MenuIV. Contributing to the "Equality, Development and Peace" of the Global Community
11. Contributing to the "Equality, Development and Peace" of the Global Community
[Basic Direction of Measures]
Amid the globalization of politics, economics, culture and all other areas of society, women's issues in Japan and in the international community have become closely linked and have come to share a common foundation. Thus, efforts in Japan toward the creation of a gender-equal society must make the best use of the achievements and experience of the international community. Furthermore, Japan, as a member of the international community, must actively contribute to that community through cooperation in the activities of United Nations organizations, support for women in developing countries, etc., in order to achieve "equality, development and peace" and contribute to the advancement of the status of women around the world.
(1) Absorbing international norms and standards into Japan
Since International Women's Year in 1975, Japan has dealt with women's issues by following international trends such as the efforts of the United Nations. In recent years, informatization and globalization have further advanced in all fields of social activity, such as politics, economics, and culture, and it has become important that efforts in Japan toward the creation of a gender-equal society make the best use of the achievements and experience of the international community. Therefore, efforts must be made to actively incorporate into Japan various treaties profoundly linked to gender equality (e.g., the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women), and international norms, standards and initiatives for the advancement of the status of women (e.g., the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and other action plans, guidelines, etc., adopted at the past four World Conferences on Women).
[Concrete Measures]
- Actively observe the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other treaties
Actively observe the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and enhance measures in line with its aims. Promote wider understanding of the Convention in a way that is readily accessible to anyone. Publicize the contents of international treaties concerning the promotion of gender equality which have been ratified by Japan (e.g., the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Labor Organization Convention No. 156) in order to ensure that the purposes of those treaties are realized.
- Study related treaties not yet ratified
Actively consider international treaties profoundly linked to women that have not been ratified by Japan from the perspective of gender equality. Pay full attention to the trends in the drafting of international documents profoundly linked to women which are currently under consideration at international organizations, etc.
Responsible authorities: Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, related ministries and agencies
(2) Contributing to the "equality, development and peace" of the global community
[Basic Direction of Measures]
The Official Development Assistance (ODA) Charter of Japan (Cabinet decision on 30 June 1992) notes that, as one of its policies for the effective implementation of assistance, "Full consideration will be given to the active participation of women in development, and to their obtaining benefits from development." Based on this, and in line with Japan's Initiative on Women in Development announced at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, efforts must be made to implement development assistance in a way that gives consideration to strengthening the status of women and redressing gender disparities at all stages of a woman's life (e.g., school, work, childbirth, economic and social activities), with special emphasis on three areas (education, health, and economic/social activities). Furthermore, efforts must be made to expand development assistance in the WID field in cooperation with developing countries, other donor countries, international organizations, NGOs, etc.
In this process, increased awareness of WID and gender among those involved in international cooperation should be promoted.
Efforts must also be made to actively cooperate in the activities of the United Nations and other organizations to advance the status of women in the world, promote the contributions of women toward peace, and promote international exchange.
Also, both Japanese and foreign NGOs play an important role in the promotion of "equality and development and peace" in the global community, and collaboration with these NGOs to that end should be promoted.
[Concrete Measures]
(a) Cooperation in the activities of the United Nations
- Cooperate in the activities of the United Nations
Promote cooperation in the activities of the United Nations including active participation and contribution to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which play a central role in the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women; disbursements to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM); and financial cooperation to the International Training and Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).
In addition, extend cooperation for women's support activities in developing countries, which are implemented by the United Nation's Development Programme (UNDP).
Promote literacy among women in Asia and the Pacific through participation and cooperation in the activities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In addition, make positive contributions toward the formulation of an international plan of action at the next World Conference on Women scheduled for the year 2000.
(b) Promotion of WID
- Promote the Initiative on WID
Set the following aims for the promotion of cooperation in the three priority areas of the Initiative on WID.
Education
Japan intends to support the efforts to close the gender gap in school education in developing countries for 6-11-year-old children by 2005, and to provide universal education for all 6-11-year-old girls as well as boys by 2010.
In concrete terms, this means support for production and provision of educational materials and textbooks appropriate for the needs of girls' education in a given social context, training of teachers, establishment of facilities for training and education which girls can utilize, literacy training for adult women, and other measures that promote girls' primary education.
Health
Japan intends to support efforts to reduce maternal mortality below 200 per 100,000 childbirths by 2010 in all countries and regions, and reduce infant mortality below 35 per 1000 by 2015 in all countries and regions.
In concrete terms, this means to support enhanced provision of primary health care, reinforce maternal health services (e.g., medical examinations for babies, vaccinations and advice on feeding), promotion of family planning, and increase the capacity to collect and analyze the related basic statistical data.
Economic and social participation
Japan intends to support enhancement of job skills training and learning opportunities for women to acquire relevant skills, improvement of women's working environments, and establishment of a legal and institutional framework regarding women's issues. In order to encourage women's full participation in business activities, and in view of the importance of assisting micro-enterprises which are often run by women, Japan intends to support efforts to introduce similar schemes and give financial and other support for the successful running of such schemes when introduced.
In concrete terms, this means advising and giving guidance on how to organize women into groups or enterprises (e.g., helping create workers guilds or cooperatives eligible for contributions or leases of equipment), fostering micro-enterprises, supplying equipment that assists micro-enterprises and fosters women's participation and providing financing support for schemes that assist micro-enterprises.
- Enhance the WID promotion structure
It is important to consider the participation and benefits of women at all stages (i.e., formulation, implementation, evaluation) of each project, since WID is a cross-cutting initiative relevant to all development assistance. Strengthen recognition of WID and gender among the staff of aid agencies, and to enhance the structure for implementation by, for example, designating personnel at embassies to be in charge of WID and utilizing WID guidelines, etc.
Implement aid projects in which women are the primary beneficiaries, to make further efforts to consider both the participation of and benefit to women in all stages (i.e., formulation, implementation, evaluation) of each project, and to make efforts to develop human resources on the donor side (including NGOs), as well.
- Cooperate with NGOs
Support various NGO initiatives to promote the self-reliance of women in developing countries, utilizing International Volunteer Postal Savings, grass-roots capital grant assistance, and subsidies for NGO programs.
(c) Contributions of women to peace
- Contribute to international organizations promoting peace
Cooperate in the peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations and peace efforts of other international organizations and promote active participation by women in these activities and the contributions of women to peace. Actively cooperate and contribute to international humanitarian relief organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), since it is women and children who are in greatest need of support during armed conflict.
- Promote measures related to the "United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education"
Encourage close cooperation among concerned administrative organizations in comprehensively and effectively carrying out measures related to the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education. Promote education, research and the provision of information related to peace through such measures.
(d) Promoting participation by women in the policy decision-making processes in international areas
- Promote participation by women in the policy decision-making processes in international areas
Promote participation by women in international organizations and conferences to enable them to actively play a role in international decision-making processes and thereby contribute to the equality, development and peace of the global community.
(e) Promoting international exchange and cooperation
- Promote international exchange and cooperation at all levels
Enhance information and personnel exchanges (which form the basis of peace and stability) at all levels, including national and local governments and NGOs in order to promote international exchange and cooperation related to women and to promote relations of mutual trust and friendship across borders. Actively cooperate, in particular, in the building of an international information network related to women, and further promote international cooperation initiatives related to women.
- Promote international cooperation related to environmental problems
Give full consideration to the impact on women of international cooperation projects related to environmental issues and promote participation by women in the decision-making process at each stage of such projects. Study an action program to resolve environmental issues in Asia and the Pacific that harmonizes environment with development, giving due consideration to the role of women in environmental conservation, and utilizing the unique culture of the region.
- Promote international exchange and cooperation in the education sector
Promote education for international understanding and exchanges in regional areas and support the initiatives of women's education organizations to invite or send instructors of women's education overseas, as well as international exchange projects at women's educational facilities in various regions. Implement various measures at National Women's Education Centre to support education in developing countries (e.g., enhancement of research as well as information processing training projects on women, enhancement of training for women educational administrative officers, promotion of international exchange projects, and enhancement of international exchange networks).
Responsible authorities: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Environment Agency, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, related ministries and agencies