Yomiuri International Cooperation Prize: Women-led conflict resolution key to resolving ‘overlooked’ issues

By Toshinao Ishii / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

19:25 JST, November 20, 2025

The following is an excerpt from The Yomiuri Shimbun’s recent interview conducted in Tokyo with Rumiko Seya about her recent activities.

The Yomiuri Shimbun: How is the situation in Syria?

Rumiko Seya: New divisions are emerging in Syria — not just along ethnic or sectarian lines. There is friction between the south, which was under the control of the Assad government, and the north, which resisted.

Many displaced people are returning to their hometowns. However, with water, housing and other infrastructure devastated, there is friction with the residents who stayed. To keep the conflict from reigniting, I want to work with local groups to cultivate “bearers of peace,” particularly among women and young people.

Yomiuri: What can be done in Afghanistan?

Seya: At first, evacuating abroad had to be kept secret. Some people were forced into movie-like escapes, hiding among truck cargo. Journalists who report on the oppression of women’s rights have been detained, making it hard for the world to grasp the reality of what is happening.

Women, who have been stripped of education and job opportunities, are forced into unwanted marriages, and put in a situation where they feel little hope.

That said, I have heard there is tolerance toward women working in spaces separate from men.

Together with local women’s groups, I want to promote women’s entrepreneurship in areas such as sewing and food production. Afghans buffeted by conflict look warmly on Japan thanks in part to the contributions of the late Dr. Tetsu Nakamura. They view Japan as a country that has continued to stand with them. I will do what I can for women in the country.

Yomiuri: What is the significance of women participating in conflict resolution?

Seya: It is women who bear the brunt in conflict zones and camps for displaced people. When women participate in support and resolution processes, issues that have been overlooked — and solutions that work for women — finally make it onto the agenda.

Rumiko Seya

Rumiko Seya was born in Gunma Prefecture in 1977. She graduated from Chuo University’s Faculty of Policy Studies and holds a master’s degree in conflict resolution from the University of Bradford in Britain. She is currently the president of Reach Alternatives (REALs).

Her specialization is peacebuilding and improving public safety, as well as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) in conflict zones.

She served as the secretary general of the Tokyo-based Japan Center for Conflict Prevention (JCCP, now REALs) starting in 2007 and has been president since 2013.

Her publications include the book “Disarmament as a Profession.” Her work in conflict areas is featured in a high school English textbook. She is a mother of two.