National Women’s Education Center of Japan

To commemorate the 80 years since diplomatic relations were established between Japan and five Central American countries (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica), the seminar was sponsored jointly by JICA, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Council of Women’s Affairs Ministers for Central America (COMMCA), and the Ministry of Social Inclusion of El Salvador.

From June 9 through June 12, 2015, staff from NWEC participated in and delivered the keynote address at the Regional Gender Seminar in Central and South America held in the Republic of El Salvador.

Around 140 people participated in the seminar from organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, UN-Women, the Central American Integration System, and the national machineries of the various countries. The keynote address centered on experiences in Japan, particularly on assistance provided to women in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan’s “Womenomics” policies,. Many questions were posed to the speaker, including “What kind of assistance in concrete terms is provided for women in Japan who face difficulties?”

Participants in the seminar also visited Ciudad Mujer (“women’s city”), a women’s support facility located in the city of Santa Ana in the western part of the country. Ciudad Mujer is a one-stop center for administrative/government services for women, and is considered a facility for the expansion of women’s economic activities, employment opportunities, and social inclusion.