Women's NGO calls for improvement in women's status

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Women's NGO calls for improvement in women's status

Representatives of the Japan Federation of Women's Organizations (Fudanren) visited the Foreign Ministry on April 2 to request that the government promptly ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The government's ratification of the Optional Protocol enables Japanese individuals and groups to directly report to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDW) if they find a case in violation of rights guaranteed by the Convention. It has been ratified by 96 countries.

Fudanren Chair Horie Yuri mentioned that the CEDW in July will examine Japan's 6th report on the situation regarding the implementation of the Convention and said, "This year is a chance for Japan to ratify the optional protocol."

Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives Kasai Akira accompanied them.

- Akahata, April 3, 2009