Homemakers United Foundation

The Homemakers United Foundation (HUF; Chinese: 主婦聯盟環境保護基金會) is a Taiwanese non-governmental environmental organization founded in 1987 and officially registered in 1989. It grew out of a group of housewives in Taipei who, at the end of 1986, began discussing that women should also participate in public affairs. On January 6, 1987, more than thirty people gathered and committed to "walking out of the kitchen and joining in society," vowing to become Taiwanese citizens who "have the courage to speak up, act swiftly, and are willing to take on responsibility." The organization was formally registered in 1989 as the "Homemakers United Foundation." HUF positions itself as a women-led environmental advocacy group. Its work centers on everyday environmentalism, green consumption, safe food, and a nuclear-free homeland. Over more than three decades it has campaigned on issues such as waste sorting and recycling, bringing one's own tableware and shopping bags, kitchen-waste composting, and refusing synthetic detergents. It has also engaged in major environmental and food-safety controversies, including opposition to the Lee Chang Yung chemical plant pollution in Hsinchu, the DuPont project in Lukang, the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, the Kuo Kuang petrochemical project, improper farmland expropriation, ractopamine in pork, and radiation and genetically modified food issues. The foundation operates through organizational advocacy to supervise government policy-making and through social education to encourage individuals to practice environmental protection and sustainable ecology. It runs environmental education programs, publishes annual reports, and organizes workshops and campaigns. Its recent public messaging includes calls to protect local organic ingredients in school lunches, a campaign urging candidates to commit to upgrading school lunches, and a "Taste Citizen Action Workshop." It also runs a Taichung branch and a Southern Office, and offers environmental education applications, donation support, and venue rental. HUF has received recognition including the 2018 Sixth National Environmental Education Award (group category, excellent), the 2017 Sixth Taipei City Environmental Education Award (group category, extraordinary excellent), and the 2005 National Sustainable Development Award (Sustainable Organization Award). In 2016 it was shortlisted for the Women and Gender Constituency's second global "Gender Just Climate Solutions" competition for its "Green Food Life Circle" project, and in 2015 it presented at a side event of the "Gender Day" at COP21 in France. In 2007 it received the Fourth Presidential Culture Award "Butterfly Award" and established a women's landmark at the intersection near its Taipei headquarters. The organization has maintained a principle that its board members must be women, and it is described as Taiwan's only women-led environmental group.

The Homemakers United Foundation traces its origins to late 1986, when five or six women in Taipei began a dialogue on the theme that "women should also participate in public affairs." On January 6, 1987, more than thirty people gathered and made a commitment to "walk out of the kitchen and join in society," vowing to become Taiwanese citizens who "have the courage to speak up, act swiftly, and are willing to take on responsibility." The "Homemakers United" group was thus established. In 1989 it was officially registered as the "Homemakers United Foundation" (財團法人主婦聯盟環境保護基金會). The 1980s in Taiwan were a period of democratic ferment, with economic development taking precedence over all else and martial law society becoming stricter yet more unruly. It was a turning point of changing minds and shifting state institutions. These housewives, neither social elites nor academic experts, simply lived concretely on this land and deeply felt the importance of the ecological environment. From protest actions against the Lee Chang Yung chemical plant pollution in Hsinchu, the DuPont project in Lukang, and the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, they were inspired to care about environmental and social issues as citizens, understanding that wrong policies would sacrifice the land and people's health. Afterwards, these housewives more actively promoted waste sorting, resource recycling, bringing one's own tableware and shopping bags, kitchen-waste composting, and refusing synthetic detergents. For 35 years, the Homemakers United Foundation has upheld its original intention, advocating everyday environmentalism, green consumption, safe food, and a nuclear-free homeland. Through organizational strength, it supervises government policy-making; through social education, it calls on everyone to practice environmental protection and sustainable ecology. Along the way, although resources were limited, its convictions were firm, and it worked tirelessly with a spirit of one step at a time. In recent years, in actions on issues and events such as opposition to the Kuo Kuang petrochemical project, improper farmland expropriation, anti-nuclear campaigns, rejection of the lifting of the ractopamine ban, and food safety issues such as radiation and genetically modified food, these housewives have never been absent. Over the decades the foundation has accumulated recognition. In 2005 it received the Executive Yuan's National Sustainable Development Award (Sustainable Organization Award). In 2007 it received the Fourth Presidential Culture Award "Butterfly Award" from the General Association of Chinese Culture, and a women's landmark designed by teacher Lien Pao-tsai based on the concept of "Mother Earth" was established at the intersection near its Taipei headquarters. In 2011 its "Taiwan Non-GMO Farming Area Movement" won the Third Xue Xue Award (Green Public Welfare Action Group — Influence Award). In 2012 its "Green Picture Book Hope Tree" won the Fourth Xue Xue Award (Green Public Welfare Action Group — Creativity Award). In 2015, invited by the Foundation for Women's Rights Promotion and Development, it presented at a side event of the "Gender Day" at COP21 in France, sharing nearly 30 years of actions against climate change. In 2016, its "Green Food Life Circle" project was shortlisted for the Women and Gender Constituency's second global "Gender Just Climate Solutions" competition, among 90 NGO teams worldwide. In 2017 it won the Sixth Taipei City Environmental Education Award (group category, extraordinary excellent), and in 2018 the Sixth National Environmental Education Award (group category, excellent). The foundation has maintained a principle that its board members must be women, and it is described as Taiwan's only women-led environmental group. It operates a Taichung branch and a Southern Office, publishes annual reports from 2013 onward, and continues to run environmental education, advocacy campaigns, and workshops.

• 2018

  Won the Sixth National Environmental Education Award (group category, excellent).

• 2017

  Won the Sixth Taipei City Environmental Education Award (group category, extraordinary excellent).

• 2016

  The "Green Food Life Circle" project was shortlisted for the Women and Gender Constituency's second global "Gender Just Climate Solutions" competition.

• 2015

  Presented at a side event of the "Gender Day" at COP21 in France, sharing nearly 30 years of climate change actions.

• 2012

  "Green Picture Book Hope Tree" won the Fourth Xue Xue Award (Green Public Welfare Action Group — Creativity Award).

• 2011

  The "Taiwan Non-GMO Farming Area Movement" won the Third Xue Xue Award (Green Public Welfare Action Group — Influence Award).

• 2007

  Received the Fourth Presidential Culture Award "Butterfly Award"; a women's landmark was established at the intersection near its Taipei headquarters.

• 2005

  Received the Executive Yuan's National Sustainable Development Award (Sustainable Organization Award).

• 1989

  Officially registered as the "Homemakers United Foundation" (財團法人主婦聯盟環境保護基金會).

• 1987

  On January 6, 1987, more than thirty people gathered and committed to "walking out of the kitchen and joining in society"; the "Homemakers United" group was established.

• 1986

  At the end of 1986, five or six women in Taipei initiated a dialogue on "women should also participate in public affairs."

A women-led Taiwanese environmental NGO advocating everyday environmentalism, green consumption, safe food, and a nuclear-free homeland through policy advocacy and social education.

1. 1主婦聯盟環境保護基金會huf.org.tw
2. 2關於我們 | 主婦聯盟環境保護基金會huf.org.tw
3. 3肯定與榮耀 | 主婦聯盟環境保護基金會huf.org.tw
4. 4年度報告 | 主婦聯盟環境保護基金會huf.org.tw
5. 5Homemakers United Foundationwikidata.org