Question 6. In fighting against discrimination against women, MOGEF has played a pivotal role. If the government intends to abolish MOGEF, please clarify how it will implement and coordinate gender equality policies to eliminate structural gender discrimination. Issue 2: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Women’s Rights Current Status 7. The negative impact of COVID-19 on the labor market left a particularly acute impact on female workers. This is because women are concentrated in face-to-face service industries and shoulder a greater portion of the childcare burden. Since March 2020, the decrease in the women’s employment was greater than that of men, while the women’s unemployment increased greater than that of men. In addition, the number of female workers temporarily laid-off (both paid and unpaid) was twice that of their male counterparts, and the number of short-time workers working fewer than 15 hours per week also increased significantly. In particular, after the outbreak of COVID-19, the ratio of jobless households to femaleheaded households with children rose from 11.3 percent to 17.4 percent. 8. As of August 2021, male employment was recovered to pre-COVID-19 level, while female employment has not yet returned to pre-pandemic level. During COVID-19, public childcare services at the daycare centers, kindergartens, and schools were completely suspended or operated only on a limited basis. Subsequently, the burden of childcare shortages was disproportionately borne by families with children, mainly by women. Workers who adjusted their jobs or took time-off or a leave of absence during the COVID19 period were mostly female employees, in particular married women in their late 30s and women with young children aged three or younger. 9. During COVID-19, home became the last private space to rest. However, for victims of domestic violence, a shift to a home-centered lifestyle resulted in an increased risk of violence with extended time staying with the perpetrator. Question 10. The COVID-19 crisis had a more negative impact on women who are mainly engaged in face-to-face service industries and bear a greater burden of family care, as well as increased the risk of domestic violence. Please provide a specific plan with special support measures to assist women in their employment so that they can recover their pre-pandemic levels. Also, please provide information on measures to eliminate the blind spot for caregiving. Please also provide information on any measures to protect victims of domestic violence from the increased risk. 3