'Mapo-gu, a City Where Women Live Well, Receives Prime Minister's Commendation'

Career-Interrupted Women’s Employment and Entrepreneurship Counseling Desk, Offline ‘Mapo Mom Cafe’ Operation Praised
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, “Will Strive Harder to Expand Women’s Social Participation and Promote Gender Equality”

Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) received the Prime Minister's Commendation at the '2024 Women-Friendly City Government Awards Ceremony' hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on December 19.

A women-friendly city refers to a city where women and men participate equally in local policies, strengthening community activity capabilities and realizing care and safety.

To create a women-friendly city, Mapo-gu was praised for implementing advanced and innovative policies.

Mapo-gu appointed 58.2% of managerial positions at grade 5 or higher (as of June 30, 2024) to female public officials, expanding opportunities for women's decision-making participation in the public sector and establishing a gender-equal organizational culture. This figure exceeds the Seoul city target of 33.1% by 15%.

Additionally, to support quality jobs for women with career interruptions, dedicated counseling desks for career-interrupted women's employment and entrepreneurship were established at the Mapo Job Center and Mapo Women's Companion Center.

Along with this, the 'Sunlight Center,' which provides one-stop integrated management from pregnancy to childbirth and childcare, and the 'Cheokkeut Center' for unmarried mothers were established to ensure the health of pregnant women and create an environment where the community raises children together.

Recently, the 'Mapo Mom Cafe,' a customized community for mothers in their 20s to 50s, was opened. The 'Mapo Mom Cafe' is a space that transforms an online community into an offline one.

Created for information exchange among mothers and to relieve household and childcare stress, the 'Mapo Mom Cafe' offers various convenience facilities such as a 'Communication Room' with a shared kitchen, information search space, and reading area, as well as a 'Healing Room' equipped with a karaoke booth and rest area.

In addition, Mapo-gu operates a Women-Friendly City Resident Participation Group, provides education for women's employment and entrepreneurship, and runs various women-friendly policies in areas such as the 'Mom and Dad Camp.'

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, "As Mapo-gu has the highest proportion of female population among the 25 autonomous districts of Seoul, we are doing our best to prepare leading policies for women," adding, "We will work harder to expand women's social participation and spread a culture of gender equality through this award."

Mapo-gu has been designated as a women-friendly city for three consecutive times in recognition of its contribution to creating a women-friendly city and will maintain this status until 2027.