World YWCA Statement of Support of YWCA Korea Call for Solidarity for the Victims of Japanese Military “Comfort Women”
October 6, 2025
The World YWCA supports YWCA Korea’s call for the solidarity of Korean citizens, the global movement, partner organisations, and international allies. We join them in urging the Korean government to take action through legal reform, recognition and accountability, and a renewed commitment to justice, peace, and solidarity for the victims of Japanese Military “Comfort Women[1].”
On the occasion of August 14, Memorial Day for the Victims of Japanese Military “Comfort Women”, the National YWCA of Korea shared its statement History Still Unfinished – Act Now:
“…Last year, over 50,000 Korean citizens signed a national petition calling for the amendment of the Act on the Protection of the Victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery. Despite this apparent demand, the bill remains pending…Resolving the issue of the Japanese military “comfort women” is no longer a matter of choice. It is a national duty that the government must fulfil. Suppose the state fails to protect the rights and dignity of the victims legally. In that case, the meaning of this Memorial Day and the promises made on the 80th anniversary of Liberation will remain empty words. The National Assembly and the Korean government must stop delaying and immediately move forward with amending the Victim Protection Act, thereby fulfilling their national responsibility to restore the victims’ dignity and justice.
The national YWCA of Korea will continue to raise awareness of this issue and stand in solidarity—on the streets, in educational settings, and the global community- so that victims can speak out freely and restore their dignity. We are committed to building safe and supportive spaces across generations and regions- not only spaces for healing, but also places for sharing historical truths and fostering intergenerational solidarity for peace and human rights…”
YWCA leaders have worked for women’s rights and peace with justice for more than a century, and since the 1995 World YWCA Council in Seoul, Korea, the World YWCA movement has committed to calling on the Japanese Government to acknowledge these atrocities, to issue reparations, and to formally apologise for the crimes committed against thousands of women.
Now, nearly 30 years after that resolution, and more than 50 years since these heinous acts took place, the World YWCA stands firm in its Goal 2035 commitment: to transform power structures, create justice, and demand recognition that violence against women must never be forgotten or allowed to continue. We affirm that a world without violence is possible, led by an inclusive and intergenerational YWCA movement.
To learn more about how to support YWCA Korea, please contact: equalitynow@ywca.or.kr.
YWCA Korea social media: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Naver, and KakaoTalk
[1] From YWCA Korea: the term “Japanese military ‘comfort women’” refers to the hundreds of thousands of women and girls, many from Korea and other parts of Asia, who were forcibly taken and exploited in military-run brothels by the Japanese army before and during World War II. It was a grave violation of human rights and dignity, and many survivors have continued to speak out for justice, an official apology, and legal reparations.