Rise Together for Women in East Japan Disaster ｜Re: The “Public Life” in the Temporary Special Measures - Japan [PDF}

Many evacuation centers are public facilities, such as public schools or community centers. They are equipped to handle and support evacuees only for a few days but not for months on end. On March 16, 2011, the Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office issued a written notice requesting that the management of evacuation centers take into consideration specific needs of women. Subsequently, it issued additional notices requesting that evacuation center management make effort to protect the safety of women and children. However, the extent to which these requests have been followed remains unknown.. Women who are engaged in relief efforts, female journalists, and research conducted by human rights organizations have revealed various violations of the rights of women at the evacuation centers, including the following: