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| Srl | Item |
| 1 |
ID:
189317
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| Summary/Abstract |
In comparison to other countries in East Asia in which a significant gender gap can be identified, Taiwan is reported to have an exceptionally high level of gender equality. However, Taiwan’s fertility rate is notably low (1.05 in 2019), even among East Asian countries with declining fertility rates. Childbirth outside marriage is rare in Taiwan; hence, the marriage rate directly affects the number of newborn babies. This implies that Taiwan’s gender equality index does not properly reflect the actual situation in society and that the situation may not be so different from in other East Asian countries. Namely, invisible forms of gender inequality may exist in Taiwan, and traditional gender roles may affect women’s lives, including their willingness to start a family. To examine this proposition, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 43 women aged 30–40 years old, with a focus on those with a basic university education or higher who are most likely to experience gender equality. Results show that Taiwanese women—especially highly educated women—enjoy superficially equal positions and avoid traditional contexts in order to protect their rights and avoid the gender roles associated with traditional families. Welfare that the state should be responsible for, such as childcare and nursing care, is supplied by women in the name of tradition, but the willingness of females to start a family is declining. Promoting family participation for males and supporting more comprehensive equality are two of the keys to increasing the marriage/fertility rate and closing the gap between public and private equality.
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| 2 |
ID:
193884
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| Summary/Abstract |
The Abe administration has introduced policies and legislation to increase women’s participation in the workforce, known as Abenomics, under the slogan “ society where all women shine.” The study investigates the perceptions of professional women in Japan regarding the “women’s advancement” policy and the prevailing gender dynamics in a society known for its severe gender inequality. To accomplish this, semi-structured interviews with 30 professional Japanese women were conducted. The findings show that women perceive many barriers to “shining.” For example, the law promoting women’s participation and advancement in the workplace only applies to some women working in large companies. The number of women liable to benefit is small, so the initiative may have the unintended consequence of fueling divisions among women, highlighting the challenge of promoting women’s activity horizontally and vertically. As Japan’s economy has been stagnant for the past 30 years, it is perhaps natural that the government would implement policies to increase and exploit women’s labor. However, women are likely to be overburdened and stressed unless men’s participation in the home is substantially increased at the same time. Women face the challenges of working regular hours, giving birth, raising children, doing housework, and caring for family members. For this reason, the government and companies need to implement more family-friendly policies, such as improving social welfare policies, expanding public daycare centers, and setting up in-house daycare centers. Only when these issues are resolved will women be able to “shine.”
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