BPW Japan is collaborating with the Gender Equality Bureau for the promotion of the WEPs

Japanese government has been stipulating and setting numerical targets to increase the share of women in leadership and in the decision making positions. Some positive policy changes, as well as social behavioral changes, toward the realization of gender-equal society have been made over the past decades, however much remains to be done, especially in the business arena. Facing to the future perspective of labor shortage and the dwindling economy, the Japanese government recently re-addressed the necessity of the gender equality in the working place, so that more women can continue to work and pursue their balanced work and family well-being.

In 2011, responding to the WEPs (Women’s Empowerment Principles), which UN Women/UN Global Compact launched in 2010, the Gender Equality Bureau of Japanese government formed an internationally collaborating project team for the promotion of women’s empowerment. The task of the team is to raise the awareness of the WEPs in business community in Japan. The President of BPW Japan, Toshimi Matsubara, a lawyer, is a member of the team and has been working for the promotion of the WEPs in Japanese business community. The Gender Equality Bureau well recognizes that BPW-International has been making significant contribution to the WEPs campaign since the launch of the WEPs.
Taking advantage of a wide variety of human resources among members and opportunities such as local club/block meetings and web site, BPW Japan continues to work for the advancement of working women and for the WEPs in Japan.

(PHOTO: Panel discussion, "The day when women become the top of the decision making" Kanto-Yamanashi block meeting co-sponsored by the Gender Equality Bureau on November 25, 2012 in Kofu.)

What is the WEPs ? http://www.gender.go.jp/renkei/team/WEPs/pdf/weps03_s03.pdf#page=1 Gender Equality Bureau (japanese): http://www.gender.go.jp/main_contents/category/women_empowerment.html BPW Japan (japanese): http://www.bpw-japan.jp/japanese/weps.html