Women's Rights Proclamation Day (Sept. 1) and Gender Equality Week (Sept. 1-7)
About 600 attend from 55 women's groups, including the Seoul Federation of Women's Organizations
Mayor Oh: 'A city where women's potential is realized is a competitive city'
The Seoul Metropolitan Government held the 2026 Seoul Women's Festival at Seoul City Hall at 2 p.m. Tuesday, marking Gender Equality Week and Women's Rights Proclamation Day. The event featured a range of programs, including the Seoul Gender Equality Awards ceremony.
Gender Equality Week, observed during the first week of September each year, was designated under the Framework Act on Gender Equality to promote the realization of gender equality. Women's Rights Proclamation Day is a national commemorative day honoring the Yeogwon Tongmun (Women's Rights Proclamation), Korea's first declaration of women's rights. The proclamation, issued on Sept. 1, 1898, and led by yangban women in Bukchon, Seoul, asserted women's modern rights. These included the right to education, the right to work and the right to political participation, or suffrage.
Held under the slogan "Together Seoul, Special City for Quality of Life," the 2026 Seoul Women's Festival served as a forum for solidarity and dialogue. It aimed to expand women's rights and social participation and to spread a culture of work-life balance and shared caregiving. The event brought together Mayor Oh Se-hoon and leaders from 55 women's groups symbolizing women's expertise and leadership. These included 34 organizations under the Seoul Federation of Women's Organizations and women's group federations from 11 autonomous districts.
This year in particular, 10 professional organizations joined the event for the first time, including the Korea IT Women Entrepreneurs Association, the Korea Women Engineers and Scientists Association, the Korea Women in Construction Association and the National Association of Women Judicial Scriveners. Their participation further strengthened solidarity among female professionals.
At the 23rd Seoul Gender Equality Awards ceremony, one of the event's main highlights, six individuals and organizations were honored for their contributions to spreading a culture of gender equality. The Seoul Gender Equality Award has been given annually since 2004 to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to realizing gender equality and achieving work-life balance. It also recognizes efforts to prevent career interruptions among women, address the low birth rate and improve the caregiving environment. This year's ceremony marked the 22nd time the award has been presented, bringing the total number of recipients to 130 individuals and organizations.
This year's grand prize went to the Digital Team of KBS's Low Birth Rate Crisis Response Broadcasting Unit. The team contributed to shifting public perceptions and spreading a culture of gender equality through digital content, including "Urban Women's Shelter," "Neighborhood Husbands" and "Neighborhood Families." These programs depicted the lives and concerns of young people alongside stories of fathers and diverse families participating in caregiving.
Meanwhile, the event also featured the "200 Fathers of Seoul," a group of fathers who share child-rearing tips and information. Families from "Seoul I Ambassador," a promotional group that introduces the city's various pregnancy, birth and child-rearing policies from a citizen's perspective, also took part. Participants shared the values of shared caregiving and work-life balance through a policy quiz.
"A city where women's potential is fully realized is a truly competitive city," Mayor Oh Se-hoon said. He added that the city would "continue to provide more thorough support through the Seoul Career-Up Project and the Seoul I Together-Up Project to help women build their careers and grow while balancing work and family."
ikson@heraldcorp.com
