Beijing +30: What Participation in the Beijing Conference Meant to Us

－ODA Yukiko, Advisor, Japan Women’s Watch (JAWW)

1. Beijing +30: What Participation in the Beijing Conference Meant to Us

In September 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing. Thirty years have passed since then, and many organizations, including the United Nations, are now reflecting on the achievements and challenges of the past three decades under the theme “Beijing +30.” The Beijing Conference, including the NGO Forum on Women ’95 held alongside the UN conference, attracted approximately 30,000 participants from around the world, including about 5,000 from Japan. From Kitakyushu City, at least 53 people participated, including those organized by the Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women (KFAW) and participants in Kitakyushu City’s Overseas Women’s Training Program.

What impact did the participation of so many citizens have on the local community and the individuals involved? This article looks back on Kitakyushu’s efforts toward gender equality after the Beijing Conference, based on the testimonies and records of KFAW participants. For this article, I was able to speak with only a few participants, a reminder of how much time has passed since 1995. I sincerely thank those who generously shared their stories and reflections.

2. From Nairobi to Beijing: The UN Women’s Conferences and the Establishment of KFAW

The large participation of women from Kitakyushu in the Beijing Conference can be traced back to the involvement of local women in the Third World Conference on Women, held in Nairobi in 1985. Twenty women from Kitakyushu attended the Nairobi Conference, where they had many eye-opening experiences. Notably, their realization of the importance of “development”—one of the conference’s key themes alongside equality and peace—sparked a series of initiatives in Kitakyushu in the years that followed.

The experience in Nairobi led to the founding of KFAW in 1988, by applying for the “Furusato Revitalization Project Fund,” through which the Japanese government provided one billion yen to each local government to support its unique local revitalization initiative. Kitakyushu City chose to promote women’s empowerment in collaboration with Asia through the “Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women” project. The selection of this project was strongly influenced by the women who had attended the Nairobi Conference and been inspired by global women’s movements, prompting them to actively lobby for its adoption. Their presence and advocacy—shaped by global trends and instrumental in the founding of KFAW—were key factors behind the strong participation in the Beijing Conference.

3. The Beijing Conference: Participation and Learning

The 34 participants from KFAW included internationally experienced leaders, grassroots activists from local women’s organizations, and younger individuals interested in promoting gender equality. At the NGO Forum, they organized workshops on the themes of “Environment” and “Family.”

In the “Environment” workshop, they introduced the environmental movement “We Want Our Blue Skies Back”, led by local women in Kitakyushu in the 1960s, using video materials. They also shared local practices in sustainable consumption and environmental education, and exchanged views on the role of women in addressing environmental challenges.

In the “Family” workshop, guided by KFAW researcher Ms. Shinozaki, participants discussed Japan’s deeply rooted perception on gender division of labor. Using data, they presented the structural issue of men working long hours while women taking unpaid domestic care responsibilities—highlighting how this limits women’s social participation and contributes to Japan’s declining birthrate and aging population. It was also noted that this is a common challenge across Asian countries. One of the presenters, Ms. Yoshitake, recalled feeling empowered by the strong empathy shown by international participants who listened to their presentation.

Participants attended various events at the NGO Forum and were deeply inspired by exchanges with citizens from other countries, experiencing the power of global solidarity among women that transcended language and cultural barriers. Among the many events, Hillary Clinton’s lecture left a strong impression on those who attended it. Ms. Kinoshita, who is fluent in English and had taught English to participants before the trip, vividly recalled Clinton’s message that “It takes a village.” Ms. Sueyoshi, who attended with her, also described the excitement in the venue as they awaited Clinton’s arrival.

Many participants stated that the direct interaction with people from around the world was a memorable experience. Since participation in such international conference was a rare opportunity, some expressed frustration at not being able to fully communicate in English. Participants also mentioned being impressed by the vibrant energy of the event, including musical and dance performances, as well as folk art sales held in various tents. They were struck by active demonstrations not commonly seen in Japan, such as banners reading “Lesbians have rights!”, silent protests against violence toward women through wearing black clothing, and Asian women marching with handwoven cloth under the slogan “Weaving the World.”

A briefing by the Japanese government on its stance regarding the issue of wartime comfort women also left a strong impression. Some participants vividly recalled international attendees confidently asking questions in English to the ambassador. These and other experiences offered new insights for NGO participants who observed intergovernmental meetings, particularly regarding the dynamics of dialogue between governments and civil society. This experience eventually led to the founding of the advocacy NGO “Beijing JAC (Japan Accountability Caucus),” which included members from Kitakyushu.

Participation in the Beijing Conference also influenced the personal lives of the participants. For example, after joining a visit to Nepal organized by a Kitakyushu-based group that had also participated in the Beijing Conference, Ms. Iwasaka began supporting the education of girls in Nepal’s mountain villages. The project gained many supporters, enabling support to over 60 girls for more than 20 years. This can be seen as a spillover effect of the participation in the Beijing Conference. Ms. Yoshitake channeled the enthusiasm she gained from the Conference into her work by establishing a women’s division in the social welfare organization where she worked. As core members of Zonta Club of Kitakyushu, Ms. Kinoshita and Ms. Sueyoshi helped connect global movements with local activities. Later, Ms. Kinoshita served as a board member of Zonta International, applying insights gained from local activities to the international women’s movement.

4. Returning to the Community: Activities Centered Around MOVE

The learning and enthusiasm brought back from the Beijing Conference were put into practice through various initiatives centered around the Kitakyushu Municipal Gender Equality Center, MOVE, which had opened just before the conference.

One such initiative was the “Beijing Platform for Action Reading Group.” The Platform for Action, adopted at the Beijing Conference, introduced new concepts such as women’s empowerment, gender mainstreaming, and reproductive health, serving as a roadmap for advancing gender equality. The Reading Group began studying the English version, as the Japanese translation was not yet available and they couldn’t wait. One of the participants, Ms. Sueyoshi, fondly recalled using dictionaries in hand to tackle the translation.

The spread of the terms and concept of “gender,” violence against women, and female entrepreneurs also became part of MOVE’s ongoing projects and gradually expanded throughout the local community.

After the Beijing Conference, national efforts toward gender equality accelerated, leading to the enactment of the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society in 1999, which positioned the realization of gender equality as one of the nation’s most important priorities. In response, Kitakyushu enacted its own ordinance in 2002. Prior to this, MOVE held a course on ordinance-making, and participants formed the “Group to Create a Gender Equality Promotion Ordinance in Kitakyushu.” This group later submitted a petition together with the Women’s Organizations Liaison Council, actively lobbying for the ordinance. The group was mainly composed of younger generations than those who had attended the Beijing Conference, showing how the enthusiasm sparked in Beijing was passed on and led to local action.

Five years after the Beijing Conference, in 2000, the United Nations General Assembly Special Session “Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century” was held at UN Headquarters in New York, with many women from Kitakyushu and surrounding areas participating. At the Global Feminist Symposia held at the City University of New York and the Japan Society, they organized workshops and once again introduced Kitakyushu’s environmental efforts, including the “We Want Our Blue Skies Back” movement.

At “Kitakyushu Expo 2001,” held in Kitakyushu City in 2001, local women presented the “MOVE Future Pavilion,” hosting lectures and performances that promoted gender equality. Their efforts earned the Japan Expo Grand Prize, highlighting the prominent role of women in Kitakyushu’s initiatives. Encouraged by the pavilion’s success, citizens began compiling the 100-Year History of Women in Kitakyushu, which was published in December 2005 as a valuable record of local women’s history from a female perspective.

KFAW, born from global influences, has continued to interpret international trends within a local context and share Kitakyushu’s gender equality efforts with the world. For example, the annual “Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women” aligned its themes with those of UN conferences, focusing on issues such as the environment, human rights, and population, thereby connecting global trends to local practices. Early on, KFAW also began conducting gender-related training for JICA, sharing Kitakyushu’s and Japan’s gender equality initiatives with participants from partner countries.

5. Global Outreach: Inheriting Environmental Movements and Building International Networks

KFAW’s global outreach expanded further with its participation in the Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development (MCED), hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Kitakyushu in 2000. This enabled KFAW to connect with international networks in the environmental field.

As a side event, KFAW organized the Women’s Conference on Environment in Asia and the Pacific, inviting prominent speakers from Japan and abroad in the fields of environmental and women’s issues. Based on discussions among 800 participants, they presented a proposal at the ministerial conference. This initiative later led to KFAW’s participation in the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, further expanding the global movement for women and the environment.

KFAW’s environmental efforts originated in the 1960s with the “We Want Our Blue Skies Back” movement led by women in Kitakyushu. Concerned about the health effects of severe air and water pollution, these women collected dust on sheets and gathered data on the relationship between wind direction and children’s asthma attacks. With support from experts, they conducted years of grassroots research, visualizing the impact of factory emissions on children’s health. Their efforts and appeals led to collaboration among industry, government, and academia, resulting in Kitakyushu’s strict pollution control ordinances.

Notably, the achievements and filmed records of these women’s activities were inherited by KFAW, which was established 30 years later in 1990. The film was converted into a video (later converted into DVD) titled “We Want Our Blue Skies Back” and was showcased at the Beijing Conference, international environmental conferences, and JICA training sessions as a unique initiative led by local women. KFAW shed light on this grassroots movement and helped share its significance with international audiences.

6. Conclusion: From Local to Global — Looking Ahead to the Next 30 Years

Women in Kitakyushu have contributed to advancing gender equality by applying insights gained from global conferences to local initiatives, such as those at MOVE. KFAW has served as a bridge, translating international themes into local contexts and amplifying local voices on the global stage.

As we mark Beijing +30, what is needed now is not only to introduce global trends to local communities, but also to highlight local practices and circulate them back to the global arena. Kitakyushu’s experience demonstrates the potential of such a cycle.