Women’s Empowerment
During the Meiji period (1868-1912), many female missionaries were sent from Protestant churches in North America to evangelize Japan. At a time when awareness of women’s education was low, they believed that the promotion of women’s education was important for the modernization of Japan, and they opened places for women’s education in various parts of Japan, which are still doing important work through education as mission schools today. Their prayer for women’s education in Japan was to help improve the status of women in Japanese society, to create a society in which women could contribute to society with dignity and responsibility, and to develop such women. With that in mind, we too have placed women’s empowerment as one of our missions.
Compared to the days when missionaries used to promote women’s education, the level of education for women has improved dramatically today. However, education does not end at graduation from school. How it is reflected in society is what is more important. In addition, as time has changed, Japan has become a multicultural society, and the issues and needs of women have become very diverse. In these times, it is increasingly necessary to develop women with the awareness of being a member of the international community. We place women’s empowerment as one of our missions and value the development of leadership of women who can actively address peace and human rights issues, which are becoming increasingly important in the international community.
In our view, leadership is a person who has the awareness to contribute to society in a way that they can, using a gift in Christianity, the wonderful Gift that God has given to each person, and to influence society by turning awareness into action.
Our goal is for everyone to contribute to society and the world with confidence and joy in the ways they can, using the wonderful Gift that each of them has been given.