“Women can do anything” said Federal Minister for Family Affairs Franziska GIFFEY at the virtual symposium “25 Years of the Beijing Declaration and Five Years of Agenda 2030: Progress in the Policy Field of Gender Equality in Japan and Germany” at the JDZB on 4 and 5 March 2021 (pictured right, left HAYASHI Tomoko, Director-General; Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office).

In the run-up to International Women‘s Day, renowned speakers took stock of successes, lack of progress and possible solutions for equality in politics and the world of work in both countries. In addition to the Director of the UN Women Japan Liaison Office, ISHIKAWA Kae, and the German Ambassador to Japan, Ina LEPEL, development cooperation experts provided insights into Japan and Germany‘s commitment to promoting equality at the international level.

Prof. Dr. Ute KLAMMER (University of Duisburg-Essen) addressed the “fragility of egalitarian role models” in view of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of men and women, while Prof. Dr. SHIRAHASE Sawako (Tokyo University) spoke pointedly about how women are more strongly affected by the negative consequences of the pandemic due to structural inequalities. The speakers agreed, however, that the crisis also brings with it opportunities for social change toward greater equality. The task now is to take advantage of these opportunities.
The JDZB will continue to place the topic of “gender equality” on its agenda.