THINK Lobby is an advocacy and research division of the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC).

Activities

(1) Research

Themes: ODA policy, democracy, human rights, corporate social justice, etc.The institution’s journal, “THINK Lobby Journal,” was launched last year with the goal of enhancing research capabilities across a wide range of generations, including young individuals with a “global citizen consciousness.” Its purpose is to contribute to the realization of a peaceful, just, and sustainable world.

The THINK Lobby Journal has made issues 1 and 2 available for free on J-Stage, so please take a look.

More information;

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/thinklobbyjournal/2/0/_contents/-char/en

(2) Advocacy

To: Japanese government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JICA), UN, G7, G20, etc.

(3) Communication

Through: Website, Social Media, research publication "THINK Lobby Journal," seminars and events, business consulting on corporate human rights due diligence, etc.

(4) Networking

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JICA, Business and Human Rights Civil Society Platform (BHRC), Japan Civil Society Network on SDGs, Civil Society Space NGO Action Network (NANCiS), ADA (Asian Development Alliance), Forus, CIVICUS, Asian Partnership for Civil Society for Sustainable Development (APSD), G7 Civil Society Coalition 2023, etc.

English Website of THINK Lobby 

https://thinklobby.org/en/



THINK Lobby

We are a network of civil society organisations (CSOs) promoting to solve global issues. 

Vision

Our goal is to achieve a global society where people are liberated from hunger, poverty and violation of human rights, where people live in harmony with nature, where people are assured of equal and fair opportunities for participation in deciding directions for their society, and where people mutually respect diverse cultures and values, while living together.

Mission

- To promote networking and collaborative activities among citizens’ organizations (NGOs) engaged in international cooperation.
- To facilitate collective action by its members and wider Japanese civil society to influence the policies and practice of governments and institutions at domestic and international levels.
- To strengthen the institutional capability of NGOs in carrying out their missions.
- To disseminate information and knowledge concerning people’s living conditions in developing regions of the world and the impact of the public’s way of life on these people.
- To enlighten the general public on the role of NGOs and encourage them to participate in NGO activities in any form.

Activities

1)Membership & Networking

JANIC maximizes the power of NGOs and promote solutions to social issues by

connecting NGOs with governments, corporations, labor unions, local governments,

and citizens.

1)-1 HAPIC is an international cooperation conference that gathers actors working on global social issues.

• In 2022, a 3-day online conference was held under the theme of "Redesigning International Cooperation".

• Approx. 550 participants from NGOs/NPOs, corporations, governments, students, and foundations attended.

• 30 sessions were held on topics such as new capitalism, human rights, gender, and refugees.

• 106 speakers from Japan and abroad had heated discussions. New learning and encounters were born in the process of solving global social issues.

1)- 2 Global Festa JAPAN 

Global Festa Japan is the largest international cooperation event in Japan. Through fun and easy-to-understand participatory events, visitors can become familiar with international cooperation and gain a broad understanding of;

• the current situation in developing countries

• the need for international cooperation

• the activities of government agencies, NGOs,

corporations, and other organizations involved in international cooperation.

1)-3 Partnerships

JANIC promotes equal partnerships among NGOs, corporations, labor unions, and local governments, utilizing the autonomy of each actor, and works to build a society to achieve the SDGs by; providing necessary information and advice concerning international cooperation at the grassroots level.

• serving as the secretariat for various networks such as NGO-MOFA Meeting, NGO-JICA Meeting, NGO-Labour Union Forum, NGO Accountability Network, Japan Civil Society Coalition on G7 Summit 2023, etc.

• cooperating with regional and thematic network NGOs in Japan.

• cooperating with international NGOs and platforms, such as Asia Development Alliance (ADA), Asia Democracy Network (ADN), CIVICUS, CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE), DAC-CSO Reference Group, Forus, etc

2) Capacity Building

JANIC supports CSOs to strengthen their organizational infrastructure and project implementation capabilities that enable them to achieve their missions and visions in partnership and collaboration with other sectors

2)-1 Working Group System

NGOs in each working group share information, experience, and wisdom on

common issues, learn from each other, and work together to overcome the challenges

they face; Strengthening Organizational Management, Management of Charitable Organizations, Safeguarding Children and Young People, PSEAH, NGO2030 , Localization of Assistance, Gender Equality Promotion, Afghanistan, etc.

2)-2 Funding & Training Programs

JANIC, together with its sponsors, provides funding and training programs to NGOs on capacity-building opportunities for their organizations and staff.

● Panasonic NPO/NGO Supoort Fund for SDGs (with Panasonic)

● NGO Study Program (with Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

● Quality and Accountability trainings (with Quality and Accountability Network Japan)

● Security management trainings (with Japan NGO Initiative for Safety and Security)

● Accountability Self-Check (JANIC) 

3) Research and Advocacy (THINK Lobby) 

In 2002, JANIC established a social think tank “THINK Lobby” to;

● connect domestic and international organizations and researchers,

● enhance the expertise of research from the perspective of civil society, and

● disseminate the outcomes as policy recommendations to society.

Furthermore, we focus on awareness raising activities so that citizens take action for social change with confidence, using the content of such research and policy recommendations as evidence.

By learning, thinking, and acting together with diverse stakeholders on social issues, JANIC connects small and disparate voices, and collaborates with various organizations in society to (1) promote democratic governance and enlarge civic space, and (2) promote corporate citizenship for peace, justice, and respect for human rights.

3)-1 Defending Democracy and Civic Space in Asia

To defend and promote democracy and civic space, JANIC and Key Implementing Partners (KIP)* conducted 6 research projects, and the finding will be presented at the 4th Tokyo Democracy Forum (TDF), on the occasion of the C7 Summit (April 2023)

3)-2 Climate Justice & Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development

The report is an initial study on Climate Justice & PCSD, containing case studies drawn from 17 countries from 4 different sub-regions in Asia and the Pacific.

3)-3 Policy recommendations to G7 Summit

JANIC serves as co-secretariat for Japan CSO Coalition, as well as Civil 7 (C7) to encourage and promote civil society participation to G7 discussions.

● C7 is one of the official Engagement Groups of the G7 and represents positions from the international civil society (not only from G7 countries, but also from the Global South). Currently, more than 660 people from 70 countries registered to C7.

● 6 thematic working groups are now finalizing policy recommendations to G7 leaders. C7 Communiqué will be submitted to G7 President (Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida) at the C7 Summit on 13-14 April in Tokyo.

3)-4 Corporate Social Justice

THINK Lobby promotes dialogue between private sector and civil society and develops a corporate self-checklist with the aim that major Japanese corporations, which influence Japanese and Asian society through their business activities, will act as key actors toward the realization of a "just society" with the civil society.

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