On 14 February 2026, about 100 participants gathered in Tokyo, with more than 1,200 joining online, for a Women’s Leadership Forum organized by the Soka Gakkai Women’s Peace Committee. The event brought together a UN representative, community organizers and youth activists to explore how leadership expressed in daily life can advance gender equality, strengthen communities and support peacebuilding. The event reflects the Committee's longstanding commitment to fostering the Culture of Peace, a central pillar of the organization's work. It also marked the first in a planned series of events to be held across Japan that will expand dialogue and grassroots engagement nationwide.
The forum’s significance lies in reframing leadership not as authority or status, but as everyday action. Speakers highlighted how individual choices — from community engagement to challenging social norms — contribute to broader social transformation and sustainable peace.
Naoe Yakiya, Director of the UN Women Japan Liaison Office, opened the event with global context. She noted that, at the current pace, full gender equality could take another 123 years, with women currently holding only 64% of men’s legal rights worldwide and remaining underrepresented in leadership. Japan ranks 118th on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, reflecting persistent gaps in political and economic participation.
Drawing on her own experience in Somalia, Yakiya emphasized the role of internal barriers alongside structural ones. “Recognizing and freeing ourselves from the biases we impose on ourselves is just as important as addressing external barriers,” she said. She also stressed that women’s participation strengthens peace processes, underscoring the importance of inclusive leadership.
Miyuki Hashiguchi, chair of the Women’s Peace Committee, highlighted SGI’s grassroots approach, explaining that peace begins in daily relationships rather than international summits. Community organizer Sachie Joto illustrated this through a children’s community kitchen that has become a hub for connection and mutual support, addressing isolation as well as poverty.
Youth speakers reinforced the message. Yuki Nihei of Waseda University encouraged participants to act despite uncertainty, while activist Aiki Matsukura highlighted the importance of human rights and sex education, along with building trusting relationships, as essential measures to prevent the exploitation of children and youth.
In closing, Kayo Maeta, Senior Advisor of the Women’s Peace Committee, emphasized that peacebuilding grows through steady, personal action, drawing on a Buddhist teaching: “If one lights a fire for others, one will brighten one’s own way.”
The event aimed to inspire participants to see leadership as an accessible practice to approach one step at a time and to expand grassroots efforts linking gender equality, community engagement and peace.
