Polaris Post Volume 30
December 2009
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* Saturday, December 12, 2009, 6:30pm-
at Minato-ku Gender Equality Center "Libra"
The eighth in Polaris' on-going seminar series, "How do we stop
commercial sexual exploitation of children?"
We have just one month left till the year 2010!
The holiday season is here and I feel the buss in the air...
The last Polaris monthly seminar of the year is coming up.
In April 2007, an emergency temporary shelter for children was
started in Yokohama, Kanagawa.
Youth in their late teens stay at this shelter to survive from
problems such as abuse from their family, dating violence, and
child prostitution.
The eighth in the series, the December Polaris seminar will welcome
Ms. Chieko Nishioka of Children's Center Tempo, a nonprofit that
runs the shelter.
It is often difficult for the governments' child guidance centers to
support youth in their late teens, as these centers take in children
of various ages, from babies to teens. Additionally, those who are
18 or older, the child guidance centers are not able to intervene
because an 18-year-old youth is no longer a "child" under the law.
Japan has very few shelters for youth in their late teens yet.
Ms. Nishioka will speak about the attitudes of children and youth
towards sexuality and the society that surrounds them, derived from
her interactions with the shelter's users.
Please join us the discussion.
*Please note that the time and venue are different from previous
seminars.
<Date and Time> Saturday, December 12, 2009, 6:30pm-8:00pm
<Venue> Minato-ku Gender Equality Center "Libra," Assembly Room 2
Two-minute walk from Shibaura Exit (East Exit) of JR Tamachi Station
JR田町駅 芝浦口(東口) 徒歩2分
Four-minute walk from Exit A4 of Mita Station
(Toei-Asakusa Line/Mita Line)
Map:
http://www.minatolibra.jp/category/1327005.html (in Japanese)
<Speaker>
Chieko Nishioka, NPO Children's Center Tempo
<Admission Fee>
1,000 yen (500 yen for students; please present your student ID at
the door)
<Organizers>
Organized by Polaris Project Japan Office
Co-Hosted by Human Service Center
<Registration>
Please register by filling in the form online (in Japanese) at:
http://my.formman.com/form/pc/jtlfbc6KYEZPZFJm/ *Your registration will be complete when you submit the form online.
Polaris Project will not reply to you registration.
*Same-day registration at the door will be accepted only when there
are seats available.
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* Your feedback for Japanese government's National Action Plan on
Trafficking Wanted
The Japanese government has drafted a new national plan of action
on trafficking and they are requesting public comments on their
draft, due on Thursday, December 3.
This new national plan of action on trafficking is revising the
current action plan, which was released in 2004. Japan Network
Against Trafficking in Persons (whose committee members include
Polaris Project) has been discussing with the government towards
revising the action plan.
The new action plan has newly added mentions about zero tolerance
against sexual exploitation of children, such as child prostitution
and pornography.
The draft revised action plan is available online at the Cabinet
Secretariat website (see the link below). They are accepting
public comments by email and fax, in addition to postal mail.
http://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/jinsin/pub0911.html (in Japanese)
The government will review the public comments before making the
official decision. The new action plan is a bit wordy, but please
have a look!
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* Polaris Speaking and PR Events
<November>
Nov 10 Spoke at a seminar for staff of children's nursing homes on
preventing sexual violence and conducting sex education
Nov 19 Visited Internet Association Japan; Discussion on Internet
and sexual exploitation and human trafficking
Nov 25 Spoke at a seminar on human trafficking, organized by Chiba
Prefecture Government
<December>
Dec 1 Attends Committee Meeting of Japan Network Against Trafficking
in Persons
Dec 18 Speaks at Soroptimist International of the Americas, Japan
Higashi Region (Shinjuku) event. Soroptimist International of
is a voluntary service organization of working women with an
ongoing mission to strive for the Human Rights and Status of
Women.
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*Jake Adelstein, a member of the advisory board to Polaris Project Japan,
releases new book entitled "Tokyo Vice". His book was featured in various
media including CBS "60 Minutes."
http://bit.ly/TokyoViceatAmazon http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/29/60minutes/main5484118.shtml * Polaris with the Body Shop--Article is now online at Devex.com
CSR tackles on often-avoided social issues: The Body Shop and Polaris
Project Work to Eliminate Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
http://www.devex.com/articles/polaris_bodyshop_jp (in Japanese)
* Charity concert by Actors/Singers Ken Matsudaira and George
Yamamoto will help fund Polaris Project: The concert will be held
on December 17 in Tokyo
http://pm-j.asia/event/event.html (in Japanese)
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*Human Trafficking Related News (in Japanese)
http://www.polarisproject.jp/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=31&Itemid=49 (in Japanese)
*Polaris: SOS website for girls
http://www.pol214.com/ (in Japanese)
*Polaris Project's Drop-in Center for Women*
http://www.polarisproject.jp/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=589:2009-09-14-08-08-54&catid=42:news&Itemid=76 (in Japanese)
*Booklet "It’s Happening to Her, Right Now" On Sale
http://www.polarisproject.jp/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=279:book&catid=42:news&Itemid=76 (in Japanese)
*Polaris Community on mixi (in Japanese)
http://mixi.jp/view_community.pl?id=1374560 *********************************************************************
*You can be a Polaris Supporter with continues monthly donation
starting from 1,000 yen per month.
http://www.polarisproject.jp/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=259&Itemid=66 (in Japanese)
If you join now, the booklet "It’s Happening to Her, Right Now"
will be given as a welcome gift!
*Turn your online shopping into actions to support Polaris through
E-Kokoro
http://www.ekokoro.jp/ngo/polaris/index.html (Donation website in Japanese)
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Issued by Polaris Project Japan
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