Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality
Dialogue on WPS between Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA and Japanese Staff of the United Nations Entities
On March 18, commencing at 6:05p.m. (local time; March 19, 7:05a.m. JST) for approximately 40 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting New York, the U.S. to participate in the Ministerial Meeting of United Nations Security Council (UNSC), held a dialogue on WPS with Japanese staff members of the United Nations organizations. The overview of the event is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Kamikawa stated that Japan is vigorously promoting WPS that she would like to hear frank opinions from those who are active internationally on how Japan can provide support contributing WPS and on the possibility of further collaboration between Japan and UN agencies.
- The Japanese staff members of the UN organizations shared the current efforts and challenges of WPS initiatives of their respective organizations, namely UNICEF, UN Women, UNDPPA, UNDP, UNFPA and UNOCC, especially further need for women’s participation in various fields and concerns about decreasing of funding globally. Minister Kamikawa had a lively exchange of views with them on the possibilities and ideas for Japan's contribution.
- In closing, Minister Kamikawa stated that she would like to utilize the network of embassies to promote integrated activities of each UN organization in accordance with the concept of human security and with action in mind, and that she would like to consider how support should be provided from the perspective of 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 related resolutions, Japan has so far formulated and implemented three rounds of action plans.