The government is finally seeking to put in place a system of gender cognitive budget analysis in making national policies. The system will include guidelines for analyzing and evaluating by gender the effects of policies closely related to women such as education, welfare and employment policies.

Minister of Gender Equality Ji Eun-hee revealed in her report to the President on April 4 that the Ministry plans to "promote a gender cognitive budget analysis which assesses whether budgets have been allocated from a gender equal perspective." Minister Ji reported, "Test analyses will be carried out on the major projects of ministries dealing with education, welfare and employment, as these ministries directly affect women's social participation."

Besides the gender cognitive budget analysis initiative, Minister Ji's report included other tasks that the ministry is planning to take on, such as a planning team for the abolishment of the hoju system, an anti-prostitution taskforce commissioned by the Prime Minister, and the legislation of the 'Basic Act on Equal Families.'

Regarding the gender cognitive budget analysis initiative, President Roh ordered the Ministry of Gender Equality to "select a case to conduct a pilot test, and to follow up with a further report." 

The following is a summary of Minister Ji's report to the President.

Pending issues

▲Planning team for the abolishment of the hoju system = The Ministry plans to form a civil-government joint team with representation from relevant government agencies such as the Justice Ministry and women and civil groups. The team is also expected to look into viable alternatives to replace the hoju system, such as family registrars and one registrar per individual.

▲Transfer of childcare affairs to the Gender Equality Ministry = In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a cooperative system will be set up to transfer childcare affairs to the Gender Equality Ministry. With June as the deadline, relevant regulations such as the Government Organization Act will be revised to facilitate the transfer, and a planning team will be set up to outline a long-term vision for improving childcare systems.

▲Anti-prostitution team = The team will be in charge of strengthening punitive measures against prostitution brokers and buyers, and supporting the relief and rehabilitation of victimized women. The plan is to campaign constantly to raise public awareness that prostitution is illegal. The team will be supervised by the Prime Minister and charged with eradicating prostitution.

Controversial issues

▲gender cognitive budget analysis = An initiative to analyze and evaluate by gender the effects of national policies and to allocate budgets on a gender cognitive basis. Criteria will be set to reflect the gender cognitive budget analysis method in government guidelines for budget allocation, so that projects that particularly affect women's social participation, such as education, welfare and employment, are allocated budgets on a gender cognitive basis.

▲Strengthening the functions of the Gender Equality Ministry = From April onwards, the Women Policies Adjustment Meeting and the women policy supervision system will be chaired by the Prime Minister. The women policy supervision system will be expanded, so that supervising officers, currently dispatched to six ministries, can be positioned in at least ten government agencies. Local autonomies will be recommended to accept women policy supervisors.

Strategic issues

▲Legislating the Basic Act on Equal Families = For the first time in Korea, a nationwide survey will be conducted this year on family structures and the changing roles of family members. In addition, the Basic Act on Equal Families will be legislated, containing a comprehensive national family planning initiative.

▲Ranking Korea world's 30th in terms of women's status = The plan is to elevate Korean women's status, currently ranking 61 among 66 countries, to 30th by the year 2007. To this end, the Ministry will push for more women appointments to ministerial, vice-ministerial and public agency head positions. In addition, the ratio of women in government committees, currently 30%, will be increased to 40% by 2007, and the women civil servant employment quota will be expanded.

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