On March 20, 2025, the online parallel event "Wartime Sexual Violence and Transnational Womenโs Movements" was held to reflect the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of adopting the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the 4th World Conference on Women in 1995. The testimonies of Japanese military 'comfort women' victims and the continued solidarity of international civil society have significantly influenced international recommendations and declarations from bodies such as the UN and ILO, including the Beijing Declaration. The Beijing Declaration clearly defined forced prostitution, systematic rape, sexual slavery, and all forms of sexual abuse in conflict as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide under international law. It also emphasized the need for thorough investigations, punishment of perpetrators, full redress for victims, and prevention of recurrence. However, 30 years later, conflicts around the world are escalating. In response, the Korean Council hosted and organized a virtual event to examine the history of transnational womenโs solidarity for resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue and to evaluate the situation 30 years after the Beijing Declaration.
The event began with a keynote presentation by Oh Kyung-jin, the Vice-chair of the International Solidarity Department of the Korean Womenโs Association United, who introduced the organization's international work and provided an overview of the Beijing Platform, CSW, and the history of womenโs agendas within the UN. ย
Following the keynote, there were case reports from Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan, where activists have been long involved in addressing the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. The first presentation, by Rosanna Cabusao, Executive Director of Lila Pilipina, discussed โThe Filipino 'Comfort Women' Issue: The Continuing Quest for Justice, 30 Years Post-Beijingโ. Cabusao shared the history of Filipino 'comfort women' victims and activistsโ struggles, offering recommendations to the international community, including the UN and governments, for resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue.
Next, Bang Hak, an international solidarity activist from the Korean Council, presented on โTransnational Solidarity in the Movement of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue, BPfA: Status of Implementation in Koreaโ. She reviewed the early international advocacy efforts and the impact of the movement on international human rights norms, while addressing the insufficient implementation of the Beijing Platform by both the South Korean and Japanese governments. She urged countries to fully implement the Platformโs recommendations. ย
Finally, Prof. Theresa Der-lan Yeh, Board Director of the Taipei Womenโs Rescue Foundation and Professor at National Taiwan University, presented on โMemory to Mirror: Reflecting on Amaโs legacies in Taiwanโ. She discussed the history of the Taiwan Womenโs Rescue Foundationโs work for justice and how the experiences of Japanese military 'comfort women' can be connected to contemporary issues of universal womenโs rights, preventing sexual violence in conflict, and fighting against sexual exploitation.
The event concluded with a Q&A session where participants discussed their experiences at CSW69, reflecting on the grim realities faced by women in Korea, the U.S., the Philippines, and Taiwan, and how transnational solidarity among women has become more crucial than ever in these challenging times.
๐ฆ The entire event was conducted in English, and the full recording is available on the Korean Councilโs YouTube channel. English, Korean, and Japanese subtitles will be provided. (*How to turn on subtitles: Click the CC button at the bottom of the playbar - select language)ย
๐ Watch hereย https://youtu.be/UiVp4URJhVE
ย
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of adopting the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the 4th World Conference on Women in 1995. The testimonies of Japanese military 'comfort women' victims and the continued solidarity of international civil society have significantly influenced international recommendations and declarations from bodies such as the UN and ILO, including the Beijing Declaration. The Beijing Declaration clearly defined forced prostitution, systematic rape, sexual slavery, and all forms of sexual abuse in conflict as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide under international law. It also emphasized the need for thorough investigations, punishment of perpetrators, full redress for victims, and prevention of recurrence. However, 30 years later, conflicts around the world are escalating. In response, the Korean Council hosted and organized a virtual event to examine the history of transnational womenโs solidarity for resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue and to evaluate the situation 30 years after the Beijing Declaration.
The event began with a keynote presentation by Oh Kyung-jin, the Vice-chair of the International Solidarity Department of the Korean Womenโs Association United, who introduced the organization's international work and provided an overview of the Beijing Platform, CSW, and the history of womenโs agendas within the UN. ย
Following the keynote, there were case reports from Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan, where activists have been long involved in addressing the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. The first presentation, by Rosanna Cabusao, Executive Director of Lila Pilipina, discussed โThe Filipino 'Comfort Women' Issue: The Continuing Quest for Justice, 30 Years Post-Beijingโ. Cabusao shared the history of Filipino 'comfort women' victims and activistsโ struggles, offering recommendations to the international community, including the UN and governments, for resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue.
Next, Bang Hak, an international solidarity activist from the Korean Council, presented on โTransnational Solidarity in the Movement of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue, BPfA: Status of Implementation in Koreaโ. She reviewed the early international advocacy efforts and the impact of the movement on international human rights norms, while addressing the insufficient implementation of the Beijing Platform by both the South Korean and Japanese governments. She urged countries to fully implement the Platformโs recommendations. ย
Finally, Prof. Theresa Der-lan Yeh, Board Director of the Taipei Womenโs Rescue Foundation and Professor at National Taiwan University, presented on โMemory to Mirror: Reflecting on Amaโs legacies in Taiwanโ. She discussed the history of the Taiwan Womenโs Rescue Foundationโs work for justice and how the experiences of Japanese military 'comfort women' can be connected to contemporary issues of universal womenโs rights, preventing sexual violence in conflict, and fighting against sexual exploitation.
The event concluded with a Q&A session where participants discussed their experiences at CSW69, reflecting on the grim realities faced by women in Korea, the U.S., the Philippines, and Taiwan, and how transnational solidarity among women has become more crucial than ever in these challenging times.
๐ฆ The entire event was conducted in English, and the full recording is available on the Korean Councilโs YouTube channel. English, Korean, and Japanese subtitles will be provided. (*How to turn on subtitles: Click the CC button at the bottom of the playbar - select language)ย
๐ Watch hereย https://youtu.be/UiVp4URJhVE
ย