Location: Seoul, Korea
Organization: Seoul Foundation of Women and Family
About the Wise Practice
A guideline analyzing gender impact on all municipal promotional materials prior to use. This includes government advertisements and campaigns on women’s topics like abortion, and the issue with word choice utilized on the campaign poster.
Category
Goals
Goal 1: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal rights in all fields and in leadership at all levels of decision-making (NUA 13c, 90, 148, 155; SDG 5.5, 5.c; CEDAW article 3, 7).
Measurement
The results of the GIAA of promotional materials conducted in 2016 show that, among a total of 49 assessments, five were about “gender role stereotypes and biases,” one was about “disparaging remarks related to sexual discrimination and/or lookism,” none were about “distorted perspective of violence,” four were about “stereotypes of male/female ratio, age structure, family, etc.,” and 39 were judged to be devoid of negative content. In 2017, consultations were conducted for a total of 152 posters and pamphlets, resulting in modifications being made to 32 of them. For example, in a poster introducing the SMG’s employment policies, it was pointed out that three of the four main images were of men and that areas related to women were all colored pink, resulting in alterations being made to the images and colors.
Monitoring
Content and progress of the GIAA of promotional materials are checked once a month through an advisory meeting held with an external advisory board (e.g. experts in each relevant area, SFWF officer, etc.). There is also a citizens’ monitoring group.
Lessons Learned
The GIAA can help break misinformed/incorrect stereotypes by removing elements of gender inequality from promotional materials accessible to the general public. Due to the nature of promotional materials, it is easy to point out and explain problematic elements and suggest ways of improving them. Through the process of exchanging opinions on such improvements through consultations, administrative government employees can heighten their awareness of gender equality. However, the GIAA of promotional materials is not mandated by any legal ordinance or regulation, but is based on the “Gender Impact Analysis and Assessment Act” and related enforcement ordinances. If related legal ordinances or regulations are enacted, the effectiveness of the GIAA will be strengthened. It has been pointed out that online promotional materials (webtoons, videos, etc.) are excluded from the scope of the SMG’s assessment of promotional materials and designs. This problem is currently being addressed through relevant administrative and policy procedures with the aim of having webtoons and videos included as subjects of assessment. Another point to consider is that in-depth consultations are made difficult by the extremely large volume of promotional materials being produced.
Resources and More Information
Updated: January 24, 2021