“Comfort Girls”: The Forgotten Tragedy of Child Exploitation

The “Comfort Women” system was not only a violation of women’s rights, but also a grave infringement of children’s rights. In this article, Professor Ñusta Carranza Ko examines how imperial Japanese authorities systematically violated the rights of underage girls, in direct contravention of international conventions of the time, reframing the issue as a case of child rights violations.

• 2025-08-05
• Ñusta Carranza Ko

Characteristics of the Issue of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery in Singapore

Until 2022, when the book The Comfort Women of Singapore in History and Memory was published, it was widely thought in Singapore that there were no Singaporean "Comfort Women" who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese military.

• 2024-12-11
• Kevin Blackburn

The Statue of Peace Arrives in Stintino, Italy, Carrying a Message of Human Rights and Peace

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.

• 2024-09-27
• Giuseppina De Nicola

“Voices of ‘Comfort Women’” as History in Progress

In 2022, as a result of Japan’s aggressive diplomacy, UNESCO’s MoW inscription rules were revised to require all documents to be submitted through national governments. Additionally, if a concerned country objects, the application is halted from entering the review process and must instead undergo a so-called “dialogue” procedure. Under these revised rules, any attempt by a victimized country to submit documents related to the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” is likely to be blocked before even reaching the review stage due to Japan’s opposition.

• 2024-09-02
• Hye-in Han

The Unique and Irreplaceable “Voices of ‘Comfort Women’”

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.”

• 2024-08-19
• Hye-in Han