3. Activities of non-governmental organizations(NGOs), etc.

Since the International Women's Year in l975, women's organizations have been vigorously putting forth activities in various fields. An NGO Forum, which was held concurrently with the Fourth World Conference on Women drew 5000 Japanese participants. In the aftermath of the Fourth World Conference on Women, women's groups on national level sponsored the " Towards the 21st Century- Convention of Japanese Women NGOs" where the NGO Goals for Action was adopted.

The Fourth World Conference on Women triggered the founding of many new NGOs throughout Japan and gave a new legitimacy to women's advancement by bringing it to the forefront of public attention. In recent years, there is a trend for public and private liaison conference type of organizations on women's issue to be established at prefectural and municipal levels. Various opinions and requests have been submitted by private organizations regarding various measures and activities implemented by the government and local public organizations to promote gender equality.

In addition, many NGOs are studying the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and actively promoting to make the convention known.