Evaluation of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Review Results
"Government Not Taking Responsibility for Implementing the Convention"
2018 and 2024 Pointed Out the Spread of Misogyny
Opposition Lawmakers Emphasize Promoting Legislation for Gender Equality Policies
Women’s organizations and opposition lawmakers emphasized that the government and the National Assembly must disclose concrete plans to implement the UN’s recommendations to strengthen the functions and roles of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and to promote substantive gender equality policies. They also stated that they will monitor and inspect to ensure that the government does not attempt to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
At the “UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) 9th Korean Government Review NGO Response Activity Report and Evaluation Forum” held on the 11th in the small conference room of the National Assembly Library, hosted by the Korean Women’s Associations United, the panelists attending the discussion made these remarks.
Jo Young-sook, head of the International Solidarity Center at the Korean Women’s Associations United, pointed out, “Although the government has the responsibility to implement international agreements, the current situation refuses this legal responsibility, raising the important issue of how the final views should be properly implemented.” She added, “Many authoritarian or non-democratic countries where human rights are regressing show similar responses.”
She continued, “The UN clearly states that it must ensure the implementation of various rights included in the gender equality convention,” and said, “The Korean government has not borne the responsibility for implementing international agreements for a long time, and the National Assembly has not functioned properly on this issue.”
Earlier in June, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women reviewed the status of women’s human rights in countries including Korea. The committee is an organization that supervises the smooth implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979. Korea, as a signatory country, undergoes review every four years. This year’s review was held six years after the last one in 2018.
During the review, the UN recommended ▲enactment of an anti-discrimination law ▲expansion of remedial measures for rights violations against women with disabilities and migrant women ▲expansion of resources and capabilities of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family ▲operation of an integrated gender-responsive budgeting system ▲revision of the Domestic Violence Crime Punishment Act ▲introduction of a women’s quota system ▲decriminalization of women involved in prostitution ▲reexamination of the protected childbirth system ▲revision of the non-consensual rape law, among others.
Oh Kyung-jin, secretary general of the Korean Women’s Associations United, analyzed the UN’s inquiries and said, “The Korean government must promptly and completely shift its gender equality policy direction, strive to improve laws and systems for the substantive realization of women’s rights, establish the state’s role in fundamentally resolving the root causes of anti-feminist political rhetoric and reverse discrimination discourse, and build alternative gender equality narratives.”
Kim Hye-jung, director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, also stated in her presentation, “Following 2018, in 2024 the committee members are sensing the crisis of how gender-based violence is affecting Korean society as a whole and are questioning all social sectors.” She analyzed, “Comparing the two reviews, the committee this year is addressing various areas such as refugees, asylum seekers, migrant women, and girls. This is linked to the committee’s observation that misogyny has spread.”
Lawmakers attending the forum voiced support for the recommendation that the government strengthen the functions of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. They also pledged to work toward legislative efforts to realize gender equality.
Kim Nam-hee, a member of the National Assembly’s Gender Equality and Family Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, said, “Deliberately leaving the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family minister position vacant for half a year and turning the ministry into a nominal department is an abandonment of the president’s duties as prescribed by the Constitution and laws.” She strongly urged the appointment of a minister. Regarding the establishment of a Population Strategy Planning Department, she added, “A broad approach to population policy and securing a budget are necessary, but we must carefully watch whether this is a trick to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.” She said, “The Democratic Party will also properly monitor and inspect in the National Assembly to prevent such incidents.”
Jeon Jong-deok, a lawmaker from the Progressive Party, also pointed out the vacant minister position and said, “The UN reminded that the Korean government is thoroughly neutralizing the department dedicated to gender equality policies amid serious realities of gender discrimination.” He added, “To eliminate the gender wage gap, we intend to introduce the ‘gender-equal wage disclosure system,’ which is the committee’s 8th recommendation. It is also necessary to institutionalize the recognition of the value of care workers and improve their working conditions and status through the Basic Care Workers Act.”
Yong Hye-in, a lawmaker from the Basic Income Party, announced that she will continue to push for legislative proposals such as revising the protected childbirth system and the law to prevent gender discrimination in hiring in the 22nd National Assembly, following the 21st.
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