Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality

September 20, 2023
Minister Kamikawa who makes a speech behind the lectern (long shot)
Minister Kamikawa who makes a speech behind the lectern (Close up)

On September 20, commencing at 9:10 a.m. (local time; same day, 10:10 p.m. JST) for approximately 30 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting New York, U.S. to attend the United Nations General Assembly, attended the Women, Peace, and Leadership Symposium co-hosted by the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Government of Ireland and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The overview of the event is as follows.

  1. At the outset, following welcoming remarks by Mr. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the IPI's President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D., Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defenseof Ireland, highlighted the importance of incorporating the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda into all UN Security Council activities.
  2. Next, a panel discussion was held with the participation of Ms. Pascale Baeriswyl, the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations; Dr. Nadine Gasman, President of the National Institute for Women of Mexico; Ms. Sarah Hendriks, Deputy Executive Director for Policy, Programmes and Intergovernmental Support of UN Women; Ms. Ilze Kelis, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights; and Ms. Kaavya Asoka, Executive Director, NGO Working Group on WPS, to share best practices in promoting WPS and to strengthen efforts through collaboration among relevant countries and organizations.
  3. Minister Kamikawa then took the podium, stating that she had participated in this symposium last year and was glad to be back again, and introducing herself as having just assumed the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs last week. The audience welcomed Minister Kamikawa with applause. Minister Kamikawa introduced that Japan is making progress in establishing a domestic framework to promote WPS as a result of dialogues with countries that have advanced WPS initiatives and advocacy to the government after the establishment of a parliamentary league on WPS, and pointed out the importance of incorporating WPS into not only conflict but also disaster response. She stated that Japan, as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, will make further efforts to promote WPS.

(Reference)Women, Peace and Security (WPS)

In 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which stated for the first time in the Council's history that international peace and conflict prevention and resolution require the equal participation of women, protection against sexual violence in conflict, and gender equality. To implement the resolution and relevant resolutions, Japan has so far formulated and implemented three rounds of National Action Plans.


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