The conclusion, released by the United Nations Commission on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), calls on the Japanese government and parliament to seriously consider and address this issue.
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| A mother drives her child to daycare and then to work on the streets of Tokyo, Japan. (Source: japantimes) |
Japan is considered the only country that mandates couples to share the same surname, with 95% of couples choosing the husband's surname. Meanwhile, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women stipulates that spouses must be guaranteed equality in choosing their surnames.
The United Nations has been asking Japan to allow them to choose since 2003, and this is the fourth time the issue has been raised. Japan's Civil Code and other laws remain unamended, leading CEDAW to conclude that the Convention is being disregarded by Japan.
The committee's report also expressed concern about the lack of female representation in the Japanese Parliament. In last month's Lower House election, 73 female lawmakers were elected, setting a new record with a representation rate of 15.7%. However, considering that half of Japan's population is female, this number is still disproportionate.
Measures related to reproductive health and rights were also addressed in the report. The UN urged Japan to facilitate women's access to emergency contraception and to stop requiring husband's consent for abortion.
CEDAW also referred to Imperial Law, which currently limits the succession to the Japanese Imperial Throne to male descendants. CEDAW called for amendments to the law to conform to the principles of the Convention.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/lien-hop-quoc-keu-goi-nhat-ban-sua-doi-luat-de-phu-hop-cong-uoc-ve-doi-xu-voi-phu-nu-293177.html
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