Gender-mainstreaming in official development assistance(ODA) : a comparative study on Sweden, Japan and Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

From “welfare approach” to “gender-mainstreaming”, the theoretical discourse on women illustrates gender as a core element in international development. Urging the international political bodies to systematically incorporate gender perspectives in all policies and programs, this study particularly focuses on the concept of “gender-mainstreaming”, a new approach that gained highlight during the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. Specifically, the study seeks to measure the current status of Korean gender-mainstreaming in ODA by comparing and identifying lessons from the experienced two countries and also the peer OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member states, Sweden and Japan. In order to compare the three countries’ gender-mainstreaming in ODA, the study had examined how social, economic and aid organizational structure influenced on allocation of aid in social-infrastructure & service for gender equality.

The study concludes that gender equality is a cross cutting issue closely related to fundamental human rights and democracy, and the analysis showed social and cultural background, gender budgeting and organizational structure can effect one’s country’s investment on gender-mainstreaming in ODA. While Korea showed high aid concentration particularly on “population and reproductive health”, and additionally did not thoroughly implement gender elements within the most highly invested sector, Sweden on the other hand turned out to have high and equal distribution within all social-infrastructure & service sectors including education, health, population & reproductive health, water, government & civil society and others. Lastly, Japan had similar patterns with that of Korea, but definitely had higher budget and relatively even aid allocation for gender equality projects in social-infrastructure & service. The study realizes the relatively short history in international development, society’s demand for traditional gender roles and the rapid economic growth of Korea exist as obstacles for the country’s contribution for gender-mainstreaming in ODA. However, the study suggest as to truly contribute to the achievement of democracy and human rights through gender-mainstreaming in ODA, the planning and implementation of gender projects should be in a long-term perspective reflecting the social, economic and organizational changes of the donor country.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Chapter1. Introduction 1
• 1.1 Background of the Study 1
• 1.2 Objective of the Study 3
• 1.3 Scope and Method of the Study 4
• Chapter2. Theoretical Background of Gender-mainstreaming in ODA 6
• 2.1 Gender as Cross-Cutting issue in International Development 6
• 2.1.1 Why women-issue matters in development 6
• 2.1.2 Discourse on Women, Gender and Development 8
• 2.2 Literature Review on Gender-mainstreaming in ODA 11
• 2.2.1 Gender-mainstreaming and Development 11
• 2.2.2 Gender-mainstreaming in OECD DAC member states 13
• 2.3 Analytical Framework 14
• 2.3.1 Gender-Inequality Index 14
• 2.3.2 Gender Budgeting 15
• 2.3.3 Organizational Structure 16
• 2.3.4 Implementation of Programs and Projects 17
• Chapter3. A Comparison of Sweden, Japan and Korea 20
• 3.1 Sweden 20
• 3.1.1 Gender-Inequality Index 21
• 3.1.2 Gender Budgeting 23
• 3.1.3 Organizational Structure 26
• 3.1.4 Implementation of Programs and Projects 27
• 3.2 Japan 29
• 3.2.1 Gender-Inequality Index 30
• 3.2.2 Gender Budgeting 32
• 3.2.3 Organizational Structure 35
• 3.2.4 Implementation of Programs and Projects 36
• 3.3 Korea 38
• 3.3.1 Gender-Inequality Index 39
• 3.3.2 Gender Budgeting 41
• 3.3.3 Organizational Structure 45
• 3.3.4 Implementation of Programs and Projects 47
• Chapter 4. A Comparative Analysis and Its Implications 53
• Chapter 5. Conclusion 60