United Nations

Economic and Social Council

E/CN.6/2024/NGO/XX
Distr.: GeneralDecember 2023
Original: Language

Commission on the Status of Women

Sixty-eighth session
11-22 March 2024
Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women andto the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly
entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development andpeace for the twenty-first century”

Statement submitted by YWCA of Japan, a nongovernmental organization in consultative status with theEconomic and Social Council*
The Secretary-General has received the following statement, which is being
circulated in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of Economic and Social
Council resolution 1996/31.

__________________________________________* The present statement is issued without formal editing.

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Statement
The YWCA of Japan, founded in 1905 and affiliated to the World Young Women’s
Christian Association since 1906, was granted special consultative status with the United
Nations Economic and Social Council in 2019. We are honored and delighted to once again
present our statement to the United Nations this year.
Following the Asian-Pacific War, the YWCA of Japan has engaged in a profoundprocess of learning and collaboration with YWCA members in East Asian countries. Theseexchanges have enabled us to gain valuable insights from their experiences and shared pain,
driving us to take responsibility as an organization and as individuals for Japan's war crimes,
including its colonial rule in East Asian nations and the forced sexual enslavement of womenfrom that region by the Japanese military. Simultaneously, we tirelessly work towards
creating a just society where gender equity prevails, advocating for women's active
participation in society, and striving for a peaceful world where human rights, health, and theenvironment are protected. To achieve these goals, we are dedicated to empowering
marginalized populations through various initiatives. We firmly believe that all individuals,
particularly women, should be guaranteed the opportunity to exercise their civil rights fully,
with a special emphasis on valuing and amplifying the voices of young women.
At the Commission on the Status of Women 63, the youth delegates from the YWCA
of Japan returned empowered and immediately launched a program in collaboration withlocal YWCAs in Japan. Their focus on "sexual consent" aimed to provide "comprehensive
sexuality education" to teenage girls, particularly middle and high school YWCA members inJapan. Their determination was particularly strong because they did not receive2

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comprehensive sexuality education during their own junior high and high school years. These
dedicated young women have meticulously prepared and conducted workshops, developing
the content themselves. During the workshop, the youths have consistently raised concerns
about the inadequacy of the criminal code pertaining to sex crimes. Their unwaveringcommitment, coupled with the empowerment gained from the Commission on the Status ofWomen and the support of YWCAs throughout Japan, in response to the work of the WorldYWCA's young women's leadership development project "RISE UP!" has not only inspired
other youth but has also sparked broader interest and engagement in topics such as gender,peace, and human rights.
In Japan, however, discussing matters related to sex remains a significant societal taboo.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology continues to avoid"directly teaching sexual intercourse" in compulsory education at schools. The COVID-19
pandemic brought forth alarming cases of online sexual exploitation of children, includingchild pornography. The youth delegates from the YWCA of Japan addressed this issue at theCommission on the Status of Women 67, emphasizing the importance of including sex
education and IT literacy education as part of human rights education and outlining how to
implement it. Despite the brave efforts of these youths to draw attention to the shortcomings
in human rights and sex education in Japan, violations of human rights persist.
The economic landscape in Japan has further deteriorated due to the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic and wavering political decisions. Numerous challenges loom large on
the horizon, including inadequate evaluation systems within corporate organizations, a dearthof sufficient pregnancy and childcare leave options, the formidable barriers faced by single-3

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parent women when seeking employment, and the financial hardships encountered whenembarking on entrepreneurial ventures. There is a growing population of girls in need ofsocial care, partly due to the persisting patriarchy and an inability to transform a society andculture that tolerates violence. Economic deprivation, in some cases, exacerbates thesituation, as individuals who receive social support and utilize care facilities often have toforgo pursuing higher education, trapping them in a cycle of poverty. Two local YWCAs in
Japan operate care facilities for young women and girls who require social care, many ofwhom have suffered physical, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse within theirfamilies. We strongly advocate for comprehensive empowerment measures for thesevulnerable individuals.

Given these circumstances, we, the YWCA of Japan, call for the following actions:[Actions Urging the United Nations]
1. Establish a framework for listening to the voices of youth, especially young women andgirls, and ensure their perspectives are incorporated into all decision-making processes.
Additionally, create mechanisms for gathering the views of economically disadvantaged
youth who cannot travel to the UN headquarters. For this reason, we request a review of thedecision to host the Commission on the Status of Women in New York, one of the world's
most expensive cities.
2. Lobby for the appropriate provision of care, empowerment, and education for young
women and girls, particularly those in need of social care.

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E/CN.6/2024/NGO/XX[Actions Urging Governments]
1. Implement comprehensive sexuality education in line with UNESCO's "International
technical guidance on sexuality education: an evidence-informed approach [RevisedVersion]," both in Japan and globally.
2. Advocate for subsidies to cover travel and accommodation expenses for government youth
representatives.
3. Strengthen institutions, including legislation, and improve access to medical andcounseling facilities to safeguard the sexual and reproductive health and rights of allindividuals.
4. Redirect national budgets away from military and defense spending, and allocate resources
towards gender-based education and poverty alleviation.

We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement and eagerly anticipate
working alongside the non-governmental organization community, the Commission on theStatus of Women, and the United Nations Economic and Social Council to advance these
critical issues.

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