Human Rights Commission: "Abolition of Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Requires Careful Review... Need to Reorganize as 'Department of Gender Equality'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has decided to issue an official opinion that, rather than abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) as proposed in the partial amendment to the Government Organization Act, it is necessary to reorganize it into a dedicated agency such as a 'Gender Equality Department.'

On the 14th, the Human Rights Commission held its 30th Standing Committee meeting and resolved to express to the Speaker of the National Assembly that the abolition of MOGEF could lead to a general regression in women's rights and gender equality policies, and therefore should be carefully reviewed. Furthermore, they agreed that instead of abolishing MOGEF, it is necessary to reorganize it into a dedicated gender equality policy agency, such as a Gender Equality Department, which can organically connect with various social issues.

The Human Rights Commission pointed out that if the tasks handled by MOGEF are split and transferred to multiple departments, the 'control tower' that coordinates and oversees gender equality policies would disappear, causing these policies to become disconnected and adrift. They also criticized that if gender equality policies are implemented at the headquarters level of (other) ministries rather than by a dedicated agency, there is a high risk that these policies will be deprioritized behind each ministry’s core tasks or become ineffective due to a lack of expertise.

Earlier, on the 7th, the People Power Party submitted a partial amendment to the Government Organization Act proposing to abolish MOGEF, transfer its jurisdiction to the Ministry of Health and Welfare to establish a 'Population, Family, and Gender Equality Headquarters,' and transfer women's employment functions to the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety requested the Human Rights Commission’s opinion on the amendment, and the Commission resolved to express the above opinion accordingly.

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