On January 26, Human Rights Now and Walter Leitner International Human Rights Clinic published a report entitled “Gender Equality at Educational Institutions in Japan”.
This paper, submitted by Human Rights Now and the Walter Leitner International Human Rights Clinic in the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School in New York City, sets forth recommendations to target gender discrimination in the Japanese education system, including in the areas of school-related athletics, admissions to higher education, and sexual harassment and violence under educational situations. These recommendations are based on comparative research and analysis of Title IX of the Educational Act, a United States federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in education. Article 26 of the Constitution of Japan guarantees every boy and girl the right to receive an equal education. The right to education is also reflected in Article 14 of the Constitution of Japan, which prohibits political, economic, or social discrimination based on gender.3 Japan can make these guarantees of gender equality in education a reality by implementing a law similar to Title IX in Japan.
In this paper, we will present the history of Title IX followed by an explanation of how the law is applied and enforced within U.S. educational institutions. This explanation is followed by data summarizing the successes of Title IX in the United States, as well as some of its challenges. Finally, this paper refers to comparative study of Japanese and American specific issues on gender equality under educational situations.
The report is available from the link below.
The report is also available in Japanese from our Japanese website at this link.