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Unleashing the Power of Women

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Unleashing the Power of Women ADVERTISEMENT Unleashing the Power of Women Expanding opportunities for women in the workplace and throughout society is a central plank in the Abe government’s growth strategy for Japan. In that spirit, the Japanese government and three other spon- sors convened the World Assembly for Women in Tokyo (WAW! Tokyo 2014) from September 12 to 14. Participating as speakers and as workgroup participants were about 100 public- and private-sector luminaries from around the world. Highlighting the event was a high- level roundtable on September 13. SPONSORS: Government of Japan Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) Nikkei Inc. Japan Institute of International Affairs SUPPORTER: Japan Center for Economic Research Pictured above Left, from top: Barbara Judge, Chairperson, UK Pension Protection Fund; Miki Tsusaka, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group; Zainab Hawa Bangura, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.Center, from top: Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan; Helen Clark, Administrator, United Nations Development Program. Right: Haruko Arimura, Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment, Japan ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT HIGH-LEVEL HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE ROUNDTABLE organizations, entrepreneurship, infra- fellow at the Cambridge [University] structure, human security, peace and Central Asia Forum and a former vice prosperity, and self-determination. The minister for foreign affairs. She called workgroups convened for 90 minutes in attention to the far-reaching implica- the morning and again for an hour after tions of the proposals that the partici- lunch to hammer out policy proposals. pants would prepare. Coordinating the group focused on “Please enjoy substantive discussions women in the economy was Hiroko Ota, in the small workshop format,” encour- a professor at Japan’s National Graduate aged Yamanaka in the expectation of Institute for Policy Studies and a former heart-to-heart talks. “The secret weap- minister of state for economic and fiscal on is us, women, who can help to en- policy. She urged her members at their sure a more peaceful and stable world group kickoff session to identify ways to community.” translate talk into action. “We have heard repeated calls here As readily as any man for mobilizing women as a key to eco- A pair of speakers offered remarks af- nomic growth,” Ota remarked. “Now, ter the group coordinator at each of the you will take up the question of mea- kickoff sessions. All of the speakers em- sures for making that happen. I call on phasized the importance of sustainabil- you to understand the issues that Japan ity in efforts for empowering women. faces and to generate policy proposals Haruko Arimura, the Abe govern- based on your experience in your dif- ment’s minister in charge of women’s ferent nations.” empowerment, addressed the group fo- Coordinating the group focused on cused on women in the economy. She global issues that affect women was called for female solidarity in support of Akiko Yamanaka, a senior diplomatic empowering women. “Reshaping institutions and prac- their work in the nonviolent struggle for participants to share their wisdom freely tices to create a more amenable social women’s safety and rights. One of her and frankly. “We have a proverb in Japan,” framework for women will benefit all Unleashing the Power corecipients, Yemen’s Tawakkol Karman, Abe told his listeners, “that says ‘Wisdom members of society,” promised Arimura. was on hand for WAW! Tokyo 2014 as a derives from the counsel of three peo- “That means young and old, male and of Women workgroup participant. ple.’ Today, not three but some one hun- female, weak and strong. And this is Prime Minister Abe reminded the at- dred people have come together. I hope about more than Japan. Women are a tendees of Japan’s wide-ranging support that you will come forward with propos- potential source of power for driving for women’s empowerment worldwide. als for creating a society where women sustainable progress worldwide. So let apan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, the speak- “Fundamental rights, such as the rights will shine.” us join together in voicing our needs opened WAW! Tokyo 2014’s high- er of the Bangladeshi parliament; Dédé to education and health, must be ensured and in calling for the requisite change.” level roundtable on September Ahoéfa Ekoue, Togo’s minister of so- throughout the world. The world must Talk into action Offering kickoff remarks to the same 13 with a rousing welcome to cial action, women promotion and lit- come together as one and take action After the opening session, the approx- group was Grace Fu, Minister, Prime theJ participants and guests. “To create a eracy; and Vanda Guiomar Pignato, El so that girls and boys can attend school imately 100 participants split up into Minister’s Office; Second Minister for society in which women shine,” declared Salvador’s secretary for social inclusion. equally and so that expectant moth- two groups: one focused on measures “This WAW! symposium the Environment and Water Resources; the prime minister. “That is the pledge I In attendance were such dignitaries as ers can receive medical care with peace for promoting an expanded role for can be a game changer for and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs made exactly a year ago at the United Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador to of mind.” Abe detailed the three-year, women in economic activity and the gender equality and women’s of Singapore. She applauded Prime Nations General Assembly. This WAW! Japan, and Cherie Blair, a noted human US$3 billion commitment to women’s- other focused on global issues that af- empowerment, connecting Minister Abe’s expressed commitment to symposium is a step toward making that rights advocate and the wife of former empowerment initiatives that he made fect women and on women’s role in ad- activists, leaders, and experts raising the percentage of Japanese lead- pledge a reality.” UK prime minister Tony Blair. at the United Nations General Assembly. dressing those issues. Those two groups and setting the stage for ership positions filled by women to 30% Also delivering remarks in the opening The opening session included a mes- And he reported that Japan is ahead of got started in tandem with 30-minute a world in which women are by 2020. Fu welcomed, too, Abe’s em- session were Helen Clark, the administra- sage from Liberian president and Nobel schedule in delivering the promised kickoff sessions. free to participate fully and phasis on ensuring flexibility for women tor of the United Nations Development laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She and assistance. The members then split up further equally in all spheres of life.” in living their lives—on not needing to Program; Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, two other African women received the The prime minister wrapped up the into six workgroups focused on differ- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka face a stark choice between work and the executive director of UN Women; 2011 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of opening session with a call for the ent themes: public- and private-sector Executive Director, UN Women family. “I look forward,” she concluded, 2 3 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT HIGH-LEVEL HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE ROUNDTABLE “to seeing the changes being made in by women in society is part of the foun- networks of survivors, starting small greeted the suggestion that Germany’s the percentage of non-Caucasian stu- Japan.” dation for preventing conflict and for businesses, even running for office in 80 million people presumably included dents and are now struggling to main- Kicking off the group focused on building peace. Women play a crucial local elections. a few dozen qualified women. Members tain a viable Caucasian percentage. She global issues that affect women and on role also in creating a society that is re- “If we want women to participate in of the workgroup mirthfully agreed that also noted that companies have a re- women’s role in addressing those issues silient to disaster.” conflict prevention and peacebuilding, merit-based selection was less a factor sponsibility to appoint the best-qualified were Japan’s minister for foreign af- Bangura heightened the sense of ur- we must make it safe for them to do so. than discrimination in the status quo. candidates to management positions, re- fairs, Fumio Kishida, and Sierra Leone’s gency with a personal account of the I hope our discussions today will bring Wary of quotas was Deborah M. Soon, gardless of gender, and suggested that Zainab Hawa Bangura, the UN special aftermath of her nation’s civil war. us one step closer to a world where any a senior vice president at Catalyst Inc., quotas could impede the fulfillment of representative on sexual violence in “Countless women,” she related, “had woman can help decide the future of her a New York–based nonprofit research that responsibility or cause other unin- conflict. Both of them underlined the been abducted and brutalized. I trav- country as readily as any man.” organization that monitors gender tended consequences. transcendent challenge of achieving and eled from village to village, recording equality in business. Soon cited the US Zia Mody, the founder of and a senior maintaining peace. testimonies. Everywhere, I encoun- To mandate or not to mandate experience with ethnic quotas at uni- partner at the Indian law firm AZB and “Let us remind ourselves anew,” urged tered women who were picking up the The debate and discussion in each of the versities. Numerous US universities, she Partners, acknowledged ambivalence Japan’s first lady, Akie Abe, mingles with Kishida, “that the proactive participation pieces of their shattered lives, building workgroups were vigorous yet nuanced. noted, started with quotas for increasing about quotas.
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