Special lecture ‘Media, Gender and Poverty in Japan from a Viewpoint of International Society’ by Dr Sanae Fujita (Fellow at Human Rights Centre, University of Essex)

The Center for International Exchanges, Shimane University, on 7 December 2018, invited Dr Sanae Fujita to hold a special lecture titled ‘Media, Gender and Poverty in Japan from a Viewpoint of International Society: What Has the United Nations Recommended to Japan?’. In her lecture, based on recommendations of the United Nations human rights bodies, she sharply pointed out such issues with which Japan currently faces as gender bias hidden in our daily life, insufficient care of privacy protection in administrative organisations, serious poverty as an issue of developed as well as undeveloped countries, a risk resulting from media’s irrelevant concern for the government. She further talked about an appropriate way of relationship with the United Nations human rights protection system, special rapporteur as a ‘critical friend’, and Dr Fujita’s professional experience as a human rights defender who shines a light on suppressed voices.

   A participant made a comment that she was surprised that she learned most parts of the lecture for the first time even though it was closely related to the daily life in Japan. Another raised a question that how he, as a citizen, can use the human rights protection system mentioned in Dr Fujita’s lecture. Besides the lecture, Dr Fujita made a courtesy visit to Professor Akira Deguchi (Director of the Center for International Exchanges) and joined to an informal discussion with Lecturer Ryo Sasaki specialising in international human rights law, Professor Harumi Ao, Assistant Professor Li Wan from the Center for International Exchanges and Assistant Professor Hemanth Noothalapati from Raman Center for Medical and Biological Applications. This lecture was held under the auspices of Shimane Bar Association, Shimane Shiho-Shohi Lawyer’s Association and Japan Lawyer’s

International Solidarity Association.