of trainees, or small-scale community-based assistance through NGOs. In fiscal year 2003, such projects accounted for 14.1% of Grassroots Human Security Grant Aids in terms of the amount of fund provided, and 15.6% thereof in terms of the number of projects. With respect to assistance through international organizations, Japan has been making active efforts particularly for protection of women and girls in situations of conflict from the standpoint of human security, and has been providing support with consideration to gender through the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

As a major example, Japan has dispatched experts to Indonesia since March 2003 to give policy advice relating to gender mainstreaming. The State Ministry in charge of the capacity building of Indonesian women (the State Ministry of Women's Empowerment) has the duty of policymaking, planning, coordination and enlightenment relating to projects to promote the improvements of the status of women with the aim of gender equality. However, the ministry has not carried out these duties in a functional way, therefore Indonesia requested that Japan dispatch experts for policy advice. Experts dispatched from Japan are working for documenting cross-sectoral gender issues to be dealt with by the said State Ministry and relevant measures, and providing support for raising the awareness of gender issues and implementation and monitoring of related research.

In Cambodia, Japan started the "Project on Gender Mainstreaming and Policy Development through Upgrading Information and Research Capacity" in April 2003 through JICA with the aim of improving the status of women. As a result of about 20 years of civil war, women now account for more than 60% of the population aged 25 years and older in

Committee concerning gender policy ("Project on Gender Mainstreaming and Policy Development through Upgrading Information and Research Capacity": Cambodia) (Photo: JICA)

Cambodia, and women are thus expected to play an important role in the country's reconstruction and development. However, the social status of women is lower than that of men, which is a large obstacle to the promotion of women's participation in society. The Government of Cambodia established the Ministry of Women's and Veteran's Affairs (MWVA) in 1998 and has been making efforts to create a society in which women and men can participate in an equal position for restructuring the nation. However, the MWVA does not carry out sufficient functions. To support women's participation in society by strengthening the functions of the MWVA, Japan has been providing cooperation in enhancing the capacity to organize gender information and analyze statistics as well as the capacity to formulate, implement and monitor development plans with consideration given to gender.

In August 2003, Japan also held a symposium to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM), which remains deeply rooted in some African countries and which is a traditional but detrimental practice that undermines women's health and infringes their rights, in cooperation with the Government of Sudan and UNICEF. This symposium had an innovative meaning as the first project in which Japan cooperated for the improvement of a specific human rights situation in cooperation with the recipient government. In this symposium, Japan increased the understanding of the recipient government, related local organizations, NGOs, and residents, and also expressed its will to eradicate FGM. Japan expects that this movement will spread to the neighboring countries and have a positive effect on them, such as the expansion of movements toward eradicating FGM.

The Government of Japan will continue to aim at fair and effective economic cooperation with an emphasis on the perspective of gender equality and will make further efforts to improve the status of women.

## ☑ Partnership and Collaboration with the International Community

As indicated in the basic policies of the revised ODA Charter, partnership and collaboration with the international community has become increasingly important when implementing assistance. Japan is actively promoting collaboration with the international community through assistance policy consultation with other donor countries and approach to the international community.

As explained in Chapter 1, looking at Japan's ODA disbursement by scheme, bilateral ODA occupies a central position. Also in relationships with international organiza-