Activities against Women’s Unemployment and the Results in Korea – Focusing on the Action Center for Women’s Unemployment of Korean Women Workers Associations United

1. Background for the Establishment of the Action Center
The economic crisis since the late 1997 has made unemployment an open social issue. Women suffered the most from the resulting unemployment due to massive layoffs of workers. It was difficult for women, in comparison to men, to get reinstated after dismissal from the workplace. As many as 62.7% of women worked in work sites with less than 5 people and so received no unemployment benefits. Women who were dismissed from work faced a great of difficulties in maintaining a living.  
However, the public view of unemployment was that it was predominantly a male-centered problem and the outdated discriminatory ideology of “women return to your homes" raised its ugly head, rationalizing priority dismissals of women workers. The labor rights achieved by women workers through years of struggle were at risk of collapsing. Women's unemployment was not recognized as a social and political issue and governmental measures on unemployment did not include measures to counter women’s unemployment.
Faced with such a situation, the Korean Women Workers Associations United (KWWAU) started taking up active measures to counter the continuing trend of unemployment and to achieve the rights of women workers in temporary work and in small worksites.
There was an increase in counseling in the Hotline for Equality ) on unpaid wages and priority dismissals by women workers who had lost their jobs.  The KWWAU Incheon Branch (IWWA) even set up a `special counseling center to eradicate unpaid wages and priority dismissals and to promote women’s employment’ and in the process, learnt about the heartbreaking stories of dismissed women workers.
The KWWAU Incheon Branch (IWWA) realized the unfairness of priority dismissals undertaken against women workers and pursued an active media campaign to publicize such unfair dismissals. The KWWAU Seoul Branch (SWWA) registered a free employment agency and actively undertook a media campaign in March on the status of women’s unemployment during the IMF era.  
Furthermore, in 1998, activities concentrated on further encountering the increasing trends of unemployment and the fight to preserve the rights of women workers. Counseling matters by the Hotline for Equality were shared with the KWWAU headquarters and media campaigns escalated. Meetings of representatives from different branches of the KWWAU were held regularly and measures were discussed to counter women’s unemployment. After a few coordinating meetings, the Action Center for Women’s Unemployment was eventually launched.
A working committee meets regularly every month to discuss effective project exchanges and project dissemination. Also, information on the situation of women’s unemployment was exchanged and various projects were initiated. These included research and the holding of public debates.
Due to such activities, the Action Center grew from five to eight branches (Seoul (SWWA), Gwangju (GWWA), Incheon (IWWA), Ansan (AWWA), Masan-Changwon (MWWA), Jeon-buk (JWWA), Bucheon (BWWA), Busan Women’s Association) in December 1998. The Action Center has succeeded in making unemployment a social issue and was effective in helping unemployed women and pressuring the government for effective measures.

2. Main Activities of the Action Center
The year 1998 saw the organizational growth of the Action Center and the establishment of diverse projects. The projects include counseling and education, life support measures for unemployed women workers, campaigns and research, policy measures through debates and petitions, mutual-aid organizations for unemployed women workers, education and regular meetings of counselors, etc. - all efforts aimed at expanding the organizational structure of the Action Center.
In mid-1999, formal statistics stipulated the decrease in the high rate of unemployment. However, middle-aged women who visited the Action Center still complained of difficulties in finding employment. Activities undertaken in the previous years accelerated in the year 2000 and many efforts were undertaken to create and organize an education model for unemployed women.
In 2001, the Action Center expanded its activities to include the Self-support Center, set up to help women with low-income (introduction to jobs and education, work-related and other comprehensive services), to help irregular women workers achieve their rights, to act as the counter for undertaking government-sponsored public works projects and job introduction services, etc.

1) Direct Support Services for Unemployed Women Workers
The Center provides employment services and counseling, education services such as “employment day” opportunities, skills training, life and medical support, etc. These projects were undertaken together with the self-support organizations.

(1) Counseling
Counseling on employment matters remains an important part of the Action Center. The counseling offered at the Action Center was received well by unemployed women due to the kind reception from the counselors, provision of comprehensive information, comfortable surroundings, etc, distinguishable from other public offices for job seeking. Many women visited the Action Center for such advantages.
Job-seeking campaigns were held once a monthly and leaflets were distributed by job seekers in areas where there were many enterprises, shops and restaurants in case that they looked for workers. The leaflet contained information and contact numbers of Action Center. The campaigns attracted a great deal of public attention to the plight of unemployed women workers by linking up with the media. The unemployed women workers also learnt to become more confident and realized that unemployment problems could be more effectively handled together with other people facing similar circumstances.

Programs in 1999
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Counseling work was expanded to include job searches as outlined below.  
① opening of three computer networks on job searches (for job seekers as well as those looking for new workers)
② job-seekers campaign (distribution of leaflets, posters, street campaigns, etc)
③ distribution of press releases in regional information papers
④ pasting of posters in public offices & provision of information data
(employment department of the local government offices /social welfare department, employment safety centers, agencies for the promotion of employment for the disabled, local district offices, daily employment information centers of the local labor offices, etc)
⑤ information on employment from the website of the Labor Office (worknet)
⑥ enhancing job-seeking by linking campaigns with TV and other broadcasting media
⑦ direct communication with employers  
⑧ introduction of other worksites by employers who had already employed people through the Action Center

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As in the past, unemployment counseling, job introduction, counseling on daily matters, medical support, job training, and provision of diverse information continued. And after counseling and subsequent job application, in the case of unemployed women with grown-up children, job applications were also received from the children because finding more jobs would help such households become financially independent. A newsletter containing relevant information for unemployed women is also released with information on job opportunities, prospective jobs, information on skills training, unemployment policies, public works, information on the National Basic Livelihood Security System, unemployment trends, etc.

The Action Center has helped unemployed women with realistic information on government policies as well as family and life counseling, providing job opportunities and has also accepted applications for public works, skills training and temporary registration for welfare of women householders. Also in the year 2000, actions were taken against the government for unfairly omitting people from receiving the benefits of the National Basic Livelihood Security System and for the relaxation of guidelines for the recipients.

Due to such diverse roles, the KWWAU became an important counter for unemployed women to directly voice their demands. The KWWAU was designated by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET) in 2000 to undertake a survey on middle-aged unemployed women as part of its research on  “The Measures to Establish a Training Program System for the Unemployed According to Target Groups”.

(2) Educational Projects
Many diverse educational programs are underway at the Action Center. The programs are carried out to meet the different needs of the job seekers. These needs depend upon whether they have recently lost their jobs or have been without work for longer periods, their marital status, their status in the homes (the role of women householders). All the women face different circumstances and programs have been designed to cover all these needs. The Action Center has become an important place for workers to receive detailed and abundant information relevant to them.

▶ “Meeting Day” For Job-seekers
It is mainly the middle-aged women who are on the fringes of the labor market who participate in the `meeting day’ for job seekers. The program has been specially designed to meet the needs of this section of women. The education program in these sessions was aimed at broadening the outlook of the women and took the form of group sessions, different from the normal counseling sessions.
The sessions included facts on the reality of women’s unemployment, information dissemination on job training, types of public works available and the application process, information on medical support for unemployed women, information on temporary recipients of welfare, introduction of the Action Center, and all necessary information relevant to unemployed women.
The sessions became opportunities to share information on jobs, working experience and to monitor problems and difficulties in job-seeking processes. The women were able to share and understand their experiences. They were able to overcome their disappointment and increase social adaptation skills through “Meeting Day” programs.
  “Meeting Day” programs were held differently according to districts but they were held once every week at the headquarters. The regional branches hold educational meetings twice a month. In 2000, about 3000 women participated in the “Meeting Day” programs held nationwide. Participants showed the initiative of applying for jobs at the local government or labor offices and also took part actively in public works and skill training programs.  

▶ Re-employment Education for Unemployed Women
Re-employment education sessions were held once every month for married, single and newly unemployed women at the Action Center headquarters, Incheon, Gwangju, Masan, and Busan.  Education was provided on the reality of women unemployment, recent employment trends, job planning, and interview pointers – all information necessary for re-employment.
While regular “Meeting Days” were held in pleasant and friendly atmosphere concentrating on group counseling, re-employment education sessions were focused on education on attitudes, job awareness, interview pointers through mock interviews, prospective jobs and job planning, state sponsored licenses, job aptitude tests, etc.
About 30% of the participants were found to attend additional education held in the Action Center headquarters. In 2000, about 80 education sessions were held in the headquarters and 5 regional branches with 3,238 women  participating.
Also in the headquarters, creativity enhancement workshops were held from January to March once a week for 8 sessions for single women without jobs. This workshop helped to train women to view themselves in a more positive manner.

▶ Monthly Meetings
Monthly meetings were also held for women householders once a month. Monthly meetings were aimed at increasing interpersonal relationships and provided information on how to open businesses, on economic trends as well as good family communication, enhancement of self-esteem, health information through yoga classes and other health programs. Information on legal matters was also provided. One of the biggest successes of the monthly meetings was the formation of mutual aid groups. (see p. 21 for detail about the mutual aid groups)
This program was successful in enhancing the self-esteem and confidence of unemployed women and helped them to plan their lives and jobs. A network of unemployed women was also formed through monthly meetings. Organization of unemployed women became stronger through such activities and the program was evaluated by many activists in other organizations and researchers in academics as a model education program for unemployed women. In the year 2000, 96 monthly meetings were held with a total of 4,334 women participating.

<Monthly Meeting Program in 2000>
No. Title Contents Sequence of Programs Things Needed
1. Nice To Meet You  Self-introduction,Nicknaming, life-stories, Difficulties & hopes        
   1) significance of monthly meetings
   2) self-introduction (nicknames)
   3) sharing time Crayons,sketch books, job info leaflets,snacks
2. What kind of help can I receive? Government measures on unemployment, regional programs on unemployment, intro to networks        
   1) lecture on government measures
   2) sharing time
   3) info on jobs Booklet on government measures, job info leaflets,drinks & snacks
3.  Raising Healthy Children Communication Methods with Children        
   1) Communication Methods & role playing
   2) Sharing time
   3) info on jobs  Lecture notes,things needed forrole play, info leaflets, snacks
4. Creating a healthy family _ Understanding family & home        
   1) lecture
   2) plans for a healthy family life
   3) sharing time
   4) job info_ Lecture notes,info leaflets snacks
5. Secrets of living a healthy life 1 _ Ways of Overcoming Stress        
   1) Lecture
   2) Diagnosing stress & ways of overcoming stress
   3) Job info        Lecture notes,info leaflets snacks
6. Secrets of living a healthy life 2 _ Ways to maintain family health
   1) lecture
   2) Simple exercises to do with family members
   3) sharing time _ Space for practice (with mats), snacks
7. Special: How to Open One’s Business _ Conditions for Business  
   1) lecture
   2) items & info
   3) sharing time _ Lecture notes,info leaflets snacks
8. Easy Everyday Economics _ Economic trends      
   1) Lecture
   2) Sharing time: job info _ Lecture notes, info leaflets Snacks
9. Reality & Issues of  Women’s Unemployment _ Trends of Women’s Unemployment        
   1) Lecture
   2) Sharing time: job info _ video,info leaflets snacks
10. Communication Training for Better Interpersonal Relations _ Communication Training    
   1) Lecture & Practice
   2) Sharing Time _ Lecture notes, things needed for practice, snacks
11. Evaluation _ Follow-up activities    
   1) evaluation2) personal hopes _ Evaluation paper, snacks
12. End-of year party _ My plans in 2000    
   1) Life Plan in 2000
   2) sharing time _ White paper, video, snacks


▶ Group Counseling (consciousness awareness) Program
Members of mutual aid societies participated in the group-counseling program. This was an intensive program compared to the monthly meetings. The discussions in group counseling related to common problems within a group. They were undertaken by a moderator with the participation of a group of women. A person got to talk about her problems within the group and through interaction with other women, came to a common understanding of her problems.
Group counseling was carried out 4 times in a session and programs were designed in order to give boost to the organizational capacity of the mutual aid groups. The programs included self-discovery, ways of opening up to people, stress and anger management, fostering group consciousness, future planning – all important for increasing the organizational capacity of the group. In 2000, a total of 32 such sessions were held nationwide in 8 different regions in which 497 women participated.

Case Study of a Woman Householder-----------------------------------------------
Personal details
Divorcee after 6 years of marriage; has three children.
In the beginning, it was difficult for her to maintain her standard of living after her divorce. She had to take a job and had to leave her two children at a daycare center from 8 in the morning to 7 in the evening. She had to leave the children by themselves if there was overtime work. It was always heartbreaking to leave the children.
She changed jobs and began to work as a part-time assistant cook to spend more time with her children, as it was more important for her to spend time with her kids than to get more money. She started work at 10 am and returned at 5 pm and was happier as she could look after her children. But it was a hard life with barely enough to eat.  
However as the days passed, her responsibility towards her family grew and she realized that she needed skilled expertise and took the initiative of getting a state-recognized skill certification.
She first came to the "House of Working Women" operated by the Seoul Women Workers' Association (SWWA) in August 1999 and started learning Korean cookery and food catering everyday from 2 to 5 pm. She later received her certificate as a cook for Korean cuisine.  After completing her training course in April, she participated in a group counseling program for women householders undertaken by the Action Center for Women's Unemployment operated by  KWWAU (see program attached).

Changes After Program Participation
Through direct participation in these activities, she was able to re-discover herself, her potential and feel once again as a woman. The biggest change was the surge in the confidence she felt again in herself through programs organized by the Action Center. Becoming a Durea (mutual-aid society) member also helped her emotionally as she now had a support group she could rely on. She also listened to lectures regarding women-related laws and ways to become independent. She participated in various cultural programs such as hikes, watching movies, end-of-year parties, etc, learning about community spirit and group consciousness.
 
Through programs for single parents, she realized that her own life must be devoted to the lives of her children and also managed to free herself from the doubts about single parenthood. Anger management programs also helped her to control and regulate her emotions. The last part of her education concentrated on looking 10 years into the future and on realizing her dreams. She wanted to be a restaurant manager and she drew a mental picture of her dreams every day.  

At the present, she has been designated as a conditional recipient of the National Basic Livelihood Security System. She now leaves her children in an after-school program and is working hard to make a living for herself. She has become confident and independent.
It can be seen from the above example how effective the Action Center has been in helping unemployed women overcome their personal difficulties and to make a new start. Concrete programs carried out like skills training and group counseling helped women to find new jobs and to handle emotional stress. Women who participated in such programs asked for more such women-specific organizations to be set up.
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<Contents of program>Group Counseling fostering Emotional Stability and a Spirit of Self-rehabilitation Contents: Empowering women-householders who are suffering from the pressures of maintaining a household, depression due to work dismissal, desperation, lack of resourcefulness and social prejudice in their roles as householders by understanding of their inner needs and the reality they were facing through conversations with other women and assertively finding the strength to overcome their difficulties.  <Purpose>Week 1: The status and reality of women’s unemployment (sharing the reality and difficulties related to unemployment with members of the group)   Week 2: Discovering good character traits and life story (discovering good character traits in order to overcome inferiority complexes, sharing pain with others within the group and realizing that other people are also undergoing similar difficulties-group counseling leading to common solutions to a problem)Week 3: Anger Management (learning ways to handle and release stress from dismissal, desperation due to financial problems, anger at people who look down on them, etc)Week 4: Life & Job Planning (life and job planning to overcome unemployment)<Program Details >Week 1Time: 10:20 am - 1:00 pmProgram: Self-Discovery 1* My Life Story (past & future dreams, looking inward)  - Self-introduction     (making name tags, making up nicknames based on childhood dreams)  - Drawing the Cycle of Life (using white paper)    Week 2Time: 10:20 am - 1:00 pmProgram: Self-Discovery 2 (stage of self-rehabilitation)* Discovering My Good Points  - recognizing individuality and personal good points and recovering self-confidence     through encouragement from other participants   - recovering self-confidence & discovering things that the participant can do  Week 3Time: 10:20 am - 1:00 pmProgram: Analysis of Programs of Previous Weeks         (& how these have affected the life of the participant in the previous week) * Analyzing My Life  - looking at one's life from a social perspective and discovering common problemsWeek 4Time: 10:20 am - 1:00 pmProgram: Analysis of Programs of Previous Weeks         (& how these have affected the life of the participant in the previous week) * Finding My Dreams/Obstacles (setting up concrete plans for the future to overcome                                 inertia and false expectations)  - discovering the obstacles in my life and ways of overcoming them  - things that I have always wanted to do & how should I prepare to realize them?  - when would I achieve my dreams?

Unemployed women were able to share their problems and find ways to overcome them through regular monthly meetings with other women and “Meeting Days” for job seekers. They were able to exchange their thoughts and experiences with other women and come to common solutions to problems. Women received hope and courage to overcome their emotional inertia and to build up stable relations with their children and other family members. Through such a process, women recovered their resourcefulness and actively went about looking for work. Women made efforts to adapt themselves to whatever forms of employment they were able to find, stable or otherwise. Their ability to adapt to situations was seen to highly increase.
In 1999 in first session of January for women householders, most of the participants were unemployed but after the third quarter of the economic year, there was an increase in employment of the participants despite frequent worksite changes due to poor and unstable working conditions. This was due to active job seeking and the enhanced spirit of independence of women householders.
The monthly session of unemployed women householders gave women the unique experience of being understood and accepted by other persons, mainly women. This experience was valuable in releasing the tension arising from past relationships and allowing women to be more flexible in dealing with the situation they were facing and in coming up with alternative choices. As such, women now could look inward which had been impossible before, as they had to scrimp to make a living. This behavioral change was applied to problems with children and other circumstances where the women were seen to be more pro-active in dealing with issues they were facing. Women were becoming more confident in investing in themselves and in setting and carrying out future plans.

Women who participated in various regular meetings at the Action Center came to realize that how much they have been suffering emotionally and were under much stress, keeping their objects of anger and oppression, the desperation and hopelessness within them. The women learnt ways of releasing such heartache and stress.
Group meetings were especially good for women as they had the opportunity to release their anger regarding people or events they had found hard to forgive and forget. It was a time to see oneself clearly through self-expression and self-evaluation. The women were also greatly encouraged by learning through various programs that social support programs existed to help them. It was an opportunity of learning about the importance of social relationships. Through the program to find out the supporting social network the participants, who had thought to have nobody helping them, realized that they have invaluable relationship around.

In the Regions…. ---------------------------------------------
In the Incheon region, unemployed women workers participated in the self-support farms operated by the Action Center. These women shared their farm produce (cabbages) with other women. The women made kimchi (Korean pickled cabbages usually prepared in winter due to the delicious cabbages in season) and shared them with sick and single women householders, creating a common bond between women.
In the Ansan region, some members of mutual-aid societies who had once been aid-recipients, made monthly contributions to help other women in difficult circumstances, showing community consciousness.
It was one of the important purposes of the monthly meetings to give the information of diverse employment opportunities, which helped women to overcome financial difficulties. Since the enactment of the National Basic Livelihood System in 2000 Action Center has helped women to realize that  they could enjoy the support from the government as well as the community and to have self-confidence and independence by giving information on the support given by the Department of Women-related Policies under the Ministry of Labor and the changing welfare policies favorable to women. Especially after operating as the counter for the recipients of the National Basic Livelihood System enacted in October 2000, the Action Center was able to help women who had been omitted as recipients, by providing necessary aid to relieve financial difficulties. The Action Center had asked the relevant authorities for reconsidering the women who had been omitted as welfare recipients and most women were later re-designated. This had been possible because the Action Center had carried out the role as a counseling counter for unemployed women and been recognized by public as the steady activities making unemployed women’s voice heard.

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(3) Skills Training
It often appears as if there were many agencies responsible for skills training programs but since many of them are available for the people joining employment insurance. Most unemployed women worked in places with no employment insurance so they were excluded from such primary benefits as skill training. But according to the report released in 1998 on  ‘Work Training for Unemployed Women Workers’, there was a high demand for such training among women workers who were not giving benefits from employment insurance. Though the main reasons were that women receiving training were given living and family support another reason was because of the increasing rate of unemployment. Furthermore, women realized that they would not be able to find work due to lack of skills as well as age limits.

Skills training programs were not the ultimate alternatives for overcoming women’s unemployment but helped to lessen the shock of unemployment. It was an opportunity for the participants to look for their new ways. The programs increased employment opportunities for women who otherwise would be without any significant skills.
In 1998, the KWWAU was designated by the Ministry of Labor to be the agency to hold `training programs for women householders’. The KWWAU was also designated by the National Campaign to Overcome Unemployment to hold a ‘training campaign for unemployed women workers’. The `House of Working Women’ under the Busan Women’s Association (Busan branch) also held a skills training program (for women workers with employment insurance). The KWWAU Seoul Branch (SWWA) also organized a skills training program for women who leaf the labor market for a long time and wanted to enter it again. There were a total of 20 such training sessions in which 410 women participated nationwide for 6 months in 1998.
In 1999, these programs were expanded and the `House of Working Women’ was designated to carry out the programs as well as operating as a welfare center for women workers. In 2001, the KWWAU had two `House of Working Women’ in Seoul and Busan and two women welfare centers in Ansan and Bucheon. At the skills training centers, women learnt sewing, hair-dressing, secretarial skills, skills needed to open a side-dish shop, telemarketing, skills needed to be helpers for mother and newborn baby, clothes repairing skills, skills needed to be guides, skills needed to help teach reading, home computer programs, dress-making, etc.

(4) Projects for Life and Medical Support
Faced with the reality of unexpected unemployment, women workers had to find ways to earn their livelihood. The life support project was set up to provide aid to the women-headed household who had no access to rice or fuel to overcome the hardships of winter in 1997. Life support projects were continued to 2000.

▶ Life Support Project
The life support project named ‘Support Project for Wintering for the Unemployed Women-headed Household’ was carried out with the support of Korean Women’s Associations United (KWAU, a umbrella organization of women’s organizations) and the National Campaign to Overcome Unemployment in the KWWAU headquarters and 7 regional branches (Seoul (SWWA), Incheon (IWWA), Masan Changwon (MWWA), Gwangju (GWWA), Ansan (AWWA), North Jolla (JWWA) and the Busan Women’s Association (BWA)).
The project provided 2,258 women householders with bags of 68kg of rice and fuel coupons. A shelter for unemployed women was operated on trial at the KWWAU Incheon branch. In the shelter of all the women who came for counseling, 10 women with low income were chosen monthly and provided with 20 kg. of rice.
And also group counseling was one of the programs of the shelter, which was targeted at physical and mental crisis management to relieve the shock of unemployment. The contents of group counseling program consisted of “self-opening” (life stories), drawing the picture of my role-satisfaction, life evaluations, discovering personal advantages, setting up future plans, etc. In other regions, similar projects acted as counters for providing childcare support and life support for winter survival.
In August 1998, KWWAU joined the ‘hope’ project that was initiated by Korean Women’s Associations United to help unemployed women householders. The project was carried out in the headquarters and in 6 regional branches (Seoul (SWWA), Incheon (IWWA), Machang (MWWA), Gwangju (GWWA), Ansan local office, Busan Women’s Association) and it provided financial support of 500,000 won (about 420 USD) to 28 women.
In 1999, the winter project was expanded nationwide to support unemployed families. The Action Center acted as counseling, registration and transmission counters and provided unemployed families with food coupons amounting from 50,000 to 100,000 won (about from 42 USD to 83 USD). The project provided support for unemployed families who were not eligible for support given by the government.
In the Machang region, “One Person for One (unemployed) Family” relationship campaign was held to provide support for women householders. Also in 1999, Friends of Love (a welfare foundation) and Open Children (an internet venture enterprise) provided support for unemployed women workers and in 2000, the Women’s Foundation provided financial support to single mothers with low income. Such public interest had been possible because the Action Center had actively publicized the problems faced by unemployed women workers. The role of the Action Center as a counter for helping women householders can be evaluated as effective judging from the high public recognition of the Center’s activities.

▶ Medical Support Project
From August 1998, the Action Center started a medical support project with other medical and health organizations to provide much needed medical aid to unemployed women. The Action Center made it possible to ask the organizations to help unemployed women householder and families in June 1998. Unemployed women and children of less than 18 years received 30-50% discount in medical insurance payments. A total of 559 medical clinics and pharmacies participated in the medical project in the Action Center headquarters and 7 regional branches and until November 1998, 726 medical cards were issued, providing medical benefits to 726 women householders and their children. Also in December, free medical checkup was provided for unemployed women.
In 1999, medical cards were also issued. However, in 2000, “the card of hope” issued by the local communities was found to serve a better purpose. The card provided discounts to unemployed women or women with low incomes in hospitals, pharmacies restaurants or beauty parlors. The Action Center also participated in the regional currency project.


(5) Creating Jobs and Self-help Projects
With the decrease in employment due to the economic crisis, the Action Center realized that counseling was not enough to overcome the problem and took active steps to create work for women workers. The KWWAU Seoul branch (SWWA) started first with its operation of a common room for sewing work and dispatching teachers’ assistants to teach children from low-income families.
The common room for sewing work called “Fox’s Skill” was started by the KWWAU Seoul branch (SWWA) in September 1998 with an average of 25 women participating monthly. Some of them were skillful and others not. For unskillful women the room became a kind of training course as well as a job. At present, preparations are underway for the common room to progress into a cooperative.
Five regional branches (Seoul (SWWA), Incheon (IWWA), Ansan (AWWA), Gwangju  (GWWA), Busan Women’s Association) of the KWWAU also participated in the public works project undertaken by Korean Women’s Associations United, dispatching 152 people as teachers’ assistants to teach children of low-income families in 101 different day-care centers and after-school facilities.  For the success of the project, the KWWAU organized meetings with the heads of daycare facilities, regular monthly meetings of teachers’ assistants, education of teachers’ assistants, situational survey of facilities, etc.

Details of Projects
In 1999 and in 2000, regional activities of the KWWAU concentrated on creating more jobs for unemployed women workers. These activities were due to the increase in government-designated public works and the support given to organizations working with women workers in self-supporting projects.
From 1998, the KWWAU Seoul Branch (SWWA) has operated a common room for sewing work, the Incheon Branch (IWWA) has been designated to carry out public projects (dispatching teachers for after-school classes to elementary school, self-supporting farm project), operating its own self-supporting center (cooperative to make lunch-box, self-supporting farm, helpers for the patients with low income).
The Bucheon Branch (BWWA) also undertook designated public works projects (after-school teachers for young children, helpers for the patients with low income), and established a special self-support center for women only (helper project-domestic helpers, baby sitters, helpers for mother & newborn baby, private nurses, skills training and projects to help women open their own business).
The Ansan Branch (AWAA) also carried out designated public works (after-school teachers for young children), a self-supporting cooperatives project (helpers’ association), and a common room for sideline work (preparing to become self-supporting) while the Gwangju and Machang branches carried out designated public works projects, dispatching librarians and undertaking a recycling program for baby products.

The KWWAU has especially developed a one-stop service for the participants based on the results and experience of the Action Center for Women’s Unemployment. The one-stop system is a comprehensive welfare system concentrating on overcoming the obstacles of self-supporting efforts due to the unique life cycles of women and helps women to successfully adapt to the labor market on a step-by-step basis. The effectiveness of the system is clearly illustrated in the example below.

Case Study-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ms Kim, a member of the Bucheon Self-Supporting Center, was a conditional recipient of the National Basic Livelihood Security Act. She was a college dropout and young divorcee with no children. She lacked self-confidence and showed little enthusiasm for life and avoided meeting people.
At the Center, Ms Kim was advised to take part in skills training programs and was introduced to jobs with the purpose of overcoming the psychological, economic and social barriers as a woman householder. She was also encouraged to participate in conscious awareness programs to increase her self-esteem and also in club activities to find mental support. Ms Kim has now opened her own after-school program and is working as a full-time teacher. The services provided to Ms Kim by the Center were as follows:

● Skills Training
- Received three months’ training as a ‘reading teacher’.
- Participated in group counseling during training to achieve emotional stability and enhanced self-confidence.

● Introduction to worksites
- After training, worked briefly for an educational institute as a home-visiting writing teacher but left due to emotional stress.
- Worked as a dispatch teacher in an after-school program designated as a public works project by Bucheon city.
- Participated steadily and received education. After training, she has started her own study program with a colleague who had also participated as a dispatch teacher.

● Awareness education
- Participated in education & campaigns on achieving the rights of working women and became aware of how to lead more a more assertive life.

● Emotional Support/ Participation in Club Activities
- Participated as a dispatch teacher or meeting with similar teachers and sharing and exchanging information in the “after-school teachers’ club”.

◆ Flowchart of Services

                Counseling Registration                
Group Counseling                ò                Volunteer work
                Skills training(reading teacher)                
                               
Women awareness program                                Formation of networks
                ò                
                         
                After-school teacher (public work)                
Professional education                                Club activity
                               
                               
                ò               
                Opened after-schoolProgram (full-time teacher)                
                               
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Such work creation activities were carried out in all the 7 regional branches and were stimulated with the designation of the KWWAU as a self-supporting center by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. As a self-supporting center, the KWWAU operated programs to help the self-supporting efforts of welfare recipients as stipulated in the National Basic Livelihood Security System.

2) Campaign for Countering Policies, Research and Policy Recommendations

(1) Movement for Unemployment Registration
In June 1998 when the Action Center was inaugurated, the female unemployment rate in official statistics was much lower than the male unemployment, which resulted in public thinking that men’s unemployment was more urgent and worse, the unemployment was the problem only for male workers. But in reality the unemployment of women workers was far from the small problem. One of the reasons of the female’s low unemployment rate was related with the structure of labor market.  Most of women didn’t feel the necessity to register themselves in official centers for employ and government agencies; usually they tried to find jobs through their private network. And most women were irregular workers dismissed from small and petty workplaces with no employment insurance, so their dismissals made no records in the centers for employment. Also many women who were searching for jobs were new comers of labor market since the economic crisis with no records in the centers.
To reveal the hidden unemployment of women workers and publicize it as a social problem, the Action Center began nationwide movement to register in the centers for employment and other government agencies.
The movement for unemployment registration took the forms of publicity campaigns (Machang branch (MWWA), group registration usually after group counseling; Seoul branch (SWWA), advice for registration in counseling, etc.)
Unemployment registration did not influence government statistical data so much but it was noticed that women who registered at the Action Center also took the initiative in registering at government agencies and so the rate of registration at governmental offices increased. Furthermore, registration forms were written by non-governmental organizations and directly submitted to the local labor offices.

(2) Research, Publications and Debates
In 1998 a common survey on the monitoring of public employment centers and agencies, was undertaken by the headquarters and by Incheon, Gwangju, and Busan regions. Based on the results of the survey, public debates were held in three regions (Incheon, Gwangju, Busan). It was emphasized that women workers should not be marginalized in the labor market and the role of the existing “counter for potential humanpower” be strengthened to overcome unemployment. The need for a separate management system for women workers in all occupations was also pointed out. As for the role of employment agencies, it was emphasized that government agencies must play a central role with the cooperation of non-governmental organizations.
There were three public debates related to women’s unemployment in 1999 and in 2000. Representatives from the government, political parties, and academia were invited to publicize the reality faced by unemployed women workers and to pressurize the government into reflecting such issues in government policy. The debates were held during the celebrations of the first anniversary of the launching of the Action Center to evaluate the activities of the Action Center for the previous year and to put forward policy proposals for the following: to bring forth countermeasures for middle-aged unemployed women workers and for the reality faced by women college graduates and in their preparations for employment to overcome unemployment and the gender discrimination faced during looking out for jobs. Representatives of the Action Center also participated in debates held by the government, political parties and NGOs to voice the reality faced by unemployed women workers and called for measures to be reflected in government policy.
After the year 2000, activities were aggressively carried on matters related to the National Basic Livelihood Security System. Although not carried out on a large scale, a survey was undertaken calling for more flexibility regarding the criteria of recipients. An analysis of the living standards of 766 recipients was also carried out (2000). Action Center representatives participated in regional debates regarding problems related to the application of the National Basic Livelihood Security System and also actively undertook the role of advisors to local government bodies. In 2001, research into living conditions of people participating in self-support programs was carried out and publicized.
The headquarters and 7 regional branches of the KWWAU started using a common registration form and this made it easier to analyze the trends of employment and unemployment per month, to be used appropriately as materials for press releases or government policy recommendations when needed.

In the Regions-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Seoul branch (SWWA) also carried out a survey in Guro and its surrounding regions on the employment status and living conditions of 150 women householders. Results of the survey were published and the “Report on the living conditions of women householders” was also undertaken. A cultural event called “the Night for Dismissed Women Workers” was also organized.
The North Jolla branch (JWWA) also held a survey on the living conditions of dismissed workers and their efforts to find jobs and a debate was held to bring forth countermeasures on the issue.
The Incheon branch (IWWA) also published its findings regarding the counseling undertaken with unemployed women workers and monitoring of counseling in training institutes. An information booklet for women workers was released. A workshop for counselors and for people in training institutes, responsible for working with unemployed women was also organized.
The Ansan branch (AWWA) held a “Debate on Women’s Unemployment and for the Rehabilitation of Local Communities” and the Bucheon branch (BWWA) carried out a basic survey on the status of employment of married women workers (including dismissed women workers) and their demands that were later published. Furthermore this also led to the publication of the “Research on long term programs to overcome women’s unemployment – self-support programs.”
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(3) Campaigns & Policy Recommendations
The Action Center, together with the two major national centers of trade unions and the “University Students’ Alliance for Women’s Right to Work” as co-sponsors, worked hard to press for the rights of women workers and called for appropriate policy measures. With the start of the first rally on July 9 1998, 5 rallies were continuously held in front of the main office of the ruling party and National Assembly. As a result, some policy recommendations were reflected in the real policy-making process. In the regional branches, active campaigns calling for employment stability, job creation and measures for overcoming women workers’ unemployment were also carried out.
Research was also undertaken on the reality of women householders and calls were made for the policy changes as well as for the reform of the process of public work application and unemployment registration. Monitoring of public employment agencies was carried out and calls were made for policy changes in the strengthening of the functions of public employment agencies.
Policy recommendations on women’s unemployment were made at other relevant times. With the launching of the Action Center, a policy statement was released (calling for more public work creation, increase in social welfare personnel through the increase of women’s employment and priority employment opportunities for women in newly-created public works).  Also on the course of the activities the Action Center released on times many policy recommendations on unemployment registration (asking for unemployment registration received by NGOs to be submitted collectively to the local labor offices or local government offices) and on public works (calling for; simplification of papers proving the unemployment status of women workers in workplace with less than 5 workers, sub-contract work, unregistered enterprises, etc; increased opportunities for participation in public work, especially for women householders and for dismissed spouses who had low incomes; and priority employment for elderly married women) etc.. Other policy statements concerned employment of middle-aged women and the lowering of bank interest rates on loans for business openings for unemployed women workers.
From 1999, continuous recommendations were made on the proposals for women-specific self-support centers and these called for policy implementation of the establishment of a supporting organization for women-specific self-support works. The actual policies reflected many of the recommendations made by the Action Center.

3) Organizational Activities; mutual aid group
Of all the organizational activities initiated, the mutual aid groups of unemployed women remain the most important. First started in Incheon as a network for unemployed women workers from the monthly meetings, the mutual aid groups quickly spread to other regions. Membership was open to all unemployed women workers wishing to join the group and most of members joined the groups through the monthly meetings. Within the groups, women helped each other and worked together to come up with common and appropriate measures to overcome their problems. The names of mutual aid groups differed from region to region. Members of mutual aid groups were given priority in all projects organized by the Action Center.
The principle of the members of mutual aid groups lies in the belief that “I will help other women without work just as I have been helped once.” So some of groups have manes meaning to support each other. Members operated small group meetings such as meetings for unemployed women householders, public works monitoring meetings, meetings according to job-types, etc. Other activities were also carried out to help unemployed women and their families like “Solidarity Nights”, cultural festivals etc, to bring as many unemployed women together as possible.
In 1999 and in 2000, the one of most important activities pursued by the Action Center was the organization of mutual aid groups. Education programs like monthly meetings and group counseling were carried out actively. Education programs were also carried out for the purpose of creating an education program model for unemployed women workers. Owing to the continuous progress of programs for women householders, autonomous programs by women householders sprouted and membership increased. These members also participated actively in group-counseling sessions. Public confidence in the programs for women householders increased in the regions, leading to more visits to KWWAU offices by women householders.
Women householders who participated in regular monthly meetings received emotional support and membership in such meetings increased. The meetings also enhanced the desire of the women participants to help similar women facing difficulties. This spirit led to the growth of other independent small group meetings and spontaneous demands.
Mutual aid groups were loose and flexible but were critical in increasing the capacity of the women workers’ movements. These groups helped to enhance the participation of women workers in further organizational activities. Women in the groups became more socially aware and the Action Center became a stable organization with more human resources and more easily accessible to unemployed women workers.

In the Regions -------------------------------------------------------------------
In the case of the Ansan region, after undergoing group counseling, women created teams for opening cooperatives (clothing repairing group, 7 women; sewing group, 4 women) and carried out continuous research and participated in additional education programs to increase skill and opportunities for cooperatives’ openings. And also after receiving group counseling, 5 women underwent training as telemarketers and found work in that capacity except for one person who went into business. In the Ansan branch (AWWA), 15 women participated in the “Helpers’ Community” (dispatching helpers for house keeping) and in the lunchbox cooperative.
In the Incheon region, mutual aid groups of women householders (about 300 members) actively participated in self-support farms and as private helpers for the patients. In the Bucheon region, women participated in the helpers’ cooperative called “Durea Community” and also looked after children in after-school classes (public work). Women householders also participated in various group activities like poongmul (Korean traditional music of drumming) classes, hiking clubs etc. which have helped to increase the quality of life. In the Busan region, women householders formed a group called “Chamteo”(meaning a real and good place, 200 members) and carried out various activities. In other regions, groups according to age, interests and occupation were formed and all these activities helped to empower the members. Mutual aid groups carried out regular meetings once a month and published a newsletter.
Members of mutual aid groups participated actively in social issues such as signature campaigns calling for more employment measures, job-creation for long term unemployed people, more funding for public works as well as participating in debates on women’s unemployment, political campaigns, rallies, etc.
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4) Other Activities

(1)        Education for Counselors
The Action Center headquarters organized education and training programs for counselors working in regional branches. The purpose of the program was; developing and promoting the counselors and activists, as well as developing and spreading the programs for women workers. Each program has been carried out in the regions were adapted to meet regional demands.
The headquarters continued education on family counseling for the counselors to help unemployed women counter the worsening situation of unemployment and the breakup of families. Education was also carried out on to strengthen the role and attitudes of job counselors. In the Masan region, a model education program was undertaken to foster the growth of counselors to help unemployed women.
It is critical that counselors should provide not only information on jobs but also comprehensive information and psychological counseling. In the case of women over the age of 40 years, problems are more complex due to difficulty in re-employment due to old age, and conflict within family, mental trauma and poor health, which are mainly resulting from poverty. Accordingly, it is becoming more important that counselors understand the situations and conditions of unemployed women and receive more training to enhance their abilities to provide more in-depth counseling.
In addition to the education programs, the regular workshops for counselors were organized from May 1999. The workshops allowed counselors to exchange and share information and to discuss unemployment-related measures and the role of the Action Center. In metropolitan areas, counseling workshops were held once a month until early 2000. Analysis of counseling cases, regional program exchanges, additional education programs, etc. were undertaken in the regular workshops. A bi-annual counselors’ education program was also continued for greater co-ordination and more national level unity.

The national counselors’ meeting was organized in July 1999 to hold a policy discussion on the direction of the Action Center and in 2000, two meetings were held to begin a national evaluation on the projects undertaken, impending issues and direction of the Action Center, which were strengthening unity between the headquarters and the regions and increasing measures to counter government policies. In a meeting undertaken in the early half of 2000, counselors came to determination of an main focus of the activities and resolved to firmly support the main projects in the later half of the year. It was also agreed that the re-structuring of the Action Center be discussed in the later half of the year as the projects progressed. In the following meeting, in the latter half of the year, activities of 2000 were evaluated and project plans for 2001 were also discussed. In 2001, it was also resolved that the organizational capacity of autonomous groups be strengthened together with the ability to counter government policies and to further public relations.
This meeting brought together counselors who have been working separately at the main headquarters and in 8 regional branches and allowed counselors to share experiences and exchange information, providing the much needed feedback to the Action Center. Counselors were able to resolve problems in the group meetings and increase awareness on the issues of the movement of unemployed workers through lectures and discussions.

(2) Ways to Increase Volunteer Participation
Many people including university students, graduate students, office workers, home- makers, etc. – people from all aspects of life, volunteer themselves at the Action Center. Volunteers help out actively in various projects and hold regular monthly meetings.
In the main offices, university and graduate students volunteer themselves in finding new worksites, research work, telephone counseling, etc, and at the Seoul branch (SWWA), university student volunteers joined in the “Situational Survey of Women Householders” and were helpful in organizing the “Solidarity Night” events.
At the North Jolla branch, university students specializing in traditional Korean medicine participated in medical support counseling while at the Machang branch (MWWA), students volunteered for a whole day, helping with counseling and taking on a specific issue. At the Incheon branch (IWWA), monthly meetings of volunteers were held, stimulating participants in volunteer work.
Volunteers played a vital role in 1999 and 2000 and the valuable feedback from their work schedules added new energy to the activities of the Action Center.

(3) Publicity
Activities were carried out to publicize the reality and the pain of women’s unemployment and the projects of the Action Center. There were over 100 cases of press coverage on the activities of the Action Center such as its launching, medical support services, lectures for re-employment as well as on the research survey undertaken on dismissed women workers, on unfair cases concerning employment, on the urgency of women’s unemployment situation, on the measures concerning women’s unemployment, etc. There was also steady coverage of the Action Center in the regional media.
The Incheon branch (IWWA) wrote a regular column on unemployment and legal counseling in the local information newsletters. IWWA also produced two videos  (‘Instability and issues of women’s employment’, ‘The harsh struggle of unemployed women workers’). These videos were distributed for publicity on the situation of women workers.
In 1999 and 2000, the Action Center carried out various publicity campaigns to increase public awareness on the issue of women’s unemployment. Press releases were sent to the media at appropriate times to publicize the reality of dismissed women workers, job-seeking campaigns by women workers and other related activities. Such efforts have led to an increase in job opportunities for women workers.
Public campaigns were also undertaken for the proper implementation of the National Basic Livelihood Security System and calls were made for government measures to counter the problem of long-term unemployed people. A more realistic implementation of the National Basic Livelihood Security System was called for. More than 60 women workers participated in the national rally opposing the downsizing of the public works projects and called for measures to help middle-aged women and long-term unemployed people. Women also participated in the anti-ASEM rally, voicing their dissent over unemployment issues.

(4) Computer Networking

▶ Development and Distribution of Job-seekers --  Data-Base Management Program and Education
Providing job opportunities for unemployed women remain the top priority of the Action Center. The need for an efficient method to satisfy both job-providers and job seekers was realized and various computer information programs were established to deal with the problem.
A simple and easily amendable database program based on MS ACCESS was set up in consideration of the computer environment in the regional branches and the ever-changing statistical data to be updated. The program induced an effective database management of job seekers and provided accurate information on the monthly survey undertaken on unemployed women workers.
Education sessions on the use of the DB program and the management of data were also held. Counselors of the Action Center also participated in these. Contents of the sessions were also published in the additional educational pamphlets.

▶ “Working Women’s Network” Opens on Website ( at Chollian and NETSGO)
Furthermore, a “Working Women’s Network” has been opened, providing direct and necessary information and counseling on website. The website is divided into a counseling part and an information part. The counseling part provides counseling on jobs and “Hotline for Equality” counseling as well. The information part consists of job information, case studies on employment instability and employment-related news.
The website guarantees confirmed job information and professional counseling by trained counselors. There is no charge involved and the website is open to all and is easily accessible.

3. Results of the Activities of the Action Center
1) Support Programs for Unemployed Women Workers
The most obvious consequence of the activities carried out by the Action Center lies in the fact that the suffering of unemployed women workers has been somewhat lessened. Many women workers have received help and direct working opportunities through programs such as job counseling, introduction to job opportunities and job information, job training, regular meetings, various types of education, life support, medical support, introduction to public works projects, etc. A woman who has found work as a dispatch teacher in an after-school program through the Incheon branch (IWWA) is a clear illustration of how active the Action Center has been. Her husband had lost his job and the family of five (three children) had been at its wits’ end. She had never expected to find work, as she had no special skills. But with the help of the IWWA, she was able to make a fresh start. Also the programs helped women, who had felt distress and suffered from desperation, get empowerment.

2) Organization of Unemployed Women
Another major consequence is the increase in the organizational capacity of women workers. The difficulty of organizing remains a big obstacle in the movements of unemployed women workers even in the West. Organizing women workers is considered one of the biggest results of the Action Center. The women were able to share and overcome their feelings of desperation through common efforts. They were also able to voice their demands and attract the attention of the media on the issues of women workers’ unemployment. Also all these activities influenced the attitudes of the press that had been concentrating only on the unemployment of male workers, which pushed the government to make measures for women.

3) Policy Recommendations
The policies recommended by the Action Center and implemented by the government are as follows:

▶ Extension of Employment Insurance to Part-time and Temporary Workers in Worksites with Less than 5 People
Employment insurance was only applied to workers in worksites with more than 5 people.  Sixty-seven percent of women workers work in places employing less than 5 workers and 60% of these women are in irregular work, meaning that most women workers are without any employment insurance benefits. The Action Center has continuously demanded the extension of employment insurance to more people and on 5th October 1998 the employment insurance benefits were extended to include workers in worksites with less than 5 people and also to part-time and temporary workers.

▶ Possible to Directly Submit Unemployment Registration
The Action Center has also made it possible for women workers to directly submit unemployment registration to non-governmental offices. This unemployment registration movement revealed the hidden facts behind women’s unemployment. The registration forms were directly submitted by the Action Center to the local labor offices. This allowed unemployed women to become more pro-active in registering themselves as unemployed workers.

▶  Introduction of Special Measures for Unemployed Women Workers
Dismissal from work and unemployment due to the economic crisis greatly affected the Korean people, especially women householders who were the chief breadwinners in the family. Most of the women were without any special skills or higher education and so there was little opportunity for re-employment. The Action Center publicized the problem of these unemployed women householders and worked for the implementation of special measures by the government for women householders.
The incentive system for employing women householders gives support (from the employment insurance) for employers who employ women householders. Half of the wages of the women householders were reimbursed for 6 months by the government. Special skills training programs for women householders were also held. Women were given a monthly training fee of 300,000 to 400,000 won (about 250 to 333 USD) to lessen the burden of living expenses. Women householders wishing to open businesses were given loans up to 50 million won (about 41,667 USD) for renting premises to start their own businesses. Also, measures were implemented to allow women to have priority in employment in public works projects.

▶ Extension of Public Works for Women Workers
From May 1998, in order to absorb the increasing number of unemployed people, public works projects were undertaken as a limited employment measure. The projects were started not as a non-conditional life support measure but as a measure by the government for creating jobs in social sector. However, early public works such as environmental maintenance or taking care of woods were often too hard for women workers. The problem was raised continuously by the Action Center and welfare-type work was extended to women workers. This included working as caregivers for children or patients from low-income families, and helpers to social workers and as teachers in after-school programs for children.
At the present moment, in 2002, unemployment is not a big social issue in South Korea. Instead, poverty has become a major issue. With the lessening of unemployment, temporary and irregular work has risen, increasing the gab between the rich and the poor. As in other countries in the world, women are most affected by poverty. Two out of every three women are in irregular employment.
Faced with such a reality, the Action Center for Women’s Unemployment took one step forward and started concentrating on activities regarding women’s poverty. In the year 2001, the Action Center was designated by the government as Self-Supporting Projects Center and worked to create work for women who have been socially left out of the labor market and to help them to become independent. Our activities will be transformed to meet the changing needs and requirements but our aim will remain permanent. The Action Center will work to represent the voices of women workers and to change the world based on the demands of women.