1. Implementation of "Gender Equality Week"
   Gender Equality Week" has been implemented since FY 2001 to deepen citizens' understanding of the goals and principles of the Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society, and facilitate the implementation of various measures toward realization of a gender-equal society. Selection of the one-week period June 23-29 was based on the date of promulgation and enforcement of this law, and a variety of events are held in cooperation with local public bodies, women's organizations and other related organizations.

   Events implemented by the Cabinet Office

   • National Conference on the Creation of a Gender-equal Society
   • Award Ceremony for Chief Cabinet Secretary Commendations for Persons offering Distinguished Service in the Creation of a Gender-equal Society
   • Solicitation of slogans, and creation and distribution of posters for Gender Equality Week
   • Advocacy through government publicity
2. Promotion of publicity and enlightenment activities using a wide variety of media

   (1) Publication of PR brochures

   "News from the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality 'Egalite'" is published bimonthly to make the state of activities undertaken by the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality, local public bodies, women's organizations, and so forth, widely known.
   Publication of a general magazine on gender equality, "Equal Participation 21", was launched in July 2002.

   (2) Establishment of Internet Websites

   Websites for the Gender Equality Bureau and the Council for Gender Equality have been established to facilitate national and international dissemination of information on measures related to gender equality and relevant data in Japanese and English.
   Moreover, the latest information on gender equality is disseminated every other Friday in the form of an e-mail entitled "Mail on Gender Equality Information"

3. Handbook on Public Publicity with a Gender-equal Perspective
   In order to instill in society a varied image of women and men that does not cling to fixed ideas of gender-based roles, it is necessary to consider so that expressions appearing in publications and publicity formulated by the State's administrative organizations are appropriate in terms of gender-equal perspectives. In recognition of this, a "Handbook on Public Publicity with a Gender-equal Perspective" was formulated in FY 2002.

A Forum on Women's and Gender Studies was held at the National Women's Education Center (NWEC) over the three-day period August 23~25, 2002. This, the seventh forum of its kind, was attended by 1,787 individuals from throughout Japan. The forum has adopted the theme, "Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the 21st Century" over the three-year period starting 2002, and this year's forum, held around the sub-theme "Participation in Society", comprised the sponsor's program of a panel discussion and eight workshops, and 123 independently planned workshops solicited nationwide.

In addition to workshops on the current status of gender equal society in Japan, some of the independently planned workshops reported on studies concerning women in regions around the world, such as finance systems to assist women start up businesses in Bangladesh and Canada, projects to foster female teachers in Nepal, and a video forum "Trafficking in Asian women and children".

The National Women's Education Center (NWEC) published a survey report with the abovementioned title in March 2002. This report comprises an analysis of the results of two surveys: a "Basic Research on School Affairs" that targeted persons in charge of school affairs sections at universities and junior colleges nationwide (2,456 courses at 609 universities); and a "Research on Teaching Staff" that studied teaching staff in charge of relevant courses, and their opinions on women's and gender studies and the details of courses being offered.

Although the survey method employed this time differs from that used for the FY1996 survey, the results indicate that both the number of universities offering relevant courses and the number of courses available have increased.

A summary of these surveys was published in NWEC Newsletter, Vol. 19 No.1 in September 2002.
(Available in PDF at http://www.nwec.jp/English/guidance/record/page10.html)