Statement by H.E. Mr. Tsuneo Nishida
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
on Item 2: Strategic Plan 2011-2013
at the Annual Session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
27 June 2011

Thank you, Madam President.

 I would like to commend the efforts of Madam Bachelet and her team for having produced the very first Strategic Plan for UN Women within a short preparation period. We appreciate that the Strategic Plan has thoroughly reflected real voices from the ground through a field capacity assessment, a global partner survey and a series of country visits by the Executive Director herself. Japan endorses the Strategic Plan, which adopts a result-oriented approach and reflects an ambition shared by the international community.

I would like to reiterate Japan’s support for all 6 priority goals set out in the development results framework (DRF). Regarding Development Results Goal 2 on women’s economic empowerment, we are very glad to have the “Women’s Empowerment Principles” as an indicator. We expect that UN Women will also benefit from collaboration with the private sector by increasing the number of companies signing the Principles across the world. Concerning Development Results Goal 4 on women’s role in peace and security and natural disasters, we expect that UN Women will lead and coordinate the UN system in using the indicators to monitor the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 as well as in enhancing women’s roles and perspectives in disaster prevention.

Japan also supports all 4 clusters set in the management results framework (MRF). Management Results Output 2 on result-based reporting and evaluation and Management Results Output 3 on field based approaches are of particular importance.

We understand that the Strategic Plan is driven by a longer-term vision, with goals and results to be expected in 2017. The results frameworks in the Strategic Plan need to be reviewed and further strengthened with the regular guidance of the Executive Board.

Madam President,

Cooperation with NGOs and civil society is key to the success of the implementation of the Strategic Plan. In this regard, we welcome that a civil society advisory group for UN Women will be organized at an international level. At the same time, we would encourage UN Women to take a catalytic role in putting together women’s organizations on the ground.

Japan has supported UN Women’s project to assist the Afghanistan Government to implement laws on gender-based violence. We hope that the project will be effectively implemented, will realize the protection and empowerment of every victim of abuse, and will prevent violence against women and girls from a human security perspective, both through the capacity building of the Afghan Commission for Elimination of Violence Against Women and also by providing shelter for female victims.

Japan looks forward to continuing to work with UN Women for the full and effective implementation of the Strategic Plan.

I thank you, Madam President.