8 Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2022, as well as the situation in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, have seriously affected women and girls in particular, as represented by the increase in the number of reports on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). Furthermore, large-scale natural disasters such as typhoons, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and large fires, caused by climate change, are occurring frequently around the world regardless of the country, and there are growing anxieties about healthcare, food, and energy. These problems further highlight existing gender inequalities. For this reason, it is necessary to prioritize the realization of gender equality and the promotion of women's empowerment as one of the most important issues for peace and prosperity in Japan and the world. It is vital to focus on various policies and measures for women and girls in order to realize a more peaceful and prosperous society. Gender mainstreaming, which is to incorporate the gender perspective into all policies, is becoming increasingly important in the international community. In particular, it is important to adapt the perspective of “Women, Peace and Security” (WPS), the foundational concept that the international community has a better chance to achieve sustainable peace by the equal and full participation of women in all stages of decision-making leading up to post-conflict peacebuilding.

The Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2024, which serves as the basis for Japan's budget, covered WPS for the second consecutive year since 2023. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) established a task force in January under the Minister for Foreign Affairs in January to promote WPS across MOFA by using every available tool, including ODA. Japan will continue to contribute to the realization of gender equality including WPS, and the promotion of women's empowerment by hosting international conferences on women, vigorously supporting developing countries through development assistance as well as international cooperation with other countries and international organizations.

(1) G7

The Apulia G7 Leaders' Communique issued at the G7 Apulia Summit held in June 2024 reaffirmed commitment to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity, through full, equal, and meaningful participation in all spheres of society. It also set out the recommitment to preventing and addressing hate and discrimination, and to eliminating sexual and gender-based violence, including that facilitated by technology and trafficking in persons. Furthermore, the leaders reiterated their commitment in the Hiroshima Leaders' Communiqué to universal access to adequate, affordable, and quality health services for women, including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, and to collectively increase ODA for gender equality. In October, the Ministerial Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment was held in Matera.

(2) G20

The Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) was convened for the first time after the decision to launch the Working Group was made under India's G20 Presidency in 2023. The Chair's Statement on the G20 Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women Ministerial Meeting, held in Brasilia in October, reflected the concept of WPS by recognizing the role of women as agents of peace. Furthermore, the Leaders' Declaration issued at the G20 Rio de Janeiro Summit in November recognized that the participation and leadership of women in all sectors and at all levels of the economy is crucial to the growth of global GDP, condemned every form of discrimination against women and girls, and confirmed the commitment to end gender-based violence including sexual violence, and combat misogyny online and offline. It also declared the leaders' commitment to implementing the G20 Roadmap Towards and Beyond the Brisbane Goal, formulated in 2021, and expressed that they look forward to developing proposals with a view to establishing new G20 commitments for the post-2025 period, in particular regarding closing the gender pay gap.

(3) International Cooperation for the Empowerment of Women in Developing Countries

Through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and international organizations, Japan is engaged in educational support and human resource development, as well as efforts toward the economic empowerment of women and the elimination of gender-based violence in developing countries.

A Educational Support and Human Resource Development

At the Global Education Summit held in July 2021, Foreign Minister Motegi announced in his video message that Japan will provide education support of more than 1.5 billion U.S. dollars over a five-year period, and support the provision of opportunities for quality education and human resource development to at least 7.5 million girls in developing countries. These efforts are now ongoing. Consistent with the concept of “investment in people” described in Japan's Development Cooperation Charter (Cabinet decision in 2023), Japan will continue to promote cooperation on efforts in the education sector while also taking into consideration the perspectives of providing quality education, building capacity for women, children, and youths, and securing educational opportunities under situations of conflict and disaster.

B Supporting Women Through JICA

To promote the economic empowerment of women, Japan has conducted training in Japan based on the theme of promoting business and entrepreneurship among women, attended by participants from nine countries in Africa. It has also provided support for promoting entrepreneurship and business among women in Sri Lanka. To promote peace and security for women, it also provides support to strengthen coordination as well as the capacity of organizations involved in addressing trafficking in persons in the Mekong region. Furthermore, in Kenya and Pakistan, Japan has conducted training with participants from 14 countries on the themes of cooperation aimed at protecting the survivors of gender-based violence and supporting them to gain independence, and eradicating sexual and gender-based violence.

C Approach to Sexual Violence in Conflict

Sexual violence as tactics of war is a problem that cannot be overlooked. It is vital to put an end to impunity and to support victims. Japan has been actively working in this field to eliminate human rights violations against women in the 21st century. Japan prioritizes cooperation with international organizations such as the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (OSRSG-SVC), and participation in discussions at international fora. In 2024, Japan provided financial support of approximately 0.66 million U.S. dollars to the OSRSG-SVC, providing various services including access to healthcare and justice to victims, improving livelihoods, and providing training on prevention in the regions, with the aim of protecting refugees and internally displaced women in Sudan from sexual and gender-based violence, as well as preventing such violence. In the same year, Japan contributed an additional 2 million Euros to the Global Survivors Fund (GSF), founded by 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureates Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, bringing Japan's total contributions to 10 million Euros by 2024 (as of December 31, 2024). As a member of the board, Japan is also actively involved in the management of GSF. Furthermore, Japan continues to make voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court (ICC), earmarking contributions for victims of sexual violence and putting efforts into protecting victims of such violence. In addition, Japan also provides support through UN Women.

(4) Initiatives in the UN

A Women, Peace and Security (WPS)

Japan is strongly promoting WPS as one of its major diplomatic policies. WPS is an idea that the international community has a better chance to achieve sustainable peace by the equal and full participation of women in all stages of decision-making, from the protection of women and girls in conflict and conflict prevention to peace processes and post-conflict peacebuilding. It was first stipulated in the UN Security Council resolution 1325 adopted in 2000.

Since assuming her position, Foreign Minister Kamikawa has taken a wide range of approaches to roll out initiatives for promoting WPS, and used various opportunities, including at bilateral and multilateral fora, to bring up WPS and call for cooperation with international efforts. In January, the cross-organizational Taskforce on WPS was established within MOFA, developing a cross-sectoral system to promote WPS. In February, a WPS Session was convened as part of the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction. At this Session, Foreign Minister Kamikawa introduced Japan's WPS-related efforts in support of Ukraine, and engaged in discussions on WPS efforts and challenges in Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction from the perspectives of government, business, and civil society. Foreign Minister Kamikawa visited Nigeria in April, where she attended an exchange of opinions and a working lunch on WPS. She exchanged views with senior officials including women from international organizations and internally displaced women, who are working at the forefront of peacebuilding in North-East Nigeria, and listened to explanations of WPS efforts by international organizations in North-East Nigeria and the positive impact that Japan's support has on improving the status of women. During the UN General Assembly High-level Week in September, Foreign Minister Kamikawa delivered a statement at the WPS Focal Points Network⁽⁴⁵⁾ High-Level Side Event, and announced that Japan, together with Norway, will be serving as co-chairs of the WPS Focal Point Network in 2025.

For Japan to elevate WPS to the next level, and from the perspective that it is important to listen to the opinions of experts on the frontlines and from different sectors, Foreign Minister Kamikawa launched the policy forum, “WPS+I (Women, Peace, and Security + Innovation) symposium,” and in February, participated in an exchange of opinions in Rio de Janeiro with Elika Takimoto, Member of the State Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, Joyce Trindade, Director of the Women's Advancement Promotion Bureau of the City of Rio de Janeiro, Suzana Kahn, Dean of Engineering Department of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and Silvana Nagai, judo instructor. In March, a meeting entitled “WPS + Innovation from the United Nations” was held in New York, where she engaged in a lively discussion with Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, Ambassador Merete Brattested, Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN, NAKAMITSU Izumi, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, on the progress regarding WPS in the Security Council and others in recent years, as well as the need to protect women in conflicts and greater participation by women in various fields. Similarly in March, during an exchange of views with 19 female Ambassadors to Japan held at the Embassy of Mexico in Tokyo, the Ambassadors made remarks on women's participation and gender policies including WPS in their countries, as well as their own experiences from a woman's perspective, and exchanged candid views on the possible manners of cooperation with Japan.

In line with the Third Edition of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2023-2028) (an action plan toward implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the related resolutions) revised in 2023, Japan contributes to international organizations such as UN Women and OSRSG-SVC, and implements WPS projects in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

• (45) WPS Focal Point Network is the largest WPS-related network among UN Member States, and lessons drawn as well as good practices are shared within the network. In addition to governments, regional organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the African Union (AU), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also participate. As of December 2024, there are a total of 103 members, including 93 countries and 10 regional organizations.

B Cooperation with UN Women

Japan strengthened its cooperation with UN Women and increased its contribution from approximately 2 million U.S. dollars (2013) to 20 million U.S. dollars (2024). In particular, for women and girls in developing countries, Japan is implementing projects related to WPS, such as capacity building to participate in the peacebuilding and reconstruction processes. It is also working on the economic empowerment of women such as livelihood and entrepreneurship support, and support for women victims of gender-based violence. Japan also supports women's economic empowerment through providing daily necessities to women and girls who have been affected by conflict and natural disasters, and job creation and vocational training.

C United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

The 68th session of CSW (CSW68) convened in March was held as an in-person meeting following up from 2023. At the meeting, discussions were held on the priority theme of “accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.” Minister in Charge of Women's Empowerment and Minister of State for Gender Equality, KATO Ayuko, delivered a video message at the General Discussion on behalf of Japan. In her message, she explained Japan's complex and multifaceted approaches toward realizing gender equality in society, including economic independence for women. In addition, OSAKI Asako (Director of Gender Action Platform, a specified nonprofit corporation) delivered a statement at the Ministerial Roundtable on behalf of Japan. In her statement, she introduced Japan's initiatives, including domestic policies to promote the economic independence of women, and poverty reduction support implemented through international cooperation for women in and outside Japan.

D Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Since 1987, Japan has continued sending committee members to the CEDAW (comprising 23 members (individual capacity)). In October, a review was conducted in Geneva (Switzerland) on the Ninth Periodic Report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (submitted in September 2021). The government delegation, consisting of representatives from the relevant ministries and agencies and headed by Director General Okada of the Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office, explained the status of implementation in each area since the Ninth Periodic Report.⁽⁴⁶⁾

• (46) For Comments from Japan on the Concluding Observations on the ninth periodic report of Japan, see MOFA's website:
  https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100773663.pdf