Korean Women's Associations United

Korea Women's Associations United
Yǒsǒng tanch'e yǒnhap
Formation 1987
Type Non-governmental organization
Location
  • Seoul, South Korea

Korean Women's Associations United (KWAU or Yǒsǒng tanch'e yǒnhap) is an umbrella organization made up of 33 other associations in order to focus on women's issues in South Korea.[1] Along with the Korean National Council of Women (KNCW), KWAU helps coordinate non-governmental organization activities dealing with women's issues and feminism throughout Korea.[2]

History

The KWAU was founded in February 1987.[3] It was made up of left-wing, pro-labor feminists in the wake of the sexual assault charges brought by Kwon In Suk against the Korean government.[4] The women involved were a diverse group of blue-collar workers, clerical workers, professionals, housewives, college students, rural women and poor women living in cities.[5] KWAU was also connected to the minjung movement and the national democratic movement.[6] Initially, there were 21 organizations who came together to create KWAU.[7] Some of the original organizations of KWAU included the Women's Society for Democracy, the Korea Women's Hot Line, the Women's Newspaper (now the Women's News), Korean Women Workers Association, Korean Catholic Farmers, Women's Committee and others.[8]

KWAU was significant in that it, unlike other women's groups in Korea at the time, took an "oppositional stance toward the repressive state" run by Chun Doo-hwan.[7] KWAU helped the individual organizations under its umbrella to obtain financial support, conducted meetings on behalf of the groups and organized leadership training.[9]

KWAU worked to not only bring women on an equal footing with men, but also worked to transform the social structures which were oppressive to women.[5] KWAU helped promote maternity leave, childcare issues and equal pay for equal work.[6] KWAU was also active in addressing sexual violence against women. In April 1992, KWAU established a Special Committee for the Legislation of a Special Law against Sexual Violence.[10] This led to the government announcing "substantial proposals against sexual violence including legislation of a special law."[10]

KWAU also placed focus on women's participation and representation in local politics. By 1995, the organization had helped to significantly increase women's participation in politics through recruiting and promoting female candidates; 14 out of 17 of which were elected that year.[3] Also in 1995, KWAU was granted legal status by the government.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Ching, Miriam; Louie, Yoon (1995-07-01). "Minjung feminism: Korean women's movement for gender and class liberation". Women's Studies International Forum. 18 (4): 417–430. doi:10.1016/0277-5395(95)80033-L.
  2. ↑ Kim, Seung-kyung; Kim, Kyounghee (2010). "Mapping a Hundred Years of Activism: Women's Movements in Korea". In Roces, Mina; Edwards, Louise. Women's Movements in Asia: Feminisms and Transnational Activism. New York: Routledge. p. 189. ISBN 9780415487023.
  3. 1 2 Moon, Seungsook (2003). "Redrafting Democratization". In Kim, Samuel S. Korea's Democratization. New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 112–113. ISBN 0521823218.
  4. ↑ Insook, Kwon (2000). "Feminism: Korea". In Kramarae, Cheris; Spender, Dale. Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge. New York: Routledge. p. 782. ISBN 0415920884.
  5. 1 2 3 Moon, Seungsook (2005). Militarized Modernity and Gendered Citizenship in South Korea. Durham: Duke University Press. pp. 110–112. ISBN 9780822387312.
  6. 1 2 Nam, Jeong-Lim (2000). "Gender Politics in Transition to Democracy" (PDF). Korean Studies. 24: 94–112. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  7. 1 2 Moon, Seungsook (2002). "Women and Civil Society in South Korea". In Armstrong, Charles K. Korean Society: Civil Society, Democracy and the State. New York: Routledge. pp. 125–126. ISBN 9780415770576.
  8. ↑ Palley, Marian Lief (1994). "Feminism in a Confucian Society: The Women's Movement in Korea". In Gelb, Joyce; Palley, Marian Lief. Women of Japan & Korea: Continuity and Change. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. 286–287. ISBN 1566392233.
  9. ↑ Hyoung, Cho; Pil-wha, Chang (1994). Gender Division of Labor in Korea. Seoul, Korea: Ewha Womans University Press. p. 342. ISBN 9788973000067.
  10. 1 2 "Women's Organizations Taking Action Against Sexual Violence". Women's International Network News. 19 (1): 42. 1993. Retrieved 2 November 2015. (subscription required (help)).
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