Women Status in East Asia

 Next, let’s talk something closer to us—women status in East Asia. Generally speaking, women in East Asia have higher status than those in West and South Asia. As it is our living circle, it’s time for us to look more details about women status.

1. South Korea—According to recent research on women social and economic status in Asia-Pacific area, which was called “Women Accomplishment Index”, South Korea was in 12 place, the second-last in 13 countries. “Women Accomplishment Index” is based on women labor participation rate, high education access, chances to get manage position and their salary. Furthermore, South Korea did not list 8^th March as International Women’s Day, which also revealed the disrespect to women. There are several reasons for this phenomenon.

First, South Korea society put men in high position and women should cut off their own social circle with males and job after their marriage to follow their husbands. Second, they pay high esteem to “mother” and emphasize the dedication and sacrifice image of women. As a result, women are responsible for cultivating children and protect their children a lot. Because of devoting themselves to the family, South Korea women usually put the family benefit as the most essential part and act the guard as defending the aliens.

  As the consciousness of feminism increased, South Korea had made some change such as the first woman president, which is something Taiwan should learn. Under the influence from Europe and America, South Korea would certainly attain the equality status between men and women.

2. Japan—Just like their nation flower, Sakura, Japanese women represents the role of combining meek and indomitable. According to Japan Government, only 0.8% of the councilors were women and only 6.2% of manage position were account by women which made Japan the last place in OECD. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Stocking in the same situation as South Korea, Japanese Women were facing tough and unfriendly career environment. Fortunately, Japan prime minister ABE Shinzō had realized how serious it is if the women labor participation still keeps low, Japan would not only confront aging society problem but also come up against the insufficient of the labor market. Thus, Mr. ABE Shinzō started to carry out a series policy to raise women’s participation in labor market. We could expect fine transformation of women in Japanese society in the near future.

 3. Taiwan—Compared to South Korea and Japan, women have a better status in Taiwan society thanks to the high liberty and consciousness. From 1960s, because of the main industries in Taiwan were highly labor used that it needed women a lot in that circumstance, the participation of women labor had kept increasing and attained 45% now. However, as the transformation for the industries in recent 20 years, women became the victim under the trend and lose their abilities, which are the issue needed to be seem and solved. 

    In other aspects, Taiwan is in the same situation as Japan and South Korea that women have fewer chances to promote and get lower salaries compared to men. While women have to take care of children and the household chores after work, men should try to share the burden with them and it would bring a better marriage and decrease the rate of divorce. 

                                                  to be continued