Japan 91st in Gender Equality!!!!

chachava · (#1 (**permalink**))

GENEVA — Japan ranks 91st in terms of gender equality among the world's 128 countries, slipping 11 ranks from a year ago, according to the latest annual report released by Swiss-based think tank World Economic Forum on Thursday. The survey was enlarged to cover 13 more nations than a year ago, seven of which, including Cuba and Vietnam, finished above Japan.

The statistics reflect the gaps women face in economic participation and opportunities, educational attainments, and health, as well as the degree of their political empowerment. Japan placed 37th in health and 69th in education. It fared much more poorly in other fields, finishing 97th in economic opportunities and 94th in political empowerment. Three Scandinavian countries stayed in the top slots, with Sweden again topping the rankings, followed by Norway and Finland.

Oh dear.....

Acidreptile · (#2 (**permalink**))

I already knew that Japan had too much discrimination against women but it is probably even more than I tought.I only hope that women there do what women did at the rest of the world and begin to conquer space there.

PS:What's with the scandinavian countries?They lead all those rankings.0_0.

chachava · (#3 (**permalink**))

tbh, I don't think it is a completely fair representation of japan... a lot of women here (most?) are housewives so it is pretty obvious they won't have jobs

The chances are there if they want them - my g/f has a damn good job at IBM in Tokyo because she worked hard to get it!

Nyororin · (#4 (**permalink**))

I never take these things seriously as they don`t take cultural norms into account at all. They usually just look at the figures - if there are fewer women than men working, it`s considered gender inequality... Regardless of whether those women WANT to be working. The assumption is that they must, therefore if they are not they`re being oppressed (which couldn`t be farther from the truth for all the non-working women I know here.)

Japan obviously isn`t perfect, but a determined woman really wouldn`t have too much trouble reaching a high position. The thing is, a lot (dare I say most?) women here don`t want that responsibility. They want to be able to quit on a whim when they get married or have children.

A funny note - In Japan, the fact that fewer women are currently working is considered a sign that the economy is recovering. Why? Because more families can afford to have the mother stay at home. In most cases, working mothers are working out of necessity - not choice. When given a choice (in the case that the husband is making enough to support the household alone) most women will choose to stay at home.

Ito · (#5 (**permalink**))

yeah! sweden at top.. but bad for japan i hoped they had it better there..

Acidreptile · (#6 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ito

yeah! sweden at top.. but bad for japan i hoped they had it better there..

Sweden=Perfect?

Ito · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acidreptile

Sweden=Perfect?

nothing is perfect... even though we have it mutch better then other countries but we still want to get even more better..many hope that later we will have a female partiledare that repricent sweden. hugs ito

Suki · (#8 (**permalink**))

Pft. And what do you expect from a country where women have to walk one step behind their husband when walking on the street? And before you break my statement down, I know it's not always the case, but it does happen in full XXI century.

Ito · (#9 (**permalink**))

in sweden woman do not need to have children if they dont want too. if they decide to have children they can start working when children starts kindergarden.. school is free in sweden becouse off the taxes. now the politics are trying to make more men to stay home and take care off the children.
the bad thing when it comes to divorce its more likley for the woman to get full costady of children, then for a man. in sweden is also more woman that goes to university then men.
Hugs Ito

Nyororin · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suki

Pft. And what do you expect from a country where women have to walk one step behind their husband when walking on the street? And before you break my statement down, I know it's not always the case, but it does happen in full XXI century.

Wow. And what part of Japan does this happen in? Because I know I sure haven`t seen it in anything other than formal ceremonies. There is seriously NO ONE I can think of who would consider that a normal rule of life. I`m willing to bet that you`ve never been to Japan, and have never seen normal couples walking around. Because I see FAR FAR more women pulling their men about.

Oh, wait! I walk a step behind my husband because he usually knows where we`re going and I don`t. Guess I`m being oppressed, huh? Maybe I should just walk blindly in front of him even when I don`t know the way so that we can get lost more often.

There is more perceived discrimination than real discrimination. Just because the things done are not the *same* as the way they`re done in other countries doesn`t mean it is discrimination. It could, you know, just be differences in culture. I love it how people assume that if a woman does something that doesn`t put herself on top that it must be because a man is making sure she doesn`t. No offense, but women are capable of making their own choices, and sometimes those choices aren`t of the "feminist" variety.