Main Activities

 

1 Human Rights Library

Our Human Rights Library houses a collection of 15,000 books, 1,100 videos, 700 DVDs, 21 sets of display panels, 12 kamishibai (picture-story shows), educational documents on human rights prepared by municipalities and much more. Visitors to the library can also browse more than 100 newsletters, journals and annual reports issued by human rights organizations in Japan. For those wishing to host human rights education and training workshops, the library conference room can be used free of charge. The library is open to the public from Monday to Friday. Telephone and email reference services are also available.

 

2 Symposiums, Seminars and Lectures

The Center organizes symposiums, seminars and lectures on human rights issues with selected speakers and resource persons for civil servants, company employees, teachers, students, staff of NPOs and the general public. Topics have included Hansen’s disease, sustainable development goals, natural disasters, corporate social responsibility, LGBT issues, and the internet among others.

 

3 Training

The Center draws up and conducts human rights training programs for national and local government officials, company employees, staff of non-profit organizations, teachers, students, and members of the public who are interested in human rights issues.

 

4 Surveys and Research

The Center carries out public opinion surveys and research on a wide range of human rights topics including those related to business, the internet, the Dowa issue (Buraku discrimination), the LGBT community, and foreign residents in Japan. The Center also conducts research on the formulation of new mechanisms for awareness-building on human rights issues.

 

5 Publications

The Center publishes booklets, leaflets and other materials to raise awareness of human rights. Those wishing to use the booklets as teaching materials for human rights education and training at schools, workplaces and local government offices can choose from 45 titles covering everything from human rights in general to specific human rights themes.

 

6 DVDs 

The Center produces DVDs for human rights awareness-raising. More than 50 titles are available, addressing topics such as the Dowa issue (Buraku discrimination), school bullying, domestic violence, power and sexual harassment, rights of persons with disabilities, rights of persons affected by Hansen’s disease (leprosy), LGBT rights and mental health. The Center also provides DVDs made by other filmmakers for a small fee. These materials can be utilized for human rights education and training at schools, workplaces and local government offices

 

7 Information Gathering and Dissemination

The Center collects and compiles information and data on human rights, which it makes available via its homepage and its monthly human rights journal Allyu.  Books, DVDs, display panels, and kamishibai (picture-story show) materials on human rights are also available in our Human Rights Library. In addition, the Center provides on its homepage abridged Japanese translations of press releases from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

 

8 Partnerships

The Center, in partnership with The Nippon Foundation, has conducted a follow-up research project in Japan on the implementation of the Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons affected by Leprosy and their Family Members that were adopted at the UN General Assembly in 2010.

 

9 Collaborations

The Center produces materials for human rights awareness and conducts human rights training upon request from local governments, companies, and organizations. Training is planned, overseen and delivered according to theme, target group and budget. The Center also provides editorial supervision for materials and resources produced by other organizations.