How Japan’s companies get involved in global support for girls’ education

While the gender gap in education is closing year by year in developed countries, there is still a significant gender gap in education in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and parts of South America. This disparity is caused by poverty, child marriage, and problems in the educational environment.

On the other hand, some data show that for every additional year of primary education a girl receives, her future earnings increase by about 11% and that if all women completed secondary education, the under-five mortality rate would decrease by about 49% and about 3 million lives could be saved per year. It is a great benefit to society.

Therefore, some Japanese companies are providing global support to protect women’s human rights and expand their potential.

Shiseido’s program to promote STEM education

Shiseido’s global luxury brand, clé de peau BEAUTÉ, launched a global partnership with UNICEF in 2019. The partnership focuses on promoting STEM education, which until now has been kept away from girls due to stereotypes and gender discrimination.

Ultimately, throughout the three-year partnership, they have donated a total of US$8.7 million, the largest donation in the world, to support UNICEF’s work to protect the rights of 7.9 million girls and provide them with opportunities for education and skills development.

Promoting learning in conflict areas by providing school backpacks

Since 2004, Kuraray, a chemical manufacturer, has been involved in the “Randoseru across the sea” initiative. “Randoseru” is a backpack used by Japanese elementary school students. Though they are very durable and long-lasting, they are no longer used after graduation. Therefore, they deliver those backpacks to children in Afghanistan, where there is a shortage of school supplies due to the conflict, thereby supporting local children’s learning and reusing school backpacks.

Japanese women’s university training girls’ educators in developing countries

Ochanomizu university has established the “Center for cooperation in girl’s education in developing countries” as a base of activities to promote girls’ education. As part of these activities, a consortium of five women’s universities, including Ochanomizu university, has been providing training for female educators since 2002 as part of a project to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

They are also participating in the “International Education Cooperation Initiative” of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology to analyze the historical and current problems of girls’ education in Japan, the need for girls’ education in developing countries, and the role and current situation of international support and donor countries. The project examines models of support for girls’ education that Japan can provide.

Low recognition of the need for women’s education in Japan

On the other hand, Japan has contributed only US$46 million to the Global Partnership for Education, which also focuses on supporting girls’ education. That’s very low compared to US$1.4 billion by the United Kingdom and US$670 million by the United States, making it the lowest in the G7.

In addition, Japan ranked 120th out of 156 countries in The Global Gender Gap Index 2021, almost the lowest among developed countries, which indicate that sensitivity to women’s rights is low even within Japan.

Due to the domestic gender gap, only a few Japanese can turn our attention to the issue of educational disparity in developing countries. That is why we need to increase concrete efforts such as those introduced in this column while first spreading awareness about the importance of girls’ education also in Japan.