“Reducing the Feminization of Poverty with the Rights Based Approach”

Keiko TAKEGAWADeputy Director-General

Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet OfficeJAPAN

4 November, 2009

The 1st Meeting of the ASEAN +3 Committee on Women

Bandar Sri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

1

Contents

１．Introduction

２． Actual Situation of Financial Difficulties Faced by

Women

３． Background Information of Women with Financial

Difficulties

4．Measures Initiated by the Government

5．Future Issus to be Addressed

2

1. Introduction Council for Gender Equality

A Japanese government consultative body to address important national issues

Specialist Committee on Monitoring and Gender Impact Assessment and Evaluation Monitoring the implementation of government measures Studying the influence of government measures on men and women

“Actual Situation of Men and Women Facing Financial Difficulties in the Context of New Trends in the Economy and Society” Studying the actual situation and background of people with financial

difficulties and the implementation status of government measures, from a viewpoint of gender equality

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2. Actual Situation of Financial Difficulties Faced by Women (1) Higher poverty rates for women than for men in most age groups The disparity widens as they age.

Source: Data from “Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions (2007)” by Ministry of Health, Labor and WelfareNote: The relative poverty rate is defined as the share of the population in households with incomes below 50% of the median.

20.5

10.3 11.6 10.8

15.1 17.3

22.9

15.8 13.9 12.3

11.4

16.8

26.6 28.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

MenWomen

(%)

Age

s 20

-24

Age

s 25

-29

Age

s 30

-34

Age

s 35

-39

Age

s 40

-44

Age

s 45

-49

Age

s 50

-54

Age

s 55

-59

Age

s 60

-64

Age

s 65

-69

Higher poverty rates for women than for men in most age groups The disparity widens as they age.

Age

s 70

-74

Age

s 75

-79

Age

s ≥

80

4

2. Actual Situation of Financial Difficulties Faced by Women (2)

Higher poverty rates, particularly in aged single women and mother-child families Transmission of poverty to the next generation observed in mother-child families

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Men Women

Elderly

Working households (Ages 20-64)Children (Ages < 20)

Sing

le e

lder

ly

Onl

y el

derly

Oth

er

Sing

le

Onl

y hu

sban

d an

d w

ife

Hus

band

and

wife

and

th

eir u

nmar

ried

child

ren

Mot

her-

child

(ren

)

Fath

er-c

hild

(ren

)

Thre

e ge

nera

tions

Oth

er

Hus

band

and

wife

and

th

eir u

nmar

ried

child

ren

Mot

her-

child

(ren

)

Fath

er-c

hild

(ren

)

Thre

e ge

nera

tions

Oth

er

5

3. Background Information of Women with Financial Difficulties (1)Deep-rooted “Stereotypical views of gender roles”

Pros and cons of the idea “men work outside and women stay at home taking care of the family”

Men

47.6

20.0

29.2

26.2 3.1 34.8 15.9

81.2 7.0

1.5

2.9

16.9

6.2

4.8

2.7

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Women

6.2

12.0

11.9

27.8

1.0

3.2

27.5

30.7

88.3

53.5

26.2

0.53.5 2.8

4.9

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Sweden

United States

Japan

Agree Somewhat agree Not sure/No response

Somewhat disagree Disagree

6

47.0%51.0%

0.67

32.0%

17.0%

0.6256.0%

43.0%

12.0%

0.4546.0%

9.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Sweden

United States

Japan

G

3. Background Information of Women with Financial Difficulties (2) Participation of women in the policy decision-making

processes

[Gender Empowerment Measure]

Source: “Human Development Indices: A statistical update 2009,” United Nations Development Programme

Female professional and technical workers

(% of total)

Female legislators, senior officials and managers

(% of total)

Seats in parliament held by women

(% of total)

Ratio of estimated female to male earned

income

“Few women in decision-making processes”“Large wage disparity between men and women”

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3. Background Information of Women with Financial Difficulties (3) Labor force participation rates by sex

Source: “Employment Status Survey 2007,” Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Note 1: Employees excluding executives of companies or corporations Note 2: “Regular staffs” are officers and employees; and “dispatched workers/entrusted employees/others” are dispatched

workers from temporary labor agencies, contract employees, entrusted employees, and others.

“Difficulty for women to continue working”“More women working as non-regular workers”

36.442.8

31.3 26.7 25.9

8.52.1

18.6 23.8 29.9

17.2

3.7

12.63.3

0.9

4.20.9

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

Ages 15-19

Ages 20-24

Ages 25-29

Ages 30-34

Ages 35-39

Ages 40-44

Ages 60-64

Ages ≥ 65

38.5

69.575.5 74.1 73.0 69.9 64.8

55.4

19.9

19.8

7.33 7

9.6

4.43.3

5.7

9.80.7

6.3

8.6 5.9 4.84.0

15.0

3.7

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

Ages 15-19

Ages 20-24

Ages 25-29

Ages 30-34

Ages 35-39

Ages 40-44

Ages 45-49

Ages 50-54

Ages 55-59

Ages 60-64

Ages ≥ 65

Regular staffs Part-time workers/temporary workers

Dispatched workers/entrusted employees/others

%

22.016.0

7.88.09.6

12.69.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0%

26.3 24.9 19.6

31.8 29.6

25.0

4.4

5.7

Ages 45-49

Ages 50-54

Ages 55-59

7.4

3.5

2.32.1

2.02.7

3.94.3

5.7

100.0100.0

[Female] [Male]

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3. Background Information of Women with Financial Difficulties (4) Violence against women

Tendency of being combined with various other difficulties

Source: “Survey Report on Support Services to Help Spousal Violence Victims Become Independent, ” Cabinet Office (April 2007)

Having insufficient money to meet immediate living expenses54.9%

Not recovered from physical and psychological damage52.9%

Cannot transfer residential registration to the new address to keep it confidential 52.6%

No appropriate job available 36.7% No skills for any job 26.6%

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3. Background Information of Women with Financial Difficulties (5) Increasing tendency of poverty rates resulting from changes

in the economy and society

Changes in familiesIncrease in “single household” and “single-parent household”

Changes in employment and jobsIncrease in non-regular jobsIncrease in unemployment without a safety net

GlobalizationFinancial difficulties in female foreign residents and their children

Poverty among women becoming visible

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4. Measures Initiated by the Government (1) Measures to address an immediate financial crisis

Provision of an environment where it is easier for mothers of single-parent families to work, and employment support services Childcare services during job training

“Fund for Child-rearing”¥100 billion (USD 1 billion) in 2008

Improvement of childcare facilities and child-rearing environment

Additional ¥150 billion (USD 1.5 billion) in 2009Aid for mother-child families, including childcare services

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4. Measures Initiated by the Government (2) Empowerment of women throughout the life cycle Supporting women in their life planning by

providing information on diversified subjects to help women live independent lives

Provision of learning opportunities taking local circumstances into account

Presenting various living options for each life stage

Providing information on work-life balance

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4. Measures Initiated by the Government (3) Movement toward a concerted effort to provide

supportSeeking a concerted effort among support organizations to address

diversification of difficult situations and expansion of needs

To help women with multiple difficulties become independent, cooperation among relevant support groups is necessary.

The establishment of local networks has become increasingly important. To assist young people with difficulties, an act requiring all relevant organizations to cooperate with each other was established (2009).

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5. Future Issues to be Addressed Issues regarding the enhancement of abilities to become independent

Consistent career and vocational education from elementary and secondary education stages

Issues regarding stable employment and working conditions Continuing efforts to provide equal access to employment opportunities for men

and women Promotion of work-life balance Improvement of support services for those seeking reemployment Neutral taxation and social security systems for women to choose a job

Issues regarding the formation of environments where parents and children can live at ease Attentive support services that take the circumstances of mother-child families

into account Consideration of providing preschool and high school education free of charge in

addition to compulsory education Issues regarding what the support infrastructure should be like

Public relations activities and educational campaigns to change public awareness of gender roles

Provision of one-stop services for each support area and mutual cooperation among relevant fields

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Thank you very much

for your attention.

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