The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 was issued June 12 by the World Economic Forum. It shows levels of gender parity between men and women, indicating accomplishment levels across the nations worldwide. The said Forum compiles a report annually. Japan ranks the 118th out of the 146 economies covered. The situation is far from full gender parity.
LET’S RAISE LOUD VOICES, WHY?
The global gender gap index benchmarks the current state of gender parity across four key dimensions, which are of economy, education, health and politics. A report is called the Global Gender Gap Report, which provides indexes in scores and ranks of each of the countries surveyed. It is one of the marks to scale gender parity of each nation.
The samples are collected from the 146 countries, of which Iceland ranks the first, keeping the position for 15 consecutive years, Finland ranking the second and Norway remaining the third. Top grades are occupied by the northern European countries.
Concerning Japan, she scored last year the 125th out of 146 countries in the ranking, marking the lowest order since 2006 when the project was launched. This year she made a little progress, surpassing seven countries. Among the G7, however, Japan stays in the bottom. Of the OECD’s 38 countries, and, in the Asia-Pacific region, she has a record of the second-worst. That is dishonorable
The survey began in 2006 and this year sees the 18th round of examination. Japan ranked the 80th in 2006, speedily left behind the countries which had actively committed in closing the gaps.
Delays in the dimensions of economy and politics
Subindexes, or the said four main components, have several items for scrutiny. Japan ranks the 58th in the sector of Health, in which a birth ratio of boys and girls and a life span of men and women are measured (last year staying in the rank of 59th). In the Education sector she has a score of 72nd place in terms of the school enrollment rates in the elementary, secondary and higher institutions (last year the 47th position).
In the Economy sector, Japan is at the 120th in the order, when examined are labor force ratios, wage gaps, income gaps, and ratios of leadership positions of women and their occupation rates in professional and higher technological expertise (last year the 123rd in the ranking). As for the ratio of leadership potions, Japan is in the 130th place, which was the 133rd last year, which shows advance, but, as for the wage gaps, her rank has fallen from the 75th down to the 83rd.
Concerning Politics, the country stands at the 113rd in the ranking going up from the last record of 138th, showing a little progress, when the numbers of females in the parliaments and the Cabinets and the terms of service as Head of State in the past 50 years are concerned. Last September the Kishida government altered the Cabinet members in which five women were nominated as ministers. This fact has worked to heighten the Japan’s ranking in the domain in politics, which has led to the higher grade as a whole.
When looking at the Vice Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, who are to succeed incumbent leaders, all of them are male officials. This year the record is better, but it may not be kept well in the next edition of examination.
A TV drama ‘Wings to Tiger’
Currently the TV station NHK presents every morning on air a drama which portrays the Japan’s first female lawyer and judge as heroine. The title is Wings to Tiger, attracting passionate female viewers. The Constitution of Japan has pledged gender equality to Japanese women, but still many of them feel uncomfortable in their daily life; consciousness of feudal bondage in the family hierarchy set by the previous constitution over 100 years ago and the realities of men-first society. Popularity of the drama reflects the gaps today.
As the heroine of TV drama, we need ask ourselves ‘why?’, raising loud voices.
世界経済フォーラムが毎年公表している世界各国の男女平等の達成度を示すジェンダーギャップ指数。６月12日に発表された24年版で日本は１４６カ国中１１８位と男女平等にはほど遠い。
ジェンダーギャップ指数とは、経済、教育、健康、政治の４分野で各国の統計を基に男女格差の現状を評価し、「世界男女格差報告書」として国毎の指数と順位を発表しているもので、各国の男女格差を測る指標の一つ。
調査対象１４６カ国のうち、１位は15年連続でアイスランド、２位がフィンランド、３位がノルウェーと北欧諸国が上位を占める。
日本は昨年の１４６カ国中１２５位という過去最低の順位から７位上げたものの、Ｇ７で最下位、ＯＥＣＤ38カ国でもワースト２、東アジア・太平洋地域でもワースト２という不名誉な結果だ。
調査は06年から始まり今回で18回目だが、06年に80位だった日本の順位は、男女平等施策を積極的に進めている国々にどんどん追い抜かれている。
経済と政治の遅れ
分野毎の指数を評価するための項目があり、「健康」は出生時の性比率と健康寿命の男女比で評価され、58位（前年59位）。「教育」は識字率、初等・中等・高等教育の就学率で72位（47位）。
「経済」は労働力比率、賃金格差、所得格差、管理職比率、専門・技術職比率で決められ１２０位（１２３位）。管理職比率が１３３位から１３０位へと少し上がっているものの、賃金格差は75位から83位へと後退している。
「政治」は、女性国会議員比率、女性閣僚比率、最近50年の女性元首在任年数で測られ、１１３位（１３８位）と少し改善したように見える。23年９月の内閣改造で女性閣僚が過去最多の５人になったことで順位を上げ、これが総合順位も押し上げている。
しかし、調査項目に含まれていない次世代の閣僚を養成するポストと言われる副大臣、政務官が全員男性であり、一時的に今回順位を上げても次回はと懸念せざるを得ない。
「虎に翼」への共感
女性初の弁護士・裁判官となった人物をモデルにしたＮＨＫの朝ドラ「虎に翼」が多くの女性たちの共感を呼んでいる。日本国憲法で平等を手にしたはずの女性たちが今なお明治民法下の「イエ意識」や「男社会」に生きづらさを感じていることへの現れであろう。ドラマの主人公のように「はて？」と思うことに、しっかり声を上げよう。
英訳版↓
No. 1363 Japan Ranks 118th of 146 Countries
The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 was issued June 12 by the World Economic Forum. It shows levels of gender parity between men and women, indicating accomplishment levels across the nations worldwide. The said Forum compiles a report annually. Japan ranks the 118th out of the 146 economies covered. The situation is far from full gender parity.
LET’S RAISE LOUD VOICES, WHY?
The global gender gap index benchmarks the current state of gender parity across four key dimensions, which are of economy, education, health and politics. A report is called the Global Gender Gap Report, which provides indexes in scores and ranks of each of the countries surveyed. It is one of the marks to scale gender parity of each nation.
The samples are collected from the 146 countries, of which Iceland ranks the first, keeping the position for 15 consecutive years, Finland ranking the second and Norway remaining the third. Top grades are occupied by the northern European countries.
Concerning Japan, she scored last year the 125th out of 146 countries in the ranking, marking the lowest order since 2006 when the project was launched. This year she made a little progress, surpassing seven countries. Among the G7, however, Japan stays in the bottom. Of the OECD’s 38 countries, and, in the Asia-Pacific region, she has a record of the second-worst. That is dishonorable
The survey began in 2006 and this year sees the 18th round of examination. Japan ranked the 80th in 2006, speedily left behind the countries which had actively committed in closing the gaps.
Delays in the dimensions of economy and politics
Subindexes, or the said four main components, have several items for scrutiny. Japan ranks the 58th in the sector of Health, in which a birth ratio of boys and girls and a life span of men and women are measured (last year staying in the rank of 59th). In the Education sector she has a score of 72nd place in terms of the school enrollment rates in the elementary, secondary and higher institutions (last year the 47th position).
In the Economy sector, Japan is at the 120th in the order, when examined are labor force ratios, wage gaps, income gaps, and ratios of leadership positions of women and their occupation rates in professional and higher technological expertise (last year the 123rd in the ranking). As for the ratio of leadership potions, Japan is in the 130th place, which was the 133rd last year, which shows advance, but, as for the wage gaps, her rank has fallen from the 75th down to the 83rd.
Concerning Politics, the country stands at the 113rd in the ranking going up from the last record of 138th, showing a little progress, when the numbers of females in the parliaments and the Cabinets and the terms of service as Head of State in the past 50 years are concerned. Last September the Kishida government altered the Cabinet members in which five women were nominated as ministers. This fact has worked to heighten the Japan’s ranking in the domain in politics, which has led to the higher grade as a whole.
When looking at the Vice Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, who are to succeed incumbent leaders, all of them are male officials. This year the record is better, but it may not be kept well in the next edition of examination.
A TV drama ‘Wings to Tiger’
Currently the TV station NHK presents every morning on air a drama which portrays the Japan’s first female lawyer and judge as heroine. The title is Wings to Tiger, attracting passionate female viewers. The Constitution of Japan has pledged gender equality to Japanese women, but still many of them feel uncomfortable in their daily life; consciousness of feudal bondage in the family hierarchy set by the previous constitution over 100 years ago and the realities of men-first society. Popularity of the drama reflects the gaps today.
As the heroine of TV drama, we need ask ourselves ‘why?’, raising loud voices.
July 17, 2024