Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T16:05:38.032Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gender mainstreaming childcare policy: barriers in a Confucian welfare society

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2020

Lai Ching Leung
Lai Ching Leung*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue Hong Kong
*
*Email: sslc@cityu.edu.hk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper examines the extent to which the influence of Confucianism on the welfare of women erects barriers to the gender mainstreaming (GM) of childcare policy in Hong Kong. GM is a global strategy adopted by the Beijing World Conference on Women in 1995. Adopting a context-sensitive approach in understanding the translation of the international concept of GM in the policy formation and practice in Hong Kong, we find that the Confucian welfare model has profound impact on women's welfare and the effectiveness of GM in Hong Kong. First, childcare support for the family is far from adequate due to the perception of childcare as the individual family's responsibility rather than as a citizen right. Second, the gender-neutral discourse commonly accepted by the policy-makers in Hong Kong reflects the inadequate gender-sensitivity training of government officials. Third, GM has been “watered down” as a technical tool instead of transforming gender inequality in the society.

Keywords

gender mainstreamingchildcare policyConfucian welfareHong Kong
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy , Volume 30 , Issue 1: Gender justice and global policy paradigms , February 2014 , pp. 41 - 52
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 Taylor & Francis

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association for the Advancement of Feminism. (2001). Gender mainstreaming: A new milestone for women’s development. Hong Kong: Association for the Advancement of Feminism.Google Scholar
Booth, C., & Bennett, C. (2002). Gender mainstreaming in the European union: Towards a new conception and practice of equal opportunities? The European Journal of Women’s Studies, 9(4), 430–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryson, V. (1999). The family and paid employment. In Feminist debates: Issues of theory and political practice (pp. 123–47). New York: New York University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Census and Statistics Department. (2003). Thematic Household Survey (Report No. 14). Hong Kong: Hong Kong SAR Government Printer.Google Scholar
Census and Statistics Department. (2011a). Women and men in Hong Kong: Key statistics. Hong Kong: Hong Kong SAR Government Printer.Google Scholar
Census and Statistics Department. (2011b). Thematic report: Household income distribution in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong SAR Government Printer.Google Scholar
Census and Statistics Department. (2012). Thematic report: Household income distribution in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong SAR Government Printer.Google Scholar
Chan, K. W., & Lee, J. (2010). Rethinking the social development approach in the context of East Asian social welfare. China Journal of Social Work, 3(1), 19–33.Google Scholar
Chan, K. W., & Leung, L. C. (2011). Perception and responses to employment risks of workers in Hong Kong. Sozialer Fortschritt: German Review of Social Policy, 60(3), 50–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chan, S. H., & Leung, L. C. (2007). Women's movement: New framework, new strategies, new direction in postcolonial Hong Kong. In Wu, R. (Ed.), ‘One country, two systems’ – a ten-year experiment and beyond (pp. 89–104). Hong Kong: Hong Kong Christian Institute.Google Scholar
Chau, R., & Yu, W. K. (2005). Is welfare unAsian? InWalker, Alan & Wong, Chack-kie (Eds.), East Asian welfare regimes in transition (pp. 21–45). Bristol: The Policy Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheung, F., & Chung, P. (2009). Central mechanism: The equal opportunities commission and the women's commission. In Cheung, F. & Holroyd, E. (Eds.), Mainstreaming gender in Hong Kong society (pp. 369–400). Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.Google Scholar
Chiu, S., & Wong, V. (2005). Hong Kong: From familistic to Confucian welfare. In Walker, Alan & Wong, Chack-kie (Eds.), East Asian welfare regimes in transition (pp. 73–93). Bristol: Policy Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Council of Europe. (1998). Gender mainstreaming: Conceptual framework methodology and presentation of good practices. (EG-S-MS (98) 2 rev). Council of Europe.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Equal Opportunities Commission. (1997). A baseline survey of equal opportunities on the basis of gender in Hong Kong, 1996–1997. Hong Kong: Equal Opportunities Commission.Google Scholar
European Communities. (2008). Manual for gender mainstreaming: Employment, social inclusion and social protection policies. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the Europe Communities.Google Scholar
Giannarelli, L.Adelman, S., & Schmidt, S. (2003). Getting help with child care expenses. The Urban Institute. Retrieved from http://www.factsinaction.org/quickfacts/qfapr03.htmGoogle Scholar
Gough, I. (2003). Welfare regimes in East Asia and Europe compared. In Marshall, K. & Butzbach, O. (Eds.), New social policy agendas for Europe and Asia: Challenges, experience, and lessons (pp. 27–44). Washington, DC: The World Bank.Google Scholar
Hafner-Burton, E., & Pollack, M. (2002). Mainstreaming gender in global governance. European Journal of International Relations, 8(3), 339–74. doi: 10.1177/1354066102008003002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hong Kong Government. (1965). Aims and policy for social welfare in Hong Kong: A white paper. Hong Kong: Government Printer.Google Scholar
Jenson, J. (2009). Lost in translation: The social investment perspective and gender equality. Social Politics, 16(4), 446–483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, C. (1992). The Pacific challenges: Confucian welfare states. In Jones, C. (Ed.), New perspectives on the welfare state in Europe (pp. 198–217). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Keithley, J., & Hattery, A. (2002). Women, work and family: Balancing and weaving. Journal of Social Policy, 31(1), 151–85. doi: 10.1017/S0047279402266635Google Scholar
Kuhlmann, E., & Annandale, E. (2012). Mainstreaming gender into healthcare: A scoping exercise into policy transfer in England and Germany. Current Sociology, 60, 551–568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Labour and Health Bureau. (2004). Second report of the Hong Kong special administrative region of the People's Republic of China under the United Nations, convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. Hong Kong: Government Logistics Department.Google Scholar
Labour and Welfare Bureau. (2012). Third report of the Hong Kong special administrative region of the People's Republic of China under the United Nations, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Hong Kong: Government Logistics Department.Google Scholar
Legislative Council Secretariat. (2013). Background brief prepared by the Legislative Council Secretariat for the meeting on 25 January 2013, Legislating for paternity leave. (LC Paper No. CB(2)515/12-13(04)). Retrieved from http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr12-13/english/panels/mp/papers/mp0125cb2-515-4-e.pdfGoogle Scholar
Lendvai, N., & Stubbs, P. (2007). Policies as translation: Situating trans-national social policies. In Hodgson, S. & Irving, Z. (Eds.), Policy reconsidered: Meanings, politics and practices (pp. 173–189). Bristol: Policy Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leung, L. C. (2014). Confucian welfare: A barrier to gender mainstreaming domestic violence policy in Hong Kong. In Sung, Sirin & Pascall, Gillian (Eds.), Gender in East Asian welfare states: Confucianism or gender equality? (pp. 114–136). Hampshire: Palgrave Publishers.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lin, K., & Rantalaiho, M. (2003). Family policy and social order – comparing the dynamics of family policy-making in Scandinavia and Confucian Asia. International Social Welfare, 12, 2–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lush, L., Walt, G. & Ogden, J. (2003). Transferring policies for treating sexually transmitted infections: What's wrong with global guidelines? Health Policy and Planning, 18(1), 18–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mukopadhyay, M. (2004). Mainstreaming gender or “streaming” gender away: Feminists marooned in the development business. IDS Bulletin, 35(4), 95–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ngo, H. Y., & Pun, N. (2009). Gender, work and employment in the “global condition”. In Cheung, F. & Holroyd, E. (Eds.), Mainstreaming gender in Hong Kong Society (pp. 49–80). Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.Google Scholar
Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement (OSAGI). (2001). Supporting gender mainstreaming. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/report.pdf.Google Scholar
Pascall, G., & Lewis, J. (2004). Emerging gender regimes and policies for gender equality in a wider Europe. Journal of Social Policy, 33(3), 373–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perrons, D. (2005). Gender mainstreaming and gender equality in the new market economy: An analysis of contradictions. Social Politics, 12(3), 389–411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saunder, P. (1996). Social policy in East Asia and the pacific area in the twenty-first century: Challenges and responses (SPRC Discussion Paper No. 74). Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales.Google Scholar
Social Welfare Department. (2009). Child care services. Paper submitted to the Women's Commission, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Social Welfare Department. (2013). Various types of childcare services in different district, April 2012–March 2013. Hong Kong: Social Welfare Department.Google Scholar
Stratigaki, M. (2005). Gender mainstreaming vs. positive action: An ongoing conflict in EU gender equality policy. European Journal of Women’s Studies, 12(2), 165–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
The Guardian. (2012). Child care costs: How the UK Compares with the World. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/may/21/child-care-costs-compared-britainGoogle Scholar
United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, National Machineries for Gender Equality. Report of the Expert Group Meeting, Santiago, Chile, 31-August-4 September 1998, para (18, UN Doc E/Cn.6/1999). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/new/news/natlmach.htmGoogle Scholar
Verloo, M. (2001). Another velvet revolution? Gender mainstreaming and the politics of implementation (IWM Working Paper no. 5/2001). Vienna: IWM.Google Scholar
Walker, A., & Wong, C. K. (2005). Introduction: East Asian welfare regimes. In Walker, Alan & Wong, Chack-kie (Eds.), East Asian welfare regimes in transition (pp. 3–20). Bristol: Policy Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, G., & Goodman, R. (1998). Welfare orientalism and the search for an East Asian welfare model. In Goodman, R., White, G., & Kwon, H. J. (Eds.), The East Asian welfare model: Welfare orientalism and the state (pp. 3–24). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Williams, J. (2000). Unbending gender: Why family and work conflict and what to do about it. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Working Group on Review of the REVS. (2010). Report on review of the pre-primary education voucher scheme. Hong Kong: Education Commission.Google Scholar
Women's Commission. (2006). Gender mainstreaming: Hong Kong experience. Hong Kong: Women's Commission Secretariat, Health, Welfare and Food Bureau.Google Scholar
Women's Commission. (2011). What do women and men in Hong Kong think about the status of women at home, Work and in Social Environments? Survey Findings. Hong Kong: Women's Commission.Google Scholar