The National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Comment on ‘International Women's Day’
More Efforts to Enhance Women's Rights
On March 8, 1975, the UN set aside the day as the "International Women's Day" and made a determination that the international society will make efforts to protect women's rights. This was ignited by the march of female workers of the USA in 1908 in a request for the improved working condition, the enhancement of women's status, and the political rights.
However, the status of women around the world has not reached the expected level, and the march in a request for improvement continues. Various indicators related with women's rights demonstrate that there are still much to be done by societies including the elimination of discrimination against women.
In the Republic of Korea, only 50% of women are engaged in economic activities which is below the average of OECD nations by about 10%, and the poverty rate of female householder is more than twice that of male householder. Also, 65.6% of all female workers are temporarily employed, and in particular, this rate increases rapidly for women in 30s and elder and 80~90% of female workers in their 50s and 60s are temporarily employed. Also, the wage level is 63.5% of the wage for male workers, placing Korea in the lower ranks among OECD nations (as of 2009). On the other hand, the number of complaints submitted to the NHRCK in relation to sexual harrassment and sexual discrimination has increased continuously from 118 cases in 2005 to 230 cases in 2007 and 332 cases in 2010.
Since the establishment, the NHRCK has been engaged in various activities to protect women's rights and eliminate the discrimination against women such as the expression of official opinion in favor of the abolition of patriarchal family system, recommended the public corporation 'A' to lift the limits on women's age and marital status concerning the employment of women, survey of discrimination against female temporary employees in distribution industry, survey of human rights status of female North Korean defecters, survey of human rights status of female entertainers, and survey of human rights status of female temporary employees through the call center.
Although the legal status of women has become stable compared with the past due to the efforts of not only the NHRCK but also the overall society, it will require particular efforts until the purpose of stabilizing women's legal status becomes internalized in everyday life. The NHRCK is also focusing on the fact that the discrimination against women tends to appear in the form of multiple discrimination or indirect discrimination and easily unrecognized as the issue of discrimination.
While asking various circles to give continuous efforts to enhance women's rights, The NHRCK will continue to make all-out efforts to eliminate the discrimination against women and protect human rights by discovering related agendas, surveying current circumstances, providing recommendations, and expressing opinions.
March 8, 2011
Byung-Chul Hyun
Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea
