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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
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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

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