Court Rules Firefighter Height Requirement Is Unconstitutional
Taiwan's Constitutional Court has struck down height restrictions for firefighters and police in the country, saying the requirements discriminate against citizens' equal rights to apply for public sector positions.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 just 1.1 centimeters too short.
00:03 That's why Chen Yunchun couldn't become a firefighter.
00:07 In 2018, she passed the certification test for would-be firefighters,
00:11 but was eliminated from the program after a physical exam,
00:15 extinguishing her dream.
00:17 Taiwan's requirements for police and firefighters say
00:20 men must be taller than 165 centimeters
00:23 and women taller than 160 centimeters.
00:26 For indigenous people, the required height is slightly lower.
00:30 The National Fire Agency says the height rules are needed
00:33 as firefighters need to have a certain body type
00:35 to use their equipment effectively.
00:37 But on May 31, Taiwan's constitutional court
00:40 struck down the height requirement for female firefighters,
00:43 ruling it unconstitutional.
00:45 "The constitution of Taiwan's law prohibits women from
00:48 taking the test for the right to serve in the military."
00:50 And there's no question that when it comes to height,
00:53 women have a higher bar to meet.
00:55 The height requirement for men is 7 centimeters lower
00:58 than the average height for men in Taiwan.
01:00 This generally eliminates around 10 percent of male candidates.
01:04 However, for women, the height requirement is half a centimeter
01:07 higher than the average height for women in the country.
01:10 This results in the exclusion of more than half of female candidates.
01:14 The court has ruled such height restrictions would exclude women
01:17 from becoming first responders,
01:19 violating the constitution's equal protection principle.
01:23 It says the requirement must be removed within a year.
01:26 "In the face of all kinds of firefighting equipment
01:29 and disaster sites and rescue work,
01:31 firefighters with a height of less than 7 centimeters
01:33 can not only serve as ordinary equipment,
01:35 but also have the advantage of entering a space
01:38 that is smaller than a disaster site."
01:40 The National Fire Agency says it will comply with the ruling.
01:43 "The constitution will also coordinate with the inspection system
01:47 and invite relevant units to adjust the relevant regulations
01:52 to protect the rights of relevant personnel."
01:55 Meanwhile, Ms. Chen's case will undergo further review.
01:59 Her firefighting dream now rekindled.
02:01 Scott Huang, San Yi Chi, for Taiwan Plus.
02:04 [BLANK_AUDIO]