Part Two: Report by Article
Article 7
1. Women's Participation in the Public Sector
Women's participation in decision-making processes for policies and administrative measures is not only the request of democracy but is also indispensable to reflect women's concerns in various policies. However, it has long been pointed out that in women's participation in decision-making processes in the public sector as well as in the private sector, there remains much to be improved. The Government of Japan notes the current situation in the "FY2001 Annual Report on the State of Formation of Gender-equal Society" by quoting statistics from the Human Development Index (HDI), Gender Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measurement (GEM) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in which Japan ranks 9th by HDI and 11th by GDI, but falls to 31st by GEM. This is due to the fact that Japan is faced with the situation whereby the "percentage of seats in parliament held by women" and the "percentage of female administrators and managers" are lower than those of other developed countries that are ranked highly by GEM. The Government is trying to raise awareness on this situation, and is taking various measures to further promote women's participation in the decision-making processes for policies and administrative measures.
(1) Provisions in the Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society
Article 5 of "the Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society" stipulates that the "Formation of a Gender-equal Society shall be promoted based on securing opportunities for women and men to participate jointly as equal partners in the society in planning and deciding policies of the State or local governments, or policies of private bodies."
(2) Women Members of the Diet
The number and ratio of women members of the Diet, after the 42nd General Election (as of June 2000), is 35 and 7.3% in the House of Representatives (23 and 4.6% after the 41st General Election (as of October 1996)). Meanwhile, 38 and 15.4% respectively in the House of Councilors after the 19th General Election (as of July 2001) (43 and 17.1% after the 18th General Election (as of July 1998).)
(3) Women Ministers
Eight women ministers and eleven women parliamentary vice-ministers (The position changed to senior vice-minister and parliamentary secretary after the Central Government Reform in January 2001) were appointed after the presentation of the fourth periodic report (in October 1998). The number and ratio of women ministers were 1 and 4.2% respectively in January 1999, but the number and ratio increased to 5 and 22.7% respectively in February 2002.
(4) Women in the Judiciary
As reported in the fourth periodic report, the first female Justice of the Supreme Court was appointed in February 1994 and served until September 1997. The second female Justice of the Supreme Court was appointed in December 2001. Also, there are six female presidents of court as of April 2002. The ratio of female judges or public prosecutors has continued to increase since the presentation of the fourth periodic report. The ratio of women who passed the National Bar Examination has also been increasing and has shifted to a level of 20% in recent years. (See Statistical Annex 63, 64, and 65)
(5) Women National Public Officers
The number and ratio of women national public officers at managerial level are still low, 122 and 1.3% respectively as of the end of FY2000. However, the number and ratio of these women were 94 and 1.0% at the end of FY1996, thus demonstrating an upward trend. On the other hand, the number and ratio of women among the total national public officers have been flat in recent years. (See Statistical Annex 66 and 67)
(6) Women Governors and Mayors in Local Governments
There are three women governors of prefectures, three city mayors and four town and village mayors as of the end of FY2001.
(7) Women Members in Local Assemblies
The ratio of women members in local assemblies has gradually been increasing and it accounts for 6.8% of all the members of prefectural, city, special district, town and village assemblies, namely 58,492 as of December 2001 (4.9% as of December 1998). As regards town and village assemblies, according to a research on the actual situation, which was conducted for the first time in 2001, it was found that there were municipalities in which women's participation in politics was at a low level. For instance, about half of municipal assemblies did not have women members.
(8) Female Local Government Workers
a) Female Local Government Workers
The ratio of women among the total local government workers (in general administrative service) is 24.1%. The ratio of women among the total workers in local governments is 14.4% at chief manager level and above, and 3.6 % at director level and above (As of 1 April 2001. Research conducted by the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications.) Compared to the previous year, the proportion of women, at chief manager and director and above levels, is increasing.
b) Boards of Education
The number and ratio of women members in Boards of Education, which are an executive body of local governments, are 2,959 and 17.6% respectively as of May 2001 (11.5 % as of May 1996) (figures in an interim report of research conducted by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), which show an increasing trend. In June 2001, a part of the "Law Concerning Organization and Functions of Local Educational Administration" was amended and the provisions were developed to avoid any significant gender bias in the appointment of Board of Education members by heads of local governments.
c) Police Officers
In order to respond appropriately to the emerging security issues such as stalking, domestic violence, child abuse, and sex crimes, as well as to enhance measures to deal with victims, it is vital to use effectively the abilities and characteristics of women police officers. Taking the basic philosophy for a gender-equal society into consideration, the police force has actively been recruiting women police officers and expanding job categories for them.
The total number of prefectural women police officers is about 8,800 as of 1 April 2000 and has doubled over the previous ten years (3.8% of the total police officers). The job categories of women police officers are also becoming more diversified to include various fields such as criminal investigation, identification activities, escorting and protection of VIPs. As more women are expected to play an active role in various fields of police organizations nationwide, the police force is actively working to develop a better job environment for women, such as the spread of a "babysitter system," which is contracted with private companies.
2. Measures to Disseminate the Periodic Report on Implementation of the Convention and Concluding Observations of the Committee
The Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan introduced on their Websites the Fourth Periodic Report on Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, submitted in July 1998 (provisional translation in Japanese). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan also introduced Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the consideration of combined Second and Third Periodic Reports on Implementation of Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its Websites (original text in English and provisional translation in Japanese).
In compiling the fifth periodic report, a wide array of public opinions were collected on the items to be incorporated into this report, through the Website of the Cabinet Office, newspapers and other media. At the same time, "A hearing on items to be incorporated in the fifth periodic report" was held on 31 August 2001, and furthermore, "information and opinion exchange" was held on 27 March 2002 to introduce the major measures taken by the Government, in relation to the opinions submitted.
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