Songpa-gu's 'Women-Friendly City Leading Seoul' Phase 2 Vision?

[Seoul District News] Songpa-gu Announces 5 Major Visions for Phase 2 of Women-Friendly City: ‘A City Growing Through Women’s Participation’ and ‘A Prosperous City Where Women Work Freely’ ▲Dramatic Expansion of Public Daycare Centers from 44 to 107 during the 7th Elected Term ▲Creation of ‘Songpa Women’s Career Connection Center’ to Build a City Where Women and Families Are Happy

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) held the 2nd phase vision proclamation ceremony for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s agreement on ‘Women-Friendly City’ on the 15th, announcing its commitment to creating a ‘Women-Friendly City Leading Seoul.’

Since being designated as a Women-Friendly City in the first phase in 2016, the district successfully implemented 64 projects across five major areas during the five-year agreement period, and on January 25th, it held the 2nd phase agreement ceremony with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

During the 7th local government term, to create a city where women and families are happy, Songpa-gu introduced the nation’s first ‘Night Emergency Care Service’ for infants and toddlers in 2019. Reflecting the district’s situation with many highly educated women experiencing career breaks, it established the ‘Songpa Women’s Career Connection Center’ in 2018 to provide one-stop support for employment, entrepreneurship, vocational training, and psychological counseling for women with career interruptions. By 2021, it supported 10,443 consultations, 1,227 training participants, and the startup of 41 businesses.

Additionally, the number of public daycare centers was dramatically expanded from 44 in 2018 to 107, the highest among Seoul’s autonomous districts. To alleviate isolated childcare and activate local care communities, the number of ‘Shared Childcare Spaces (Shared Childcare Rooms)’ was increased from one to four.

Alongside this, to address care gaps for dual-income couples, 16 ‘Songpa Care Centers’ have been newly established since 2019, implementing women-friendly policies that ‘lead Seoul.’

The vision proclamation ceremony began with Mayor Park Seong-su’s greeting, “You are the protagonists in completing Songpa-gu as a Women-Friendly City,” and was attended by about 100 women leaders including the ‘Resident Participation Group’ involved in creating the Women-Friendly City, graduates of the ‘Songpa Women’s Career Connection Center,’ women’s safety return scouts, and representatives from public, home, and private daycare center associations.

The program consisted of Part 1: introduction of Women-Friendly City projects, reading of the vision declaration, and plaque unveiling performance; and Part 2: a ‘Women Leadership Special Lecture’ accompanied by classical music. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the plaque unveiling ceremony at the district office entrance was omitted.

In the 2nd phase, which will be actively promoted after the vision proclamation ceremony, based on existing excellent projects, the district plans to realize five visions together with the ‘Resident Participation Group’ and residents: ▲ a city where everyone is happy and equal ▲ a prosperous city where women can work freely ▲ a safe city where everyone can live with peace of mind ▲ a city harmonizing work and family ▲ a city growing through women’s participation.

Mayor Park Seong-su said, “With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic widening childcare blind spots and relatively reducing women’s jobs, the importance of women-friendly policies has increased. During the 2nd phase agreement period, we will build a more systematic care system with residents and support women’s career connection jobs to complete Songpa as a women-friendly city leading Seoul.”

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