Abstract
Study on Human Rights of Refugee Women Staying in Korea
Hyo Jean Song
Soyoung Kim
Inseon Lee
Jee Yong Han
Since the enforcement of the refugee act in 2013, the number of women refugees has fundamentally increased, at the same time, the refugees in korea showed a growth in its amount. Among the population of refugees, only males make their voices, not females. By doing so, refugee women could not reveal how vulnerable they are in Korea. It makes them unable to receive timely protection from the Korean Government.
The policy for refugee women is absent in terms of gender difference, which makes the case worse. In spite of this current unfavorable conditions, there are few academic researches and the policy for refugee women. Those insufficient understandings for refugee women are a possible crucial point for future research, suggesting requirement on urgent need of basic data for further policy-making and system improvement.
This study conducted in-depth interviews for refugee women staying in Korea to grasp the status of their human rights and reflect their voices and desire, finally analyzing refugee-related law in terms of gender perspective. The study suggests the following policy proposals and legal improvement methods in order to develop better treatment for refugee women in Korea.
In such context, it is indispensable to add some regulations for refugee women when they are on a process for their legal status to be determined under the current refugee law. In details, including ‘gender guidelines’ into the Refugee Law is needed, considering varied situations refugee women have. It is because there is the first priority for some groups such as pregnant women or people accompanying children who must be provided with proper space and nutrition.
To simply put, there are no considerations toward those underprivileged women. Therefore, this study argues allocating the same sex officials in charge of screening refugee women at an migration office, guaranteeing gender-sensitive education toward officials at an migration office. When it comes to victims of violence such as sexual or domestic violence, providing further physical or psychological treatments are needed as well.
Ultimately, this paper strongly argues importing further gender consideration into refugee Law, especially toward refugee women.
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