Womenenomics: Gender Equality as a Development Approach in Japan

Abstract

This paper analyzes the success of the "Womenomics" policy, launched in Japan in 2013 in response to demographic and economic challenges and aimed at increasing women's participation in the workforce, as well as the structural barriers behind it. Among the policy's main goals were increasing women's labour force participation rate and boosting their representation in management positions. Therefore, womenomics has failed to achieve its goals. Although women's labour force participation rate has increased since 1986 (reaching 66% in 2016), this increase has largely coincided with a rise in irregular (precarious) employment rates. Notwithstanding, womenomics, within a neoliberal framework, primarily aims for economic growth rather than genuine social equality. This top-down approach does not adequately address the various economic challenges and pressure to leave the workforce faced by women, particularly in low-skilled occupations. All in all, to create a sustainable impact for womenomics, it must go beyond mere participation metrics and target deep-rooted cultural and institutional transformations that ensure job quality and parental leave are accessible to both genders.

Keywords

• Womenomics
• Gender Equality
• Employment
• Structural Barriers

Kadın Ekonomisi: Japonya'da Kalkınma Yaklaşımı Olarak Cinsiyet Eşitliği

Abstract

Bu makale, demografik ve ekonomik zorluklara yanıt olarak 2013 yılında Japonya'da başlatılan ve kadınların işgücüne katılımını artırmayı amaçlayan "Kadın Ekonomisi" politikasının başarısını ve bunun arkasındaki yapısal engelleri analiz etmektedir. Politikanın temel hedefleri arasında kadınların işgücüne katılım oranını artırmak ve yönetim pozisyonlarında temsilini güçlendirmek yer alıyordu. Bu nedenle, kadın ekonomisi hedeflerine ulaşamadı. Kadınların işgücüne katılım oranı 1986'dan beri artmış olsa da (2016'da %66'ya ulaşmıştır), bu artış büyük ölçüde kayıt dışı istihdam oranlarındaki yükselişle aynı zamana denk gelmiştir. Bununla birlikte, neoliberal çerçevede kadın ekonomisi, öncelikle gerçek sosyal eşitlikten ziyade ekonomik büyümeyi hedeflemektedir. Bu yaklaşım, özellikle düşük vasıflı mesleklerde kadınların karşılaştığı çeşitli ekonomik zorlukları ve işgücünden ayrılma baskısını yeterince ele almamaktadır. Kadın ekonomisi için sürdürülebilir bir etki yaratmak için, iş kalitesinin ve ebeveyn izninin her iki cinsiyet için de erişilebilir olmasını sağlayan köklü kültürel ve kurumsal dönüşümleri hedeflemelidir.

Keywords

• Kadın ekonomisi
• Cinsiyet eşitliği
• İstihdam
• Yapısal engeller.

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