KWDI Korean Women’s Development Institute

The purpose of this study is to present a method of establishing gender equality goals of local governments, and apply the full task of establishing gender equality goals and selecting targeted programs to a specific region.

Gender budgeting, although based on gender impact analysis, is different from gender impact analysis in that it recommends local governments to establish their own gender equality goals and select targeted programs for gender budgeting based on those goals. However, there is a limit to gender equality goals as they are set by the department of budget, which is responsible for gender budgeting.

Thus, the gender equality goals established through this study serves to primarily influence the selection of targeted programs and identification of performance goals of gender budgeting, and ultimately raise the level of gender equality in local regions by improving the low level of gender equality in local governments.

The process of establishing gender equality goals can be divided into four stages. The first stage identifies the level of gender equality in local governments. Various materials can be used to identify the level of gender equality. Not only the national gender equality index, which is constructed of numerous sectors and published annually, but also local statistics, implementation plans and ordinances of gender equality policies can be used to identify particularly low areas of local governments' gender equality.

The second stage examines the demand for women's policies among local residents and experts. This stage is where the issues and demands that were not easily tracked with the preexisting data are identified. The demand survey can be categorized into that targeting local residents and that for experts. In the survey for local residents, general perception of gender equality and suggestions for its improvement, level of life satisfaction, and areas of need can be measured. The survey targeting experts delve deeper. It can include experts' evaluation of local governments' gender equality policies as well as their recommendation on policy issues that require priority.

The third stage establishes gender equality goals of local governments. Gender equality goals are set with local government officials in charge of women's policies after a comprehensive examination of the prior two stages. SWOT analysis can be performed by provincial or metropolitan governments during this process.

The forth stage selects targeted programs for gender budgeting, based on the established gender equality goals. The performance goals of the targeted programs should be set so that they relate to gender equality goals, and managed to monitor the improvement in gender equality.

At present, the budgeting department, which is primarily responsible for gender budgeting, establishes gender equality goals. However, it does not seem appropriate that the budgeting department sets the gender equality goals that is supposed to raise the level of gender equality of local governments in the long run. Instead, the women's policy department should be in charge of setting gender equality goals, and work in cooperation with various departments, including the budgeting department. However, as it is physically difficult for officials of the women's policy department to personally conduct surveys on local gender equality issues and demands, it would be practical to issue the task to relevant local research institutes.

In addition, it is practically difficult to establish gender equality goals annually, as the process involves numerous stages, and is costly and time-consuming. Therefore, two alternatives timetables can be considered. The first option is to establish gender equality goals every three to five years. This should entail that although goals are newly set every three to five years, they reflect the evaluation of prior goals. It is also possible to set gender equality goals every five years in connection with the Master Plans for Gender Equality Policies, which is revised every five years. The second option is to align the timetable for setting gender equality goals with the term in office of the heads of local governments. In this case, as gender equality goals can be established in connection to the heads' election pledges, their performance can be readily assessed at the end of the heads' term.

In accordance with the process and method of establishing gender equality goals described above, this study establishes the gender equality goals and selects the gender budgeting targeted programs of Daejeon. Statistical data, administrative documents and residential surveys are used to understand the level of local gender equality and determine the gender equality goals for the implementation of gender mainstreaming. Opinions of experts in various fields as well as public officials relevant with gender mainstreaming policies are also utilized to understand the state of local gender equality and derive the goals. Gender equality goals are established for both the Daejeon Metropolitan City and the autonomous districts, and coordinated so that they are reflected in the selection of gender budgeting targeted programs.

Targeted programs for gender budgeting, selected based on gender equality goals, are more diverse than previous chosen programs, and are able to actively identify projects in fields with low gender equality, such as safety and service sectors. The diversification of gender equality targeted programs can be seen as the direct effect of establishing gender equality goals. Thanks to the establishment of gender equality goals, sectors with low gender equality that have been overlooked in the past are included in targeted programs, contributing to the actual diversification of targeted programs, and sectors with low gender equality are seriously considered in the gender budgeting process.

The‘Selection of Gender Budgeting Targeted Programs for Fiscal Year 2017,' conducted in Daejeon Metropolitan City and its five autonomous districts, is unique in that it is based on the objective of establishing gender equality goals with regional characteristics. The process of conducting citizen surveys to understand the current status and characteristics of gender equality according to institutions, analyzing existing statistical data, and holding discussions with local experts and government officials is significant in that it considers the local demand for gender equality as the criteria for gender budgeting targeted programs.

The targeted programs that have been selected for gender mainstreaming(gender impact assessment and gender budgeting) have the advantage of being more persuasive to individual project managers who prepare the analysis charts and gender budget statements. The possibility of holding consultations and setting performance goals are additional positive aspects of having gender equality goals catering each institution. By taking into account each institution's gender equality goals and deriving the performance goal of gender budgeting for fiscal year 2017, we can anticipate and analyze the improvement in the status of gender equality.

Based on the above results, the following policy suggestions can be made. First, gender equality goals should not be limited to gender budgeting but should be applied to gender impact assessment as well. Second, a performance evaluation framework is necessary to compare the effects of gender mainstreaming, even if gender equality goals are established and targeted programs are selected based on gender equality goals. Third, a consistent gathering of statistical data regarding gender equality is essential for establishing gender equality goals that reflect the current status and characteristic of local regions. Lastly, the support of local councils is crucial to the entire process of establishing gender equality goals, selecting targeted programs, drafting gender budgets and evaluating the improvement in gender equality. Aligning the term of establishing gender equality goals to that of the heads of local governments, and making it mandatory for the heads to set those goals can help raise the interest of local councils and government officials.