[No.2] KWWA's Activity Plans & Major Tasks in 2008

	KWWA's Activity Plans & Major Tasks in 2008
	Since the Korean economic crisis in 1997 the words such as globalization, social polarization, working poor people, irregular workers have often been heard in the Korean society. We are living in the tough society where 'economic growth cannot tackle unemployment', 'employment cannot solve poverty' nor 'people cannot overcome the big gaps between regular workers and irregular workers, large-sized companies and very small companies, rich people and poor people, students studying very well and those who have poor scores.' The great majority of women lead a very hard life, but they cannot be linked to the labor movement which usually aims to guarantee lifelong jobs and welfare in the workplace, regular workers, and family wages, which are far from irregular women workers' demands. In order to improve conditions for women workers, there should be affirmative attempts to empower 'women workers, so that they can weave their hopes'. Various forms of movements should be applied to women workers' movement in order to 'introduce fair wages and social securities as means of overcoming the boundary of companies' and 'creating alternative living.' (quoted from The Evaluation of KWWA for 20 Years). more>>
	Single parent families, fly high with the wings of hope! - Outcomes of women single parent families care services -
	Between March 2007 and February 2008, KWWA had supported child care services, house care services, and temporary nursery system in hospital (so-called hospis system) in order that KWWA can help women single parents look for their jobs and can enhance their health and emotional peace. A Korean broadcast station as a social contribution activity financed this project through the Korea Foundation for Women and KWWA and Korean Women’s Associations United carried out the project. Especially KWWA's regional branch organizations in Seoul, Incheon, Pucheon, Ansan and Suwon Women's Organization conducted the specific project. These women's organizations provided care services for 195 families per month and about 2000 families a year, as means of providing single parent families economic and emotional support. more>>
	Women workers' situations through counseling analysis conducted by Hotline for Equality in 2007
	Hotlines for Equality (sited in 8 regions including Seoul, Incheon, Pucheon, Ansan, Masan & Changwon, North Cholla province, kwangju and Pusan) annexed to KWWA, received the total number of 2,353 cases related to female labor in 2007, (except re-counseling and male counseling). If we look at the characteristics of women workers who had counseling with Hotlines for Equality, 74.1% are married and 40.1% are over 40 years old, which means the great majority are middle aged married women. In addition, 62.1% work at very small companies with less than 30 employees and 44.1% are irregular workers. In terms of contents about counseling, working conditions such as wage delays and unfair dismissals accounted for 62.3% out of the total counseling in 2007, which was the highest percentage, maternity leave 14.1%, sexual harassment at workplace 11.1%, and gender discrimination 7.0%. In the case of changes in the contents about counseling for these 3 years, working conditions related counseling which accounted for 54.9% in 2006, increased dramatically in 2007, but counseling regarding gender discrimination, sexual harassment, maternity leaves, verbal and physical violences decreased a little bit. This shows that working condition related counseling increased due to worsening working conditions for women workers, caused by deepening social polarization and flexibility in the labor market. more>>