Fudanren in convention calls for boosting women’s solidarity

Japan Press Weekly

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

Fudanren in convention calls for boosting women’s solidarity

At its 36th annual Convention held on December 12 in Tokyo, the Japan Federation of Women's Organizations (Fudanren) called for further efforts to increase the solidarity of women worldwide.

Referring to the struggles in the past year that threw out the Liberal Democratic Party-led government, Fudanren Chair Horie Yuri in her address summed up Fudanren’s work, including a petition drive on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and various actions inside and outside of the Diet encouraging women’s solidarity.

Fudanren Secretary General Enomoto Yoko proposed the organization’s action program for 2010, which include the campaign for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, opposition to adverse constitutional revision, improvement of women’s right to equality under the law and raising women’s social status, and the pursuit of political reform in defense of the living conditions of the general public.

Fudanren consists of about 20 national and regional organizations, such as the New Japan Women’s Association, with about 900,000 members in total.

A representative from the Japan Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers’ Unions (Jichiroren) criticized the Hatoyama government for its policies that will undermine the minimum standards for running child care centers.

A woman from the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (ZENKYO) spoke about the result of the survey on sexual/power harassment in their workplaces and ZENKYO’s campaign calling on local self-governments to enact preventive legislations to address this issue.

A member of the Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom (JLAF) reported that many JLAF members are attending study meetings to fight against discrimination against women workers.

On behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, House of Councilors member Koike Akira (JCP Policy Commission chair) gave a guest speech.

- Akahata, December 13, 2009