여성빈곤의 실태와 극복방안 - 도시 저소득층 여성을 중심으로

A Study of the Present Situation of Women's Poverty and Its Solution - With Special Reference to Underprivileged Women in Urban Areas -

Since the 1960's, the rapid industrialization of Korea has been propelled full-scale by a handful of big business groups and export-oriented trade, which has resulted in external and quantitative economic growth, but has also produced problems of poverty arising out of the unequal distribution of wealth. Industrialization led to impoverishment in rural areas and stimulated migration by the rural population to urban areas, who were marginalized, excluded from public sectors of labor market and led lives of poverty. In this context, a number of young Korean women were employed in the industrial sector as low waged and unskilled laborers to support their families. Women workers from poor families had to participate in economic activities from their youth in order to avoid "absolute poverty" and they grew up with economic, cultural, and educational limitations. After marriage, they still played crucial roles to maintain their poor families by taking charge of whole family subsistence, and/or trying to generate family income through part-time jobs. However, up to the present, academic concerns as well as governmental support for the underprivileged women have been limited. This study was started with this critical factor of women's role in urban poor families in mind. It examines the women's conditions and how they can actively overcome their poverty, so as to lead qualitatively better lives, particularly through organizational activities. This paper, in the first place, surveys theories and research results on issues of poverty and various anti-poverty measures adopted by foreign countries such as U.K., USA, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore. Issues such as "feminization of poverty" and the "culture of poverty" are also discussed. Furthermore, existing research on poverty, including women's poverty in Korea, were examined to identify problems which have not been conceptualized so far. General living conditions of the poor were surveyed with emphasis on their unstable living conditions. Socio-economic and sexual discrimination were discussed in connection with the lives of underprivilged women. Alternatives were sought to solve the poverty problem. Women's organizations that have spontaneously formed in underprivileged areas and their communal economic activities were examined. The latter especially have turned out to be rewarding for those women who have only limited economic opportunities. It was not only helpful to them to generate income for their families, but also to realize the value of their labor, while having the pleasant experience of working together. Futhermore, through organizational activities, their communal consciousness and self-consciousness as women was promoted and their familial relationships were also altered for the better. Women could thus acquire self-confidence and become psychologically self-reliant members of their organization. These results show us that women's organizations, especially those established in poor areas, are significant for the members, because they work as self-help groups preventing them from falling into pauperism in a situation where a relevant social welfare system is absent. Lastly, vocational training programs and the rehabilitation funding system were examined and alternatives for re-vitalizing communal activities for women's organizations in poor communities were suggested as follows: Firstly, various communal economic activities, based on diverse aspects of women's lives, are needed. In doing so, Government should endeavor to construct a network between underprivileged women's organizations including their communal economic activity groups and "small and poor enterprises" which may employ them as well as provide workplaces for their communal activities. Also financial support by the Government, such as a rehabilitation fund which will be crucial for successfully implementing their small scale communal economic activities and/or loans in the long-term