National Women’s Education Center of Japan

The National Women’s Education Center of Japan, with support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), held the 2012 NWEC International Symposium “To Make a Society without Violence against Women a Reality” on Saturday October 27, 2012.

The symposium was organized in two parts. In the first part, Dr. Nancie Caraway, Human Rights Fellow of the Globalization Research Center, University of Hawaii-Manoa and First Lady of the State of Hawaii, gave the keynote speech, entitled “Bound to Distant Others: The Challenges of Gender and Human Trafficking in a Global World Reconsiderations and Recommitments”.

In the first half of the panel discussions, there was a presentation on “Efforts to Eradicate Violence against Women in Asian Countries” given by representatives of the participants who attended the 2012 Seminar for Gender Equality Officers and Women Leaders in the Asian Pacific Region which was sponsored by NWEC of Japan prior to the International Symposium. There was an enthusiastic debate on national policies and initiatives to promote gender equality in each country, providing an important opportunity for participants and Japanese experts and researchers to discuss the matter.

During the latter half of the second part, there was a panel discussion on “Filling the Gaps between Policies and Reality — Recommendations from Experts”, with Ms. Kamrun Nahar who is a member of Naripokkho, an NGO working for women’s rights in Bangladesh; Professor Mieko Takenobu of Wako University; and Ms. Keiko Otsu, Co-chair of the Japan Network Against Trafficking in Persons (JNATIP).

Ms. Nahar reported cases of gender-based violence induced by dowry customs and acid throwing in Bangladesh as well as Naripokkho’s policy advocacy and programs.

Professor Takenobu presented VAW cases occurring in the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction from the Tohoku Earthquake,

Ms. Otsu discussed the situation surrounding victims of trafficking in persons in Japan and JNATIP programs.

The audience raised many questions about how to eradicate violence against women in each country, and there was vigorous debate between the audience and the panelists.