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Statement by Ms. Shoko Haruki
First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
on agenda item 3 (a): Rethinking and strengthening social development
in the contemporary world
Fifty-Third Session of the Commission for Social Development
05 February 2015
New York
Madam Chair,
Let me first thank you for your leadership during this session. I assure you of my delegation’s utmost support for your important responsibilities.
Madam Chair,
This year, the inter-governmental sessions on the Post-2015 Development Agenda have begun. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development. Therefore, the priority theme “Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world” is both timely and valuable at this significant moment in time. Furthermore, I would like to stress that we should focus on the social dimensions of our discussions of social development, especially of three themes of the Commission: poverty eradication, social integration, and full employment and decent work for all.
Madam Chair,
The eradication of poverty is of the utmost priority and should remain a central objective of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The eradication of poverty requires us to tackle a variety of challenges including unemployment, social exclusion, and lack of access to health care and education. Japan is of the opinion that the Post-2015 Development Agenda should be “people-centered” so that it will be effective and result-based. Therefore, it should contribute to empowering individuals and strengthening their capacities.
The issues of full employment and decent work for all remain challenging for the international community. One of the key questions in this issue is how we can mobilize women’s labor power. In this connection, Japan has been strongly pursuing policies to create a society in which women shine, which is to say, a society that realize the full potential of women socially and economically.
This year, the Government of Japan submitted a draft Act for the Facilitation of Women’s Active Role in the Workplace to the Diet. This Act would impose an obligation on the national and local governments and on private sector corporations with more than 300 employees to collect and analyze the data on issues of gender and employment, for example data on the respective rates of male and female employees and managers. It also makes it obligatory for these entities to create action plans to improve gender equality with concrete objectives and measures based on these analyses.
We believe that respect for diversity is necessary to realize a society that welcomes and protects all people. Society needs to be not just tolerant but safe and supportive of all its members, and in particular of its most vulnerable people, including persons with disabilities, children, older persons and LGBT people. In this connection, Japan has worked closely with civil society in the area of human rights. Representatives of civil society have been included as members of the Delegations of Japan to the Third Committee and a forum of persons with disabilities of the United Nations.
I remember the words from a particular civil society representative for persons with disabilities. He said that disabilities are themselves diverse, we should respect the variety of disabilities and in so doing we can become more tolerant of others. Such voices can inspire us, and give us new perspectives in our policies. We will continue to pursue policies which meet the actual needs of vulnerable people of society and promote their human rights and empowerment.
Madame Chair,
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that Japan continues to make efforts to build a better society for all individuals. We look forward to having a discussion on how we might rethink social development and how we can make forward-looking strategies to achieve our social development goals.
Thank you very much.
