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| At Nursery School in Kitakyushu |
Under a commission by JICA Kyushu International Center the Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW) holds an annual seminar for central and local government officers in developing countries who are in charge of gender mainstreaming policies. The purpose of the seminar is to foster government officers who can promote gender mainstreaming policies comprehensively and effectively in developing countries towards a gender-equal society. This year, the seminar was held for approximately five weeks from June 6 to July 4, receiving eight trainees from seven countries.
The seminar began with a presentation and discussion session in which trainees shared their gender-related experiences and problems found in their countries. This was followed by lectures provided by gender issue experts, who presented the outline of national level gender mainstreaming policies from a historical as well as an international viewpoint. Additionally, the trainees listened to those actually engaged in the promotion of a gender-equal society at a public administration institution and other organizations in order to learn about specific gender mainstreaming efforts promoted by the central and regional governments in Japan. This helped the trainees become aware of the basics when they consider the effectiveness of policies to be implemented in their countries.
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| In Akamura Tokusanbutsu Center |
Subsequently, in order to ensure that the trainees will be able to organize, implement and assess action plans from the perspective of gender equality, lectures were delivered by people from a wide range of fields in Fukuoka Prefecture. The trainees also visited a nursery school and an elementary school in Kitakyushu City. Direct interaction with those who are engaged in gender equal education and who support working women enabled the trainees to learn about what should be done to implement appropriate policies in their countries. The trainees could also receive information about techniques and mechanisms which are needed to do so. Of particular note is the international interaction between children and the trainees which transcended the boundaries of culture and language.
In addition to these lectures, the seminar also included workshops which enriched the learning process. Above all, the workshop of the Gender Sensitive Project Cycle Management (PCM), which was designed to help the trainees formulate more logical, practical and effective action plans was evaluated highly by the participants.
The seminar concluded with an action plan presentation session in which feasible action plans were prepared and presented.
Trainees’ Messages and Impressions
- It was of great use to directly know what type of gender education is actually provided at Japanese schools.
- What impressed me most was the visit to the atomic bomb museum in Hiroshima. While listening to a female victim during the visit, I felt as if we were experiencing the desperate day of the atomic bomb dropping. We were able to feel her agony.
- The visit to the nursery school enabled me to gain understanding of details regarding the Japanese nursery school system and nursery education philosophy related to IT as well as dietary education. I was very happy that the children welcomed us very cheerfully.
- In order to improve the status of women in my country, which is still developing, I would like to make good use of what I have learned in Japan after returning home. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for being given this opportunity to visit Japan.
- I was able to understand that KFAW implements various administrative policies and works on different gender problems. I was impressed that KFAW promotes its activities on a global basis, especially in Asia.
