March 8 is International Women’s Day. The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s day from 1975. The role of women in the field of nuclear disarmament and peace building is increasing.

１　Women must participate as decision-makers in all disarmament processes, and I am totally committed to doing all I can to support this.

This is remarks by Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of United Nations, at the University of Geneva on the launch of the Disarmament Agenda.

In the Disarmament Agenda, the following sentences are indicated.

Context (Excerpt)

ENSURING THE EQUAL, FULL AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN 

The equal, full and effective participation of women in all decision-making processes related to disarmament is essential for the promotion and attainment of sustainable peace and security. The Secretary-General has prioritized gender parity as “a moral duty and an operational necessity”. He further recognized that “the meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making increases effectiveness and productivity, brings new perspectives and solutions to the table, unlocks greater resources, and strengthens efforts across all the three pillars of our work”. (*2)

 

Also the goal 5 of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) is “Gender Equality: Empower women and girls and ensure their equal rights”

Hiroshima Prefecture was selected as “SDGs Future City” by Prime Minister ABE Shinzo and takes initiatives to achieve goals.

https://hiroshimaforpeace.com/en/sdgs-and-peace/miraitoshi/

 

*1 United Nations, Remarks at the University of Geneva on the launch of the Disarmament Agend https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2018-05-24/launch-disarmament-agenda-remarks

*2 UNODA, Securing our common furure/ An agenda for disarmament https://www.un.org/disarmament/publications/more/securing-our-common-future/

２　Women in Hiroshima’s initiatives

Hiroshima takes various initiatives for nuclear disarmament and peacebuilding including the program for youth, World Business Conference for World peace and Hiroshima Round Table.

Many female students participate in the program for youth such as Future Leaders Program for Global Peace in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Junior International Forum and Hiroshima-ICAN Academy and they have a dream to contribute toward the peaceful world without nuclear weapons.

In 2019 World Business Conference for World Peace, Ms. Inna Shevshenko, Feminist activist, told us, “The rights of women are essential to realize a peaceful world. We cannot say no war is only peaceful world. Equality is also necessary for peace”.

Female researchers of nuclear disarmament and arms control participate in Hiroshima Round Table and contributed to make the urgent appeal and chairman’s statement.

Hiroshima takes initiatives toward the peaceful international community free from nuclear weapons with continued assistance and cooperation from various sectors.

3. What we can do

• To know the situation that there are many women in the field of nuclear disarmament and peacebuilding is the first step.
• As Mr. Guterres told us that women must participate as decision-makers in all disarmament process, it will be possible to review the gender equality in the process of decision making. If the gender equality cannot be ensured because there are few female or male in your office, you probably can start to hear the voices from various sectors.

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