Organization
Survey and Research Projects
Survey and Research Activities
KFAW members study and analyze various gender-related problems, primarily in Asia and the Pacific, and present their study results at the Conference on Asian Women, seminars, academic meetings and in various publications.
Visiting Researcher’s Research
For the purpose of enhancing and improving our research activities, we commission visiting researchers to promote survey and research activities.
KFAW Network of Asian Researchers
We hold seminars on topics which are discussed from a gender perspective. This aims to help researchers and working-level staff persons in various fields who promote their activities in and around Kitakyushu to share the results of their research and activities mainly related to the Asian region. We strive to expand and improve our network.
Program Development
At KFAW, researchers and consultants have gathered to develop a new program aimed at preventing dating DV which are currently increasing, particularly among young people. KFAW also prepared career development programs for high school and college students and programs to facilitate the promotion of women’s participation and advancement in manufacturing companies.
Publication of Journals
To enable KFAW researchers and the Research Division to present their research and activity results, we publish Ajia Josei Kenkyu in Japanese and the Journal of Asian Women’s Studies (JAWS) in English, which are available also as e-journals on KFAW’s website.
Organization
Information Exchange Projects
At KFAW, we hold seminars in a timely manner, and publish a newsletter on the situations of women in Japan and foreign countries. We also manage a website and an archive of published materials, with the goals of building a wide network and gathering information.
Publication of Newsletter Asian Breeze
We publish the newsletter Asian Breeze, available in Japanese and English, three times a year. Featuring topics on women especially in the Asia-Pacific region, the newsletter carries columns by both Japanese and overseas experts in various fields as well as local reports by foreign correspondents.
Foreign Correspondents
For the purpose of expanding KFAW’s network and gathering information, we recruit foreign correspondents publicly from among those living outside Japan, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Such correspondents report their local life and the situations of local women.
Development of Annual Project Reports
We develop the Annual Report, a yearly project report, to use in PR activities and as a record of our activities.
Organization
Exchange and Training Projects
At KFAW, we organize the Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women and other international conferences on Asia and women. Based on our extensive network, we also develop a wide range of activities, such as projects commissioned by the Kyushu International Center of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). We promote networking with overseas gender-related organizations and encourage interactions to share problems and experiences.
The Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women
For the purpose of considering the problems of women in Asian countries and promoting the empowerment of Asian women through mutual understanding and international cooperation, we hold the Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women annually. With some presenters invited from overseas, the Conference includes lectures, panel discussions, and breakout sessions.
“Gender Mainstreaming Policies for Government Officers”
The purpose of this international seminar is to train national and local government officers in developing countries so that they can promote gender-mainstreaming and empowerment of women at each stage of policy planning, implementation and evaluation. This seminar is commissioned by the JICA Kyushu International Center.
Developing Overseas Focal Points and Networks
We promote a wide range of interactions with overseas gender-related organizations and work toward the establishment of a permanent network. Through these activities, we strive to solve common problems, improve the status of women, and realize a gender-equal society.
Projects to Promote International Understanding
To promote understanding among foreign countries, especially those in the Asia-Pacific region, we conduct exchange activities, such as organizing seminars for international understanding and inviting foreign correspondents to Kitakyushu.
Organization
Management Projects
Supporting Member System
For the purpose of forming a large network and strengthening our financial foundation, KFAW established a supporting member system in the FY 2000. We carry out a variety of activities to expand our membership.
Support for UN Women
We act as the secretariat of UN Women Kitakyushu. This regional committee provides support for UN Women (formerly United Nations Development Fund for Women [UNIFEM]), which has been established to support activities to ensure gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Contact and Coordination with UN Organizations
We collect information from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and other U.N. organizations.
President Profile
President Mana OSHIMA
Greeting from the President
Mana OSHIMA, President, Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW)
I was appointed President of the Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW) on June 25, 2025. For approximately 30 years since 1995, I have served as a faculty member at Kyushu Women’s University and Kyushu Women’s Junior College, specializing in social education, adult education, and youth education.
In the field of social education, my work has focused on learning that supports citizens and local communities—such as human rights education and disaster prevention—and on collaborative efforts to address community issues. I have also been involved in youth education, promoting social participation, and nature-based experiences to help individuals lead more fulfilling lives.
KFAW’s mission of “achieving gender equality” envisions a society where the human rights of all individuals are respected, where everyone-regardless of gender- can participate fully in all aspects of society, share both joy and responsibility, and express their individuality and abilities. This vision closely aligns with the goals of social education.
In 2025, KFAW marks its 35th anniversary. Since its founding, KFAW has been dedicated to advance the status of women and realizing a gender-equal society. In collaboration with the Kitakyushu Municipal Gender Equality Center “MOVE”, which it manages and operates, KFAW has implemented a wide range of initiatives, including international exchange and training, information dissemination, and counseling services related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
While perceptions of traditional gender roles have gradually evolved, disparities between men and women still persist in households, workplaces, and communities. Achieving true gender equality requires ongoing effort. I am committed to leveraging KFAW’s international network and accumulated expertise to further promote gender equality.
I reaffirm my dedication to these efforts and sincerely appreciate your continued support.
Career History
- March 1988
Completed Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Education, Kyushu University
During this time, studied at Adult Education and Community Development Program, Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto (Scholarship student under the Ministry of Education’s International Exchange Program from September 1985 to June 1986)
- April 1988 – March 1990
Assistant, Department of Social Education, School of Education, Kyushu University
- April 1995 – March 2011
Faculty Member, Department of Elementary Education, Kyushu Women’s Junior College
(Served as Assistant, Lecturer, Assistant Professor and Associate Professor) - April 2011 – March 2015
Faculty Member, Institute of General Education, Kyushu Kyoritsu University and Kyushu Women’s University
(Served as Associate Professor and Professor) - April 2015 – March 2024
Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Kyushu Women’s University - April 2021 – Present
Part-time Lecturer, College of Community Studies, Aoyama Gakuin University - March 2024
Retired from Kyushu Women’s University
Conferred the title of Professor Emeritus, Kyushu Women’s University
Additional Roles and Appointments
- Member, Fukuoka Prefecture Council for Gender Equality (April 2010 – March 2018)
- Group Leader, Fukuoka Women’s Overseas Training Program “Tsubasa”
(Study Program in Germany and Finland, November 2010)
- Chairperson, Kitakyushu City Council for Gender Equality (April 2012 – March 2024)
Recent Appointment
- June 25, 2025
Appointed President of the Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW)
Other Major Social Contributions
- Executive Director and Vice President, Japan Association of Social Education Committees (General Incorporated Association)
- Member, Special Subcommittee on the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education, Central Council for Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- Research Committee Member, Practical Social Education Research Center, National Institute for Educational Policy Research (NIER)
- Research Collaborator, National Institution for Youth Education (NIYE)
- Board Member and Vice President, The Japan Association of Lifelong Education
- Social Education Committee Member, Fukuoka Prefecture
- Social Education Committee Member, City of Kitakyushu
- Council Member, Kitakyushu City Human Rights Policy Council
- Council Member, Advisory Council of the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art
- Council Member, Kitakyushu City SDGs Council
- Board Member, Kitakyushu Foundation for the Promotion of Arts and Culture (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)
Organizational Chart
