The Berlin Statue of Peace, established in 2020, marked an important milestone in the “Comfort Women” memorial movement as the first public memorial of its kind in Europe.
Jung-Hwa Han
The Contested Histories Initiative (CHI) is a Europe-based NGO dedicated to studying disputes over historical memorials in public spaces and promoting critical engagement with them. CHI’s Program Director, Paula O’Donohoe, spoke with Kyeol about the organization’s work and its broader vision.
Paula O’Donohoe
My Mother Is More Than A Comfort Woman is a storybook that presents the experiences of Filipino “Comfort Women” survivors through the eyes of their daughters and a granddaughter.
Naoko Okimoto (沖本直子)
The solidarity practice of Japanese citizens who finally realized the exhibition of the “Statue of Peace” through the “Non-Freedom of Expression Exhibition”—more than a decade in the making.
Kohei Kurahashi (倉橋耕平)
A story of Stintino’s commitment to justice and humanity, its focus on raising awareness and finding solutions to end violence against women, and the arrival of the Statue of Peace in the town.
Giuseppina De Nicola
The history of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” issue has challenged long-standing conservative cultural norms regarding women and sexuality in Asia by amplifying the voices of the victims. Moreover, it has contributed to the establishment of globally significant norms and values related to women’s human rights. This means that the records documenting the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” issue and related activities meet the criteria of “world significance.”
Hye-in Han
The suffering of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women,” one of the most tragic human rights abuses of the 20th century, should be preserved and managed as historical documentary heritage. This is crucial to prevent such atrocities from recurring and provide a lesson to future generations.
Attorney Sanghee Lee, the head of the Lawyers for the Democratic Society Task Force addressing the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Issue
Sanghee Lee
All things considered, Japan must bear responsibility as a nation. To reignite the movement, a civic movement aimed at achieving legislative resolution was needed. In December 1996, the “Gathering for Legislative Resolution of the “Comfort Women” Issue” was established, with Attorney Tsuchiya Koken as the Chairman, Professor Arai Shinichi from Surugadai University as the Vice Chairman, and Arimitsu Ken serving as the Secretariat Liaison.
Totsuka Etsuro (戶塚悅朗)
The Philippines’ ninth Periodic Report on the implementation of the CEDAW cites the Safe Spaces Act and the Anti-Mail Order Spouse Act, but there is no mention of the “Comfort Women.” When asked, the Philippine Commission on Women gives sympathetic statements
BERNARD KARGANILLA
