Gender equality > 영어토론방

• 목록

• 페이스북 공유
• 트위터 공유
• 구글+ 공유
• 

1.Gender equality

Indications are that the incoming Lee Myung-bak government will close a ministry that had half of the nation's population as its sphere of responsibility. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will be shut down just seven years after it was established, and its functions will be mainly handed over to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, if the government reorganization plan envisioned by the transition team is implemented.

The time when the nation had this unique government operation -- which had its only overseas parallel in New Zealand's Ministry of Women's Affairs -- was a period of remarkable social change involving women's status and roles. Women advanced significantly into a number of traditionally male-dominated professional areas, including public service, and began seriously competing with men in other fields. Meanwhile, the rising divorce rate, the low fertility rate, and the rising age of marriage over the past several years are believed to have something to do with the elevating status of women.

The ministry has spurred legislation to prevent and punish sexual trafficking, and to eliminate discrimination against women in the family, as in the matter of who can be named the family head, and who inherits the parents' wealth. The ministry's hidden but important role was to closely examine all government policy measures for their possibly negative effects on women. Naturally, women's associations are strongly opposing the move to abolish this ministry.

Whether to keep the MOGEF intact or not is up to the next government, but its present missions, ranging from the protection of women from violence and exploitation to the broadening of women's economic role by providing sufficient childcare services, should never be reduced. Women now get a third to a half of new positions as lawyers, judges, prosecutors and public accountants, but Korea remained in 64th place on the U.N. Development Program's Gender Empowerment Measure ranking, among 93 nations. In this complex and contradictory situation, prudence is required in deciding the fate of a ministry devoted to the equality of females and males, which is, after all, a basic requirement for national advancement and true democracy.

2.Younger children not so open about gender roles: survey

Young students, especially boys, are almost as conservative about gender roles as the older generation, according to a recent survey.

Some 247 primary, middle and high school students living in Seoul and the surrounding area participated in the survey, by the Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations, in May-June this year. The children gave an answer from one to five, with one indicating the highest level of gender equality.

Primary school students, regardless of gender, were highly conservative about the roles to be performed by each gender in the family.

The average mark given to the statement that "husbands are primarily responsible for the household economy" was 2.89. This was visibly higher than the total average of 2.23, showing that younger children generally regarded their father as the breadwinner.

Many also answered that men are to be the supervisor when men and women are working together, according to the survey.

The answers of the middle and high school students depended on the gender of the respondent.

A majority of the male students answered positively to statements that "men and women differ in their capacities" and that "men are to take responsibilities in major issues." They also said that men should be given the leadership in social groups.

Girls, however, tended to think that a person's abilities or leadership did not much depend on his or her gender.

"One may think that our society has become progressive over the past decades, but children are largely affected by the yet conservative thoughts and behavior of their parents," said an employee of the Women Resources Development Center.

"Traditional confucianist ideas are passed on from one generation to the next. Schools also need to take an active role in introducing a sense of gender equality to young pupils," a counselor at the KLCFR said.

Source: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/11/19/200911190019.asp
 
이 글은「대학연합영어토론동아리」www.pioneerclub.com에서 제공하는 영어토론 정보입니다.