It is an unfortunate reality that, across the world, women and girls are being beaten, trafficked, raped, and killed. The true number of victims is unknown, since far more crimes against women are committed than ever get reported. Only a small percentage of reports lead to arrests, and even when perpetrators are identified, they often go unpunished.

Violence against women is not just a gross violation of human rights; it has enormous social and economic costs, hinders the ability of women to contribute to development, peace, and security, and poses a serious threat to achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. To raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and responding to all forms of violence against women and girls — in all parts of the world — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last year launched the multi-year (2008–2015) campaign “UNite to End Violence against Women”.

Mika Tsutsumi delivers the keynote speech at the 2009 IWD Public Forum at UNU, Tokyo. (Photo: UNU)

International Women’s Day is observed annually on 8 March by Member States of the United Nations. It is a day to acknowledge the contributions that women have made in all fields of endeavour, to look back on past struggles for equality, and to contemplate the challenges and opportunities that await future generations of women.

To commemorate International Women’s Day 2009, the United Nations University joined with 15 other UN-related organizations in Japan to hold a joint public forum at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo on Friday, 6 March. The forum’s theme, “Women and Men: United to End Violence against Women”, was selected to draw attention to UN Secretary-General Ban’s campaign.

In a message read at the forum, Secretary-General Ban called upon us all to “stop the habitual and socially ingrained violence that mars lives, destroys health, perpetuates poverty and prevents us from achieving women’s equality and empowerment.” The consequences, he warned, “go beyond the visible and immediate. Death, injury, medical costs and lost employment are but the tip of an iceberg. The impact on women and girls, their families, their communities and their societies in terms of shattered lives and livelihoods is beyond calculation. Far too often, crimes go unpunished, and perpetrators walk free. No country, no culture, no woman, young or old, is immune.”

The keynote speakers at the public forum were UNICEF South Asia Regional Director Daniel Toole and journalist Mika Tsutsumi. The keynote speeches were followed by a panel discussion moderated by UNU Academic Programme Officer Madoka Futamura. The panelists were Yuko Tsukasaki (Director, Gender Equality Promotion Division, Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office, Japan), Kanae Doi (Director, Human Rights Watch Asia Division), Keiko Kondo (Director, All Japan Women’s Shelter Network), June Kunugi (Director, UNICEF Tokyo Office), Kiyoko Ikegami (Director, UNFPA Tokyo Offic), and Johan Cels (Representative, UNHCR Tokyo Office).

In spite of the cold, rainy afternoon, the forum, which lasted from 2:00 to 5:30 PM, was attended by an audience of more than 200.

For more information, see the International Women’s Day 2009 Tokyo Public Forum website.