Discourse on the Concept and the Policy Basis of Age Mainstreaming: Based on a Critical Review of Gender mainstreaming

Abstract

In recent years, attention has been paid to the mainstreaming issues in the process of policy to achieve equality among members of society. In this context, this study aimed to make practical suggestions to achieve successful age mainstreaming suitable for the context of Korean society while critically examining gender mainstreaming, which is being introduced and applied. Based on critical voices of gender mainstreaming, the practical limitations of gender mainstreaming as a government policy were observed in terms of confusion in the concept and policy process, and it was reviewed how to plan and implement age mainstreaming in Korean society. It also introduced the concepts and discussions of age mainstreaming raised by the UN and examined the operation of tools for successful age mainstreaming. In addition, overseas cases, where age mainstreaming has been introduced as a policy, settled as a government policy, and implemented socially and culturally, were briefly introduced and policy proposals that can be considered as age mainstreaming in Korea were reviewed. Finally, some important suggestions were made to establish the foundation for evaluating policy implementation and performance from the age perspectives, and to settle down successful age mainstreaming.