Mayor Yum Tae-young: "Decentralization and Gender Equality Are Core Values of Democracy"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon Mayor Yum Tae-young emphasized that "decentralization and gender equality are core values of democracy in that they restructure the existing unequal power relationships."

At a special lecture held on the 23rd at the Gyeonggi Province Council Grand Conference Hall during the "2020 Gyeonggi Province Council Women Legislators Workshop," Mayor Yum stated, "When we think of decentralization in connection with gender equality, we can see that it aims toward the same future of democracy."

In a lecture titled "The Era of Local Decentralization and Women," Mayor Yum pointed out that "there is a fixed perception that while the central government and local governments are simply different units of government, the center is viewed as the focus, upper level, and standard, while local areas are viewed as peripheral, lower level, and non-standard. When we examine the structure of this way of thinking, both 'patriarchy,' which creates hierarchies between the central government and men and women, and the operation of power have the same mechanism."

He continued, "A gender-aware local decentralization government is a gender equality government where women's representation is realized," and predicted that "if gender-aware local decentralization is not achieved, the innovation of the 'New Normal' will regress." The 'New Normal' refers to emerging standards that arise anew according to the times.

Mayor Yum also said, "Looking at the response to COVID-19, local governments are the entities that have systematically implemented various innovative policies so that citizens can feel safety. Similarly, gender power relationships will become the driving force of a future society where women's challenges in shaping the 'New Normal' change existing power relationships."

He continued, "What I think of as decentralization is readjusting the central government's inefficient and interventionist administration in an equitable manner. From a gender equality perspective, we must also innovate male-centered systems and fixed perceptions to change gender power relationships in a more equitable way."

Twenty-seven women legislators attended the Gyeonggi Province Council Women Legislators Workshop that day. Suwon Mayor Yum Tae-young and Legislator Baek Hye-ryeon (Suwon District B) delivered special lectures.