Seocho-gu Selected for Seoul City Gender Equality Activity Center Pilot Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seocho-gu (District Mayor Eunhee Jo) has been selected in the Seoul Metropolitan Government's pilot project for the ‘Autonomous District Gender Equality Activity Center’ competition.

This competition is a project promoted for autonomous districts to foster local gender equality activists and promote gender equality activities, following the establishment of the ‘Seoul Gender Equality Activity Support Center’ in 2017, the first of its kind nationwide.

With this selection, the district will receive a total of 108 million KRW in city funds and will also receive consulting for the Gender Equality Activity Center along with support for various content.

So far, the district has made meticulous efforts to establish a foundation for promoting gender equality policies by implementing various gender equality policies. It conducted a full survey of over 1,300 private restrooms, promoted a certification system for women’s safe restrooms, amended ordinances for women’s policy participation, and built a women’s safety system, leading to its designation as a women-friendly city at the end of 2016.

Additionally, the district has promoted various gender equality policies such as the ‘Seocho Nabi Coach Academy’ for career-interrupted women’s social advancement, the operation of the ‘Kiwoom Instructor Group’ at the Seocho Women and Family Plaza, and the nation’s first ‘Father Center,’ a space for fathers.

In this competition, these diverse policies of the district received favorable evaluations and were finally selected.

Going forward, the district plans to establish the ‘Seocho-gu Gender Equality Activity Center’ within the Jamwon Center of the Seocho Women and Family Plaza and implement five major projects in two fields. The two fields are grassroots gender equality activity revitalization and gender equality education revitalization, including ▲ operation of a gender equality network ▲ support for a gender equality activity hub ▲ operation of joint grassroots gender equality activities (support for gender equality campaigns) ▲ training of gender equality professional instructors ▲ production of gender equality content and educational projects.

Seocho District Mayor Eunhee Jo stated, “We will make further efforts to revitalize grassroots gender equality organizations and various gender equality activities in the region for a happy Seocho where women and men participate and grow together.”