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SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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KEB Hana
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members only
Seoul International Women’s Association S606, Heyground 5 Ttukseom-ro 1na-gil Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04779 South Korea www.siwakorea.com Stay connected:
SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Dear SIWA Supporter, Looking back on the SIWA year that was 2018-19, I feel both proud and nostalgic. I write this letter from my new home in Singapore and think back upon my time in Seoul, and how much SIWA meant to me. SIWA more than lived up to its mission of “enhancing lives through friendship, enrichment and charity” throughout my four year stay in Korea. It was a great personal honor to serve as President during my final year in Seoul. I had the privilege of overseeing SIWA’s continued philanthropic support, for the second consecutive year, of All Love School, dedicated to the education of multicultural students in Korea. During 2018-19 our Welfare Committee embarked on a second Philanthropy Project, selecting the issue of unwed mothers in Korea and their need for equality in employment opportunities, social recognition and dignity. Our committee was proud to conduct a rigorous selection process for a deserving organization working to provide vocational training and education for this underserved population. We presented the first annual donation of 20 million KRW to Korean Unwed Mothers’ Families Association (KUMFA) at our Spring Gala. Raising funds for these and other worthy charities would not have been possible without the support of our members and sponsors, and for this, we thank you. Together we were able to donate over 67.5 million KRW to 10 Korean organizations serving disadvantaged people in our host nation. Along the way, we managed to make lasting
friendships and have a lot of fun together. One of my fondest memories of 201819 was an unsuccessful fundraising attempt: SIWA’s participation on stage in the Itaewon Global Festival. Although we did not bring home the cash prize, our team’s willingness to learn a dance routine in only 2 rehearsals, don sparkly headbands and bellbottoms and sing ABBA in front of a large crowd made me incredibly proud of the lengths our volunteers will go to for SIWA! We celebrated International Women’s Day with our second annual student essay contest, this time opening up a category for students whose first language is not English. I was fortunate to be asked to be one of the judges of this year’s contest and the essays, not just the winners, brought tears to my eyes as I realized that the next generation really aims to achieve gender balance. The fact that two of our winners happened to be young men speaks a lot for today’s youth. We have included the winning essays in this publication and hope they will inspire you. I would like to end by extending my heartfelt thanks to the entire SIWA team who poured their time, energy and love into making this organization a home for me and hundreds of other women in Seoul. It has meant so much to me to be a part of SIWA and all that it stands for. I wish Veronica Koon, the 2019-20 President, and her team all the best as they continue to make SIWA a special place for expats and Koreans alike. Warm regards, Robin Carney President Emerita
At the 2018 SIWA Annual General Meeting held at the Conrad Hotel on March 22, 2018, SIWA members voted to approve the Executive Committee slate presented by the Nominating Committee. Robin Carney/President
Laura Engerman*/Board Administrator
Flory Schraeder/Board Administrator
Johanna Widmann/Vice President, Operations
Robin joined SIWA in August 2015 and served as Newsletter Manager from 2015-16, then as VP Brand Communication from 2016 -18. A dual American- Portuguese citizen, after finishing her MBA, she worked for Deloitte as a management consultant in New York and Lisbon. She then moved into the non-profit sector, managing fundraising and communications projects for breast cancer charities in Portugal and Belgium. After 15 years in Europe, Robin and her family moved to Seoul and are enjoying this chance to explore Asia.
Flory Schrader joined SIWA right after she and her husband moved to Seoul, in March 2018. She is from the south of The Netherlands, where she worked as a hearing care professional after studying for Speech Therapy. She has been a volunteer at a leisure youth club for more than 10 years. It’s her first time living abroad, but she’s enjoying every minute of it. In her free time she loves traveling the country with her husband, shopping, eating Korean food, and learning all about Korean language and culture.
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Laura joined SIWA in August 2016 upon her arrival in Seoul and has actively participated in a wide spectrum of SIWA events. Prior to her move, she worked as a healthcare management consultant in Chicago and continues to work remotely part-time from Seoul. During university, Laura spent time living in Shanghai to study Chinese and is thrilled to be back in Asia. She enjoys traveling, playing sports, and learning Korean. *Laura Engerman returned to the US in the middle of her term. The position of Board Administrator for the remainder for the membership year was filled by Flory Schraeder.
Johanna joined SIWA in late 2016, served as Membership Chair in 2017 before changing to Tours and Interest Groups Chair in December 2017. She’s also involved in the Welfare Committee and various SIWA Teams and Interest Groups. A German, born and raised in beautiful Black Forest Johanna worked in the educational sector for several years before relocating to Seoul with her family in January 2016. Johanna enjoys learning languages, travelling, reading and spending time with her husband and her two children.
Alexa Dodson*/
Bockhee Lee/Vice President, Fundraising
Bockhee Lee founded Global Youth Fair (GYF) in 2015 for both privileged and underprivileged students of Korean and foreign nationalities to grow as global citizens and leaders. As the first Korean bazaar chair, she led a successful 2012 SIWA and Diplomatic Community Bazaar where 7,000 people participated. As a Tours & Events coordinator, Vice President and Cultural Connection Chair, she has been actively working for SIWA for over 10 years. She loves espresso coffee, singing in a choir and reading.
Berenice Bojorquez/Vice President, Brand Communications
Berenice is an Economist and mom of two girls. She’s been a Blogger at the Huffington Post and has published articles in several Mexican ¨Healthy Living platforms¨. She is currently Ambassador in Asia and was previously partner and general manager at Evolue Skincare. She has also worked in the financial industry at Thompson-Reuters in New York and as an independent distributor for Mexican artisan leather goods. A few years ago, she decided to pursue a Health Coach Degree at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC. She enjoys fashion, entertainment, healthy food and exercise.
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School Vibha Mehta/Treasurer
Vibha is an Indian citizen by nationality. She is a Chartered Accountant by profession and was working for Ernst & Young as an audit manager in Mumbai, India. She has worked in the Finance and Audit sector for 15 years. Her family relocated to Singapore in 2014 and thereafter to Seoul in Jan 2017. She joined SIWA in August 2017 and volunteered in the planning team of the SIWA Bazaar held in October 2017. She spends her time learning Korean and absorbing all that Korea offers in terms of experiences and enjoying the landscapes in this beautiful country. She likes to play sports like Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis etc. and enjoys traveling, driving, reading and watching movies.
Vice President, Brand Communications Alexa hails from Los Angeles, California, where she was born and raised. She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2009 and went on to work for several Hollywood based studios prior to moving abroad in 2016. Over the last year and a half Alexa has successfully channelled her television and film experience into expanding the SIWA brand by producing and publishing SIWA content across several platforms. She is very excited to get involved in a greater capacity and looks forward to the upcoming year. In her free time Alexa freelances as a watercolor artist and graphic designer. *Alexa returned to the US in the middle of her term. The position of Vice President, Brand Communications, for the remainder for the membership year was filled by Berenice Bojorquez.
Nicolette (Nicky) Skyers/Treasurer
Nicky is a new member of SIWA who has been living in Korea since end of 2014 immersing herself in Korean culture through Korean classes and exploring museums and markets, enjoying Korean food and making friends with the local people. Prior to Korea, Nicolette spent 11 years in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces as a Combat Human Resource Specialist serving in the United Kingdom, Iraq and Germany. She has completed a Diploma in Accounting and volunteers as Treasurer at Namsan International Kindergarten. A native of Jamaica but also a British citizen Nicolette is married to a Swedish national. Together they have 2 children. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, crocheting, volunteering and exercising. SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Sunshine Drop-In Center for Homeless Men provides
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temporary shelter and emergency assistance for homeless adults, as well as services to help them develop skills necessary to regain independence and life as healthy, productive adults.
Hamil School
A multicultural boarding school for low income families.
All Love School
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A top performing school serving a multucultural student population from low-income, underprivileged families.
Anna’s House is an an outreach program in Seongnam, Gyeonggi province, that welcomes the homeless, elderly, jobless and street children.
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Oak Tree Project A scholarship fund and mentoring program for Korean orphans who get into college.
• Ebenezer School
• Eastern Social Welfare • Soyang Rainbow Hill Orphanage • Yang Yang Children’s Welfare Center • KUMFA SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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By Sunghwa Han, SIWA Welfare Chair This year, in June, I received the heartbreaking news that Ms. Kyunghwa Mok, the founder and honorary chairwoman of KUMFA (Korean Unwed Mothers Families Association), had passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was only 47 years old and was an unwed mother. Her death saddened many people, especially many unwed mothers, who affectionately called her “keun unni” (big sister) and leaned on her for strength, support and hope. In many aspects, she was even more than a family and sister to them. She helped them cope with some of the many challenges they faced in raising their children, and dedicated her life to protect the rights of these women and their children. She knew it was crucial for these women and children to have an outlet or place where they felt safe and supported. She promoted courage and independence. She did not want people to look down on and pity these women. She hoped that their stories would be heard without judgement or preconception. Ms. Mok knew the dilemmas many pregnant, single women faced. She knew how social expectations pressured them into making painful and reluctant choices, regardless of what they truly desired. She understood they often opted for adoption or illegal abortions because they felt as if there were no other options. She had also experienced years of isolation and faced prejudice when she became an unwed mother. She could not keep her job; her family shunned her. If not for her
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young son, she might not have survived. Instead of sinking deeper into depression and losing hope, she began seeking out other unwed mothers— connecting with them and bringing them together. This was how KUMFA came to exist. When our Welfare Committee chose the second Philanthropy Project topic and began the research on unwed mothers in Korea, we did not have much knowledge about the current state or living conditions of these women. When we met with KUMFA’s current director and successor, Ms. Megy Kim, who is also an unwed mother herself with a son in middle school, we were surprised to learn of a few surprising facts. Firstly, in contrast to what we initially believed, the majority of unwed mothers were in their 20s and 30s. These women faced a similar situation when they became pregnant without a plan: their boyfriends no longer wanted to stay in a relationship, especially
At left: Welfare Committee meets
with Megy Kim of KUMFA; Above:
Unwed mothers speak at the January 2019 coffee morning. Opposite page: The KUMFA Philanthropy Project donation at the 2019 SIWA Gala.
when the women chose to give birth and keep their children. The men simply wanted to exit and often demanded to cut ties with the children. Secondly, some of these women were properly educated, which goes against misconceptions we had going in. Thirdly, the continuous emotional sufferings these women experienced as the sole caretakers of their children without any family support, took a big toll on their mental and emotional state. Feeling depressed, hopeless and isolated, they desperately needed a good support system for the well-being of themselves and their children. Throughout the process of our committee’s research, issue education and interviews, KUMFA stood out because of the way they paid close attention to unwed mothers’ stories and needs. Many organizations had special programs and wonderful support systems; however, we felt that KUMFA truly understood what these women wanted because it is the only organization that was founded and run by unwed mothers. KUMFA was especially unique in that it started as a small support group, open for any unwed mother or unwed mother-to-be to join. It grew bigger and morphed into a family where everyone was able to openly talk about the issues they faced on a daily basis. Through word of mouth, more unwed mothers joined and came together, and the group
became bigger. They even gathered in different cities. They celebrated holidays together and took trips together. The children also bonded as sisters and brothers. They became more comfortable and courageous. The older mothers became mentors to the younger ones. “Pay it forward” became KUMFA’s motto, and many mothers worked as activists in their efforts to change misconceptions that unwed mothers were promiscuous and irresponsible. They wanted their children to have a fair chance and opportunity to live in an environment without prejudice. Although the progress might be gradual and slow, KUMFA remains unshaken in leading the changes. In our opinion, it is this collective mindset and effort that will continuously serve as the key to improve their social and financial status, and advance their careers in the future. After all, this was what Ms. Mok envisioned for KUMFA—united as one in love and courage. She reminded us that anything is possible when we come together for a purpose. I can still hear her trembling voice at KUMFA’s 10 year anniversary celebration. She was physically weak and had to depend on her pain medication to be there. However, there was something powerful about her. Until the end, she was thankful and resilient in her special journey. SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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By Katy Carter, Blog Manager As we all know, SIWA is Seoul International Women’s Association, but it is so much more than that. Furthermore, we all come to SIWA from different backgrounds and look for different things in SIWA. In my case, I joined SIWA after already having spent 15 years in Korea. Now into my 16th year with the last year of that being a proud member of SIWA, I want to share with you what SIWA means to me. I also hope it will cause you to
I have begun to see this as a life of opportunity. take a moment to reflect on what SIWA means to you. Many of us spend our lives growing up within a small number of communities - that of our childhood and our adulthood. We work with a small group of people, socialize with the same friends, and rarely step out of our comfort zones. Then becoming an expat can be quite a shock to the system as our support networks are suddenly gone. On top of that, being a long-term expat means that many friends we make in various places
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enter and leave our lives. It can be hard to feel we are on stable ground. Just when we feel we have made a friend we can trust and confide in, they (or we) are moving again. However, to look on the bright side, I have begun to see this as a life of opportunity. With social media, no one ever truly leaves you, and staying in touch is easier than it has ever been. When I first arrived in Korea in 2003, there was no Facebook with groups to give advice and share problems, and no Skype with which to call home for free when I was homesick. The only contact I had with my family and friends in the UK was by email or purchasing pre-paid phone cards. I certainly have no nostalgia for a return to such times! Therefore, those we meet these days can be friends for life no matter where we are in the world. The women of SIWA spread a network of friendship and support throughout the city but take it with them to other places, too. Joining SIWA was the opportunity to meet a wide range of women that I might otherwise not have been able to meet in Seoul. That’s worth the membership alone! As time passes, I fully expect the meaning of SIWA to evolve for me. At times, it will mean one thing and at other times another. I also hope that I will be able to add to the following list as time goes by.
For me, SIWA has multiple meanings. • It means meeting women who are strong, powerful, and admirable in their own ways. • It means meeting women I can learn from, look up to, or simply be in awe of. • It means being a part of something meaningful where those less fortunate than us are helped and not ignored. • It means trying new activities I would not normally be able to try, or even consider trying. • It means exploring a new area of Seoul that I have never been to before and finding new ways to appreciate this country.
• It means being part of a community -something which is so hard to find these days. • It means enriching my own life and, by extension, the lives of others. I think now, more than ever, it is essential that we step out of our comfort zones, do things we have never considered doing, listen to those we might otherwise not hear, share our individual experiences and life stories with others, and most of all support each other. SIWA helps us do all of that and more. I only wish I had joined SIWA earlier. SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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serving a total of honorary diplomatic spouses
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tours for and has collected
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participants
Moms & Tots events
Book Club meetings
Cultural Connection events
Working Women’s Network events
International Culinary Exchange events
Community Service opportunities
Korean-English Conversation meetings Photo Club meetings SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Spring Luncheon that raised
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Enrichment Showcase
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Members Only WWN Event
Winter Luncheon
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SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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JK y Plastic Surger Center
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By Berenice Bojorquez, VP Brand Communications 2018-19 At the August 2018 coffee morning, SIWA had the pleasure to welcome Korea’s Ambassador for climate change, H. E. Chung Rae Kwon about the Ecological Challenges facing our world and, in particular, in South Korea. Ambassador Chung has been quite a leader by investigating and documenting how and why our world has been compromised with all the uncontrollable pollution emitted in different areas of the productive chain. In his talk, Ambassador Chung took us through the reality we are facing as citizens of the world and showed us how controversial it has been in the political and business framework to apply the appropriate measurements. His talk was so sincere and profound that it really made me question whether we can make a change. This is when suddenly I got a flashback of something that happened to me some days before… I was meeting with some friends at a coffee shop and while we were placing our order, the employee asked if we were staying, as they would have to provide glass cups. I happily noticed that in Seoul many food establishments had been taking more ecological measures to avoid plastic contamination so I was really satisfied to see this campaign was expanding. When it came time for us to pick up the drinks, surprisingly they were served in paper cups. We asked why and they just told us they ran out of glass cups and if we wanted glass cups we would have to wait till someone finished their drinks and they could get to wash them. At this point, 20 minutes had already passed and for a moment we thought we would keep the paper cups but, suddenly, I guess our mindful inner voice told us to do the right thing so we told the employee that we’d wait until glass cups were available.
H.E. Chung Rae Kwon addresses the August 2018 Coffee Morning. After this event, we asked our venue
to cease providing plastic water bottles and to change to pitchers and cups.
This flashback may not seem extraordinary, but it speaks to the bigger issue that the time has come where we need to stand up and get involved as a global community. We can not indulge our every pleasure and leave all the efforts to our leaders or wait till someone else acts on our behalf. Maybe we were the only ones in the coffee shop to ask for a change, maybe not. I would like to think that there were more conscious people requesting glass cups that day, and that these demands triggered the owners’ minds and made them realize clients are right when requesting less polluting products. We just need to “feel empowered”—to be the change, and believe that simple actions can create big waves. Thank you Ambassador because I am pretty sure that through your words the SIWA community got the message very clear. SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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I
During her freshman year at Stanford University, Debbie Sterling was humiliated by her engineering professor when he asked the rest of the class to decide whether she should get a passing grade on an assignment. While she had spent dozens of hours working on her 3D design project, the rest of the class, consisting primarily of men, didn’t seem to have put in as much effort. Even though this was not the only time she was singled out as one of the few women during her college years as an engineering student, Sterling persisted and is now the CEO of GoldieBlox, a toy company that aims to introduce principles of engineering to the younger generations of girls. Sterling’s experience is only one of the countless examples of the discrimination that often puts down women in the fields of STEM―Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. However, despite the negative experiences while she was in school, Sterling’s persistence and unwavering commitment have led her to become a kind of role model that girls aspiring to STEM-related jobs may look up to. According to Sterling, only 20 percent of undergraduate degrees in STEM are awarded to women in the United States. Simply because they are this outnumbered, women often find themselves in uncomfortable situations where they may not be taken as seriously, despite the movement toward equality among both sexes in the workplace. Due to male-dominated and often male-centric elements in decision-making processes, even fewer women go on to pursue STEM-related careers. According to Small Business Trends, less than 20 percent of the STEM-related workforce are women, and of those who own technology startups, only five percent are women. Furthermore, only 12 percent of computer network architects, 13 percent of computer hardware engineers, and 19 percent of computer research scientists in the United States are women. Perhaps, it is not surprising to find
that of the 607 people who have been awarded Nobel prizes in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine until now, only 20―a mere 3.3 percent― are women. One popular theory for this disparity is because of the different upbringings of boys and girls in most patriarchal societies. Most often encouraged to play with dolls and playsets when young, girls often grow up thinking that it would be natural for them to pursue HEED (Health, Elementary Education, and Domestic) related careers, a tendency that Professor Luigi Guiso and his colleagues term ‘social belongingness.’ According to Guiso’s research team, this is when someone thinks he or she belongs to a particular field because of gender characteristics, a perception often rooted in social expectations. When it comes to choosing their career path, teenagers often feel that they would fit in better in areas befitting their own gender. On top of this, ‘self-efficacy,’ which Guiso and his colleagues define as “the belief that one can succeed in a domain,” also plays a role in leading girls to choose HEED over STEM, explaining the gender gap that exists even in so-called gender-neutral countries such as Norway and Sweden. In order to counter the problem of social belongingness, we need to more proactively deliver the message that it is unnatural for a job to be tied to a particular gender. Especially when it comes to Continued on Page 33 SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Can you believe that being homosexual in the past was a crime and people were being sentenced for up to 20 years? I find it so cruel that people once had to live in fear about their sexuality. Now we have gay rights which have made the world better. But it’s time for an even better gender-balanced world. Therefore, if I had to choose one person that I think can make a more gender-balanced world it would have to be James Charles. James Charles is a 19-year-old male who loves makeup and uses the internet to show the world his passion. He has over 14 million fans, and was the first ever male model for Cover Girl, a campaign that inspired so many people. James also collaborated with a makeup company named Morphe to develop his own makeup collection called “Sister Collection” with the goal of bringing “out the inner artist” in us all, and that can make dreams come true, no matter a person’s sexuality. I believe that James has taught people that it doesn’t matter what others want you to be, but what we want for ourselves. James Charles tells the world that we can do and be anything we want regardless of gender. He has taught many of us that we can wear makeup, dress how we please, be who we want and so much more without being scared about how people will judge us. He has also inspired more men to wear makeup and not care about what others think. Girls should be able to be engineers,
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soccer players, builders, guards and many other things while boys can be models, nurses, teachers, makeup artists and so much more. In school, James was bullied for how he dressed but he was strong and didn’t let the bullies get to him. Even now, he still gets looks from how he dresses but he brushes it off because he loves himself and he is confident in his own body. He is an example for us all to be confident about how we dress, act, speak and look. We should never let other peoples’ expectations get to us. Why I think James would make a huge impact on the world is because he has helped make us more respectful and less judgmental towards others. James always invites his fans to tell him how much he changes their lives and how strong they are now. He taught us to have respect for others no matter their race, gender or age. Being ourselves is the most important part of being stronger and confident. He also made me realize that men should have the freedom to wear makeup and embrace how they look. Men should not be called “freaks” and other nasty names for just embracing makeup and beauty products. I don’t understand why men embracing femininity are more likely to be mocked, judged or disrespected while women embracing masculinity are just called “tomboys” and don’t get mocked, judged or disrespected for it. Men embracing femininity and women embracing masculinity should be respected EQUALLY not unfairly. Sexuality doesn’t separate us. We should all be respected equally no matter what. James has influenced me so much. He has taught me to have more respect towards people no matter their sexuality, to be confident, be supportive to others and taught me that everyone Continued on page 35
It was a difficult decision, but it was one she knew and wanted to make. She hesitated as she handed in her letter of resignation, having always known that one day she might have to make the choice between motherhood or her career. It was still hard. This describes some of the haunting emotions that umma and many women feel as they make the decision to start a family. They are told that they can have both -- career and family -- but the truth is that outdated labor practices and cultural pressures make doing so very challenging. Umma shared this story with me only recently. I knew she’d had a job before, but I had only ever pictured her as my umma. In my memory, I see Umma busily chopping away over the cutting board with stew simmering on the stove. Umma looking worried, watching over me with a cool towel in one hand, a thermometer in the other, as I lay sick from a fever. Sometimes I picture Umma sitting in the middle row of the theater, clapping for me as I finish a violin recital. Now, hearing the story of how umma chose to leave her career in design feels bizarre: why would she give up her dreams for my older brother? Umma had always told me to pursue my own dream, so why had she given up on hers? What shocked me more was that umma’s story is not unique. To the contrary, it echoes the stories of millions of working women around the world. This made me realize that despite appearances, sexism subtly pervades our world, and closer to home, tested the woman I care about the most - umma. In fact, while many countries have laws related to maternity leave that protect women’s jobs, that protection is very limited. In Korea, for example, women can take 90 days of maternity leave; however, only 60 days are eligible for paid leave. Furthermore, the laws cannot prevent
companies from subtly pressuring women to quit their job. Umma’s close friend, for example, was abruptly transferred to a different office far from her home after she returned from maternity leave. The commute was too difficult, so umma’s friend had no choice but to leave the company. The stories of umma and her friend represent the larger, genderbiased demands placed on women. Although women are now encouraged to pursue higher education and their own careers, there is still a cultural expectation. This is especially true in East Asian countries, where a well-kept house and home-cooked meals are expected, meaning women have the added pressure of being the primary homemaker and caretaker as well. Involvement in the children’s extracurricular activities, attendance at recitals, and even birthday party planning are part of what is expected. For a woman to actively pursue her career and provide all that is expected of her as a primary caretaker, she really would have to be superhuman! This was the case with umma. Although no one explicitly told her these things, umma described it as a silent, but understood expectation. Understandably, it was too much for her to handle all at once, and she selflessly chose to prioritize the family. After hearing umma’s story, I began wondering Continued on page 34 SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Attracting Women to STEM Fields Continued from page 29 STEM, women—as much as their counterparts— should find it acceptable to pursue their passions, rather than sacrifice their dreams because of the social expectations imposed on them. Promoting talks and seminars on such social platforms as TED Talk, which people can access for free, may be a solution. But organizing speaker events for younger audiences, such as kindergarten and elementary school students, or field trips to STEM-related companies and labs would have a wider reach, helping young girls to familiarize themselves with social acceptance toward women working in STEM-related jobs. We can combat the problem of self-efficacy by introducing role models to female students, and by providing social incentives for women to join the STEM workforce. Role models can empower young girls to feel that they are just as capable, and do not need to succumb to societal expectations. Although relatively few, stories of successful female scientists, researchers, or CEOs of technology companies may help eliminate the doubts girls have that they are as mathematically or scientifically gifted as boys. Providing social incentives is also a great way to significantly increase the number of women in the fields of STEM, since studies show that financial incentives do not work in some countries, such as the United States, Norway, and Finland. Studies show that in countries with gender inequality, women pursue STEM professions as a way to make more money and find more freedom in the otherwise male-dominated society. However, financial incentives do work in other countries, such as Algeria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Because these countries
lack strong movement toward gender equality, joining the STEM workforce is often the only way out of the social and financial ceilings for higher pay, and thus, more freedom. In some cases, women are still paid much less than men, and are identified as the properties of their husbands, who often take control of their wives’ economic and social activities. However, studying and excelling in STEM-related careers can grant them independence, demonstrating that financial incentives are often the only solution to the gender gap in some circumstances. On the other hand, because women in countries like the United States and Korea have alternatives that promise higher levels of living standards, simply providing them with a high salary may not win them over to the discriminatory workplaces. Social incentives, like awards and promotions, provide opportunities for women to earn recognition for their achievements, and will provide Continued on page 36 SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Career or Motherhood Continued from page 31 who was working to advance women’s workplace rights, and if there were any women that symbolized the movement. Surprisingly, I found one who, despite being well over 75 years old, continues to inspire women to pursue their career aspirations. Rosie the Riveter, a cultural icon born out of necessity to win a war, is still serving—albeit in a different “war.” Rosie was invented during World War II in an effort to encourage household women to go work in factories to create weapons and war supplies. Rosie is portrayed wearing a red bandana and a dark blue collared shirt while flexing her arm muscles. Her famous slogan “We Can Do It!” was emblazoned in bold letters on posters and billboards, and in newspaper, magazine, and television ads. The fictional Rosie was a symbol of female power, and made an extraordinary contribution to gender equality. She inspired six million American women to join the war cause, which increased the ratio of women in the workforce in the U.S. from 27 percent to 37 percent in just four years. The change Rosie inspired continued after the war. In 1980, only 38 percent of the U.S. workforce were women, but by 2000, women made up 46.8 percent of the U.S. workforce. Beyond employment statistics, Rosie also helped change people’s perceptions about which jobs were appropriate for women. When Rosie was first created, very few jobs were considered offered to women. For the most part, the only jobs available were elementary school teacher, seamstress, secretary, waittress and other “feminine” roles. Not many universities admitted female students. It was truly a time of limited opportunity for half the population. Today, women can be found in all
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careers and with every kind of advanced degree. Additionally, contributions by women across industries continue to advance our understanding of the world. Laws against discriminatory hiring practices and university admissions have helped make these milestones possible. Each change has opened up more opportunities, but advancing one’s career remains as challenging as ever. While I am thankful that umma chose to leave her company to take care of my brother and me, I wish that she hadn’t had to choose one over the other. She was pushed to resign from her role in the company by both outdated laws and cultural expectations. However, there should have been a more support system enabling women to have a choice that wasn’t either-or. For example, even now, there should be more societal support for men to take a larger part in childcare, more affordable daycare options, and better policies guiding women’s post-maternity leave career advancement. During WWII, Rosie encouraged Americans to concentrate all of their efforts into winning the war. Now, I see Rosie encouraging women to pursue their interests even with difficult obstacles. Though many women were reluctant to join the Continued on the next page
Respect Without Judgment Continued from page 30 is beautiful and unique in their own ways. We can also learn from James that we shouldn’t do something for fame, money or that is expected from us. We should do it because we love it. These days people are willing to make a much more better gender-balanced world and fight for what is right. I am extremely excited to see how the world will make a better than ever genderbalanced place for us in the future.
Career Or Motherhood Continued from previous page workforce, Rosie was able to convince them to work in defense industries. She told them: “We can do it!” Now this statement should convince people that we can continue to fight gender inequality and provide more support for women as they navigate their careers, family life, or both. As a young student inspired by Rosie, I want to live in a
world where my friends and the people I love can pursue any profession without being hindered by prejudices; where the important women in my life and yours have equal support in pursuing their dreams. Rosie inspires me to work toward making the world a more gender-balanced place. If world leaders would openly acknowledge systematically unfair work practices and address those issues with concrete regulation, many women’s careers would benefit. Additionally, small, everyday
efforts that challenge gender stereotypes, especially among students, are equally important. Lastly, I would like to see more women role models and their contributions acknowledged. The encouraging words of Rosie the Riveter still ring strongly. We can do it. While gender inequality in the workplace is decreasing, it still exists. By following Rosie’s message, we can bring about a genderbalanced world, where umma could have had the best of both worlds—motherhood and designing. SIWA Year-End Review 2018-19
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Attracting Women to STEM Fields Continued from page 33 women with more motivation to join the STEM workforce. When compared to the magnitude of discrimination that women face in STEM workplaces, financial
incentives simply may not be incentivizing enough. Thus, motivating women to pursue STEM by awarding them with recognition, autonomy and power will help attract them to the otherwise male-dominated jobs. The gender gap in STEM is a deep-rooted problem that can
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Seoul International Women’s Association
only be solved when tackled more collectively. Though providing fair and equal pay may be a solution in developing countries, addressing unbalanced participation in economically advanced countries requires a more nuanced approach. Some of the main problems preventing women from pursuing STEM are that women feel uncomfortable in male-dominated workplaces, they don’t feel that they belong in STEM careers due to the systemic problems of social belongingness and self-efficacy, and many in countries with gender equality have other interests. Therefore, in order to solve the gender gap in the fields of STEM in advanced countries like the United States, Norway and Korea, assuring girls of their capabilities as well as providing more social incentives would be a more proper approach. We can use role models as a way to intrigue the younger generations of girls and educate them, and give them more opportunities to earn recognition for their unwavering commitment to STEM. But eliminating the gender gap in STEM would require a more collaborative and collective approach in executing the proposed solutions.