Part 3 Implementing the high priority items identified by the Beijing Platform for Action

8. Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women

(1) Developing and strengthening the structure for comprehensive implementation

1)
Strengthening the organization and functions of national machinery
a)
Enhancement of responsible ministries and agencies in the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality
The government of Japan established the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality (which comprises the entire Cabinet, and has the Prime Minister as its president and the Chief Cabinet Secretary (the Minister for Gender Equality)as its vice president) to promote policies towards the formulation of a gender-equal society.
>With the inauguration in September 1997 of the Second Reshuffled Hashimoto Cabinet, the post of Minister for Women's Affairs was replaced by the Minister for Gender Equality, and the Chief Cabinet Secretary was appointed .
The Basic Law on Administrative Reform of the Central Government, passed in June 1998, stipulates that the newly established Cabinet Office, headed by the Prime Minister, take charge of formulating plans and comprehensively coordinating efforts for realizing a gender-equal society and that a Conference for Gender Equality should be set up within the Cabinet Office.
The responsibilities of this body will be (1) to deliberate on basic guidelines, comprehensive plans and other subjects in relation to gender equality; (2) to provide necessary views to related ministers so that gender equality perspectives will be reflected in government measures; and (3) to survey and monitor the implementation of measures developed in regard to gender equality.
Members will comprise (1) the Chief Cabinet Secretary; (2) related Ministers of State; and (3) persons with academic experience.
Under the Basic Law, the shift to a new system through the reform of central ministries and agencies will begin, at the latest, within five years after the law comes into effect (it took effect in June 1998), with 1 January 2001, as a provisional target.
In addition, in November 1998, the president of the Headquarters for the Promotion of the Administrative Reform of the Central Government decided that a Bureau for Gender Equality (provisional name) will be established within the Cabinet Office, and this decision was approved by the Headquarters.
b)
Establishment of a new council to promote the achievement of a gender-equal society
Based on the government ordinance, the Council for Gender Equality was established in June 1994.
This Council was established with a time-limit until 31 March 1997.
n March 1997, the Establishment Law of a Council for Gender Equality went into effect, and in April of the same year, a permanent Council for Gender Equality was established based on this law.
The Council is mandated to investigate and deliberate upon basic comprehensive policies and important issues concerning promotion of the achievement of a gender-equal society referred to it by the Prime Minister or other concerned ministers and to be able to express opinions on related issues to them.
In June 1997, the Prime Minister requested the Council's advice on "the basic requirements of measures to promote the realization of a gender-equal society" and "basic policies on prostitution and other forms of violence against women which impede the achievement of a gender-equal society".
In response to the former request, the Council submitted a report entitled "The Proposal for a Basic Law Designed to Promote a Gender-Equal Society: Developing the Basic Conditions for Creation of a Gender-Equal Society" to the Prime Minister in November 1998.
A Subcommittee on Violence against Women is presently investigating and deliberating upon the latter request.
c)
The Liaison Conference for the Promotion of Gender Equality
In September l996, the Liaison Conference for the Promotion of Gender Equality was inaugurated with the objectives to promote information exchange and ideas and to liaise widely with people in various fields of society, in order to promote the creation of a gender-equal society on a nation-wide level.
The Conference is composed of 13 eminent persons designated by the Chief Cabinet Secretary and 67 persons representing various organizations such as women's organizations, financial circles, educational circles and the media.
2)
Investigations into a basic law designed to promote a gender-equal society
On 4 November 1998, the Council for Gender Equality presented the report entitled "The Proposal for a Basic Law Designed to Promote a Gender-Equal Society: Developing the Basic Conditions for Creation of a Gender-Equal Society" to the Prime Minister, suggesting the enactment of a basic law as the framework for the comprehensive and systematic promotion of the achievement of a gender-equal society.
Based on this report, the government submitted a bill for a basic law designed to promote a gender-equal society to the Diet in February 1999.
An outline of this bill is noted below.
a)
Basic philosophies
(1)respect for the human rights of women and men;
(2)consideration of social systems and practices;
(3)equal participation in policy-making and decision-making processes;
(4)compatibility of activities in family life and other activities;
(5)international cooperation
b)
National and local governments and citizen's obligations.
c)
Basic issues concerning the promotion of the achievement of a gender-equal society
(1)The government's obligation to decide basic plans
(2)Prefectures and designated cities' obligation to decide plans
(3)Cities, towns and villages' obligation to endeavor towards deciding plans
(4)Legal and financial measures
(5)Annual reports, etc.
(6)Considerations for deciding policies
(7)Measures to deepen citizen's understanding
(8)Handling complaints, etc.
(9)Investigative research
(10)Measures for international cooperation
(11)Support for local public and private organizations
d)
Council for Gender Equality
3)
Strengthening cooperation between national and local governments
The Plan for Gender Equality 2000 requires the strengthening of cooperation between national and local governments as a means of organizing and strengthening the comprehensive promotion system.
All prefectures and designated cities have established departments and/or divisions (offices) to supervise the planning and management of measures for gender equality and developed action plans for promoting these measures.
They continue to revise these action plans and are expanding their organizations.
With the aim of promoting measures in accordance with these action plans, local governments are promoting women's participation in the decision-making process by appointing women as advisory bodies and committees members and the like; they are conducting education and publicity to correct people's perception of stereotyped gender roles of women and men, and establishing and improving women's facilities.
4)
Strengthening cooperation with NGOs
In addition to organizations participating in the Liaison Conference for the Promotion of Gender Equality, the Government provides the latest information to a wide range of organizations including NGOs active both in Japan and overseas.
In concrete terms, a homepage was established in 1996 to provide information and as a system for airing opinions at all times, and it provides links to international institutions and women's centers in various place in Japan.
By December 1998 the homepage had been accessed as many as 1.147million times.
Further, database about NGOs is scheduled to be set up with the aim of promoting networking and exchange both between NGOs themselves, and between NGOs and national and local governments.