Those in their 20s and 30s consider work to be the most important task of their youth. They believe it is more important than personal life, marriage, or children, with most recognizing that they have no choice but to work for a living.
The report on the attitudes and realities of family and labor roles for those aged 20 to 40, commissioned by the National Unity Commission, contains results from a survey on changes in perceptions regarding family and labor roles.
The survey was conducted online from January 31 to February 14 this year, targeting 2,690 men and women aged 25 to 44.
Both men and women responded that the importance of various tasks occurring in youth life is work (38.1%). This was followed by personal life, such as leisure and self-realization (23.1%), partnership, including dating and marriage (22%), and children (16.8%).
Every group, regardless of age or gender, responded that work is the most important. This was true not only for those without children but also for those with children.
Regarding the significance of considering work as the most important, 78% of all respondents recognized that "one has no choice but to work for a living."
In addition, women showed a high agreement rate of around 80% on the necessity of women's participation in the labor market, while men were around 70%.
Both men and women largely disagreed that a mother's work negatively affects children. Women's agreement was recorded at 18.4% for infants and 13.9% for elementary school children. Men were also recorded at 22.6% and 18.3%, respectively.
The report noted that "both men and women show a high degree of agreement on the changing gender roles of strengthening women's labor roles and expanding men's family participation," and emphasized the need for strengthened policy support based on women's participation in the labor market.