supporting small businesses, they help communities build self-sustaining economies. Drawing on examples from Rio de Janeiro’s municipalities, this blog explores their potential to complement welfare policies while highlighting the challenges they face.
We are excited to invite you tothe Basic Income in Belgium (BABEL) Closing Event, happening online on January 24, from 12:00PM to 2.30PM (CET). The BABEL project is a comprehensive research initiative examining Basic Income proposals in Belgium. Over the course of this project, researchers from the KU Leuven, the University of Antwerp, and UC Louvain delved into the impacts of Basic Income on poverty reduction, labor market participation, and its political feasibility within Belgium’s welfare state—and beyond. At this event, we will present the key findings of the project, complemented by insightful reflections from renowned scholars.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and engage with the latest research shaping the conversation around Basic Income!
The Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) has collaborated with Prof Geoffrey Williams, a Malaysian-based economist and Basic Income advocate, to share their collective vision of a Basic Income in the Malaysian context. Involved with the collaboration from BIEN were our chair of the EC – Dr Sarath Davala, our Volunteer Coordinator and EC member from Malaysia – Lee Seng Kiat, and our Asia Pacific Hub Manager – John Michael.
Their 7-page infographic was soft launched in both English and Malay, offering an overview of Basic Income, proposals for implementation and funding, and comparison with policies already in place in Malaysia. They were also on air with business radio station – BFM 89.9, offering their insights to the robust questions posed by journalist Dashran Yohan. Their visions were also published by local newspapers including the Malay Mail, The Sun, and a the largest newspaper in Malaysia – The Star.
The FRIBIS Annual Conference 2024 (7 – 9 October), held at the University of Freiburg, was titled “Towards the development of a full UBI? Perspectives on partial approaches in different welfare systems.” The conference brought together over 40 speakers and 79 registered participants, offering a hybrid format that enabled both in-person and online attendance via Zoom.
The conference was structured around three main themes: the first examining UBI as social security and its role in welfare systems, the second exploring the connection between basic income and ecological sustainability, and the third addressing international UBI models.
FRIBIS asked participants to share their personal impressions, asking questions like: Which debates have resonated most strongly? What new insights have emerged? Which questions remain unresolved? Answers to these and other questions, along with extensive photo documentation, can be found in a detailed conference report.
