[MHLW] Enactment of Legislation to Support Vulnerable Women

On May 19, 2022, the legislation strengthening support for vulnerable women
(Women Support Act) was passed by the House of Representatives and promulgated on May 25, 2022. (Law No. 52)

Until now, support for vulnerable women has been provided through the Women's Protection Program based on the Anti-Prostitution Act enacted in 1956. However, as issues surrounding women have become increasingly diverse, complex, and compounded, a new legal framework was sought to replace the Anti-Prostitution Act.  Issues relating to women include domestic violence, stalking, sexual violence, sex crimes, trafficking in persons, family relationship breakdowns, and impoverished women.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare set up a study group on the means of providing support for vulnerable women and held discussions from 2018 to 2019; and on October 11, 2019, they released the interim summary of discussions under the study group on the means to support vulnerable women.

In response to these discussions, the legislation was proposed as a multi-partisan proposal and was enacted.

An outline of the Act is as follows:

  • Formulation of the Basic Policy and Basic Plan (Article 7-8):
    The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare shall formulate the Basic Policy (obligatory), prefectures shall formulate the Prefectural Basic Plan (obligatory), and municipalities shall formulate the Municipal Basic Plan (obliged to make best efforts).
  • Establishment of Women's Consultation Support Centers (Article 9):
    For prefectures (obligatory) and designated cities (if possible), the “Women's Consultation Center” under the Anti-Prostitution Act should have its name changed to a new one.
  • Assignment of Consultation Support Staff for Women (Article 11):
    Prefectures and designated cities that have established women's consultation support centers (obligatory) and municipalities (effort required) should assign consultation support staff for women. The term “Women's Consultant” used under the Anti-Prostitution Act should be renamed.
  • Establishment of self-support facilities for women (Article 12):
    (If possible) Prefectures shall establish self-support facilities for women by transferring and renaming "Women's Protection Facilities" based on the Anti-Prostitution Act to “Self-support Facilities for Women”.
  • Providing support in cooperation with private organizations (Article 13):
    Provide services related to detection, consultation, and other forms of support by visiting, making rounds, providing a place to stay, utilizing the Internet, accompanying to relevant organizations, and other means.
  • Cooperation with commissioned welfare volunteers, etc. (Article 14):
    Cooperate with commissioned welfare volunteers, commissioned child welfare volunteers, human rights protection volunteers, probation volunteers, and persons engaged in rehabilitation services.
  • Establishment of support coordination meetings (Article 15):
    Establishment of meetings consisting of relevant organizations, private organizations, etc. (those obliged to make best efforts)

The effective date is April 1, 2024.

Although there is no provision in the Act relating to women with disabilities, the Interim Summary of the Study Group on the Means of Support for Vulnerable Women includes women with disabilities.  It states, specifically:

There are many examples of women with intellectual or mental disabilities who have been sexually victimized; and in order for them to recover, it is essential to provide support from both these perspectives of support for women and welfare for persons with disabilities.

For more information, please visit the website below.

Women Support Act:
https://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_gian.nsf/html/gian/honbun/houan/g20806007.htm

Interim Summary of the Study Group on the Means of Support for Vulnerable Women:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_00520.html

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