[W Forum] For Everyone, Not Just Half of the World

Min Bo-kyung, Associate Research Fellow at the National Assembly Future Institute

In the 21st National Assembly election held on April 15, 57 female lawmakers were elected. This is the highest number ever elected, raising the proportion of female lawmakers from 17% in the 20th National Assembly to 19%. However, since the average proportion of female lawmakers among OECD member countries is about 29%, it is clear that we are still at a low level. Although the level of gender equality in our society is gradually improving, other statistical figures, like the proportion of lawmakers, still indicate insufficiency. According to 2019 data from Statistics Korea, the university enrollment rate is higher for female students than male students, but the average female wage is 68.8% of the male wage, and the proportion of female managers is 20.6%. While women's educational levels have increased and social activities have expanded compared to the past, gender equality remains an ongoing issue.

Scholars who have studied space from a gender perspective say that public spaces have been regarded as domains of labor and commerce, and as spaces where men work outside the home, while private spaces such as the home have been seen as the domain of women performing unpaid housework. In other words, workplaces and public domains have been considered male spaces, and homes and private domains female spaces, creating a dichotomy that has sometimes led to experiences of discrimination in spatial terms. Of course, this overly simplistic dichotomy cannot be directly applied to today's complex modern society, but our urban spatial structure still exhibits elements of gender discrimination. The fear felt on nighttime streets is perceived more strongly by women, diaper changing stations are installed only in women's restrooms causing inconvenience for men, women's restrooms are always more crowded than men's, and street signs depict caregivers of children as women wearing skirts.

Recently, I came across a BBC article reporting that the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has shaken the lives of Asian women, and I related it to the current situations around me. As children stay home instead of going to daycare centers, kindergartens, or schools, most of the increased childcare labor falls on mothers. Also, since women make up the majority of the workforce in health and social welfare sectors, the suffering caused by COVID-19 seems to weigh more heavily on women. Because women play a key role in combating COVID-19 in fields such as medical labor, caregiving, and research, the BBC article’s interview with a UN Women official emphasizes the need to consider differentiated demands for women and men in mid- to long-term strategies for recovery from COVID-19, which holds significant implications for us as well.

As more women enter the public sphere, the gender dichotomous social order is gradually moving toward improvement. Gender impact assessment considers gender-specific needs and differences when formulating, implementing, and evaluating policies to ensure that policies benefit both women and men equally. Based on the 'Gender Impact Assessment Act,' it is implemented in policy areas such as laws, plans, and projects of central administrative agencies and local governments. At the spatial level, regional gender equality policies called 'Women-Friendly Cities' are being promoted, focusing on creating spatial environments that support regional gender equality in areas such as caregiving, work-family balance, and safety.

As the level of gender equality rises, not only women's but also men's quality of life improves. With increased social and economic activities of women, men's roles within the family are strengthened, and the intimacy of family relationships can be enhanced. The home should not be a woman's space and the outside world a man's space; rather, the home, workplace, and public places should all be spaces where everyone feels happiness. Gender equality offers solutions to challenges we face such as low birth rates, economic growth, and enhancing national competitiveness, and provides the key to entering an advanced society. Ahead of the start of the 21st National Assembly, which has the highest proportion of female lawmakers ever, I hope that discourses and attempts to improve gender-discriminatory elements throughout our society will increase compared to before.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.