We are pleased to introduce an event planned by Rika Niikura, a participant in ToTAL’s classes. Please join!
At Tokyo Tech, activities surrounding diversity are becoming more active, such as the formulation of the “SOGI Guidelines” to create a place where everyone can learn and work without discrimination. Amid these trends, we started providing sanitary napkins in the women’s restrooms and multipurpose restrooms last year. Still, we need to consider the future development of sanitary napkin provision to maintain the service with the understanding and agreement of more people.
Therefore, we will hold a workshop this time, aiming to discover each other’s viewpoints and to think about diversity from familiar matters by talking about your “toilet problems” widely in addition to menstruation.
Let’s talk about your problems and experiences, such as “I forgot my sanitary napkin”, or “I don’t feel comfortable using the private restroom”, etc.
Of course, you don’t need to talk if you don’t want to; just be respectful and keep sensitive topics to yourself. This workshop is a safe place where you may be ok to open up yourself. Your “normal” may be someone’s “surprise”!
Date & Venue
| Date | Thursday, February 22, 2024 18:00-20:00 |
| Venue | Multipurpose room 1, Midorigaoka Building 6, Ookayama campus (Map) |
| Language | Japanese and English |
| Eligibility | Everyone is welcome! |
Event organizer
Rika NIIKURA
Second-year doctoral student in the Department of Architecture and Building Engineering, School of Environment and Society (Nasu laboratory). When she was involved in the architectural planning of the West 5 Building and was in charge of designing the women’s restroom, she realized – “There should be support for students not only in terms of hardware but also in terms of services. This consideration led her to propose a project to provide sanitary products on campus. After two trials in cooperation with the Student Support Division, the project was made permanent in the fall semester of this year. The project was selected for the “2023 Support for Student Startup Challenge” by Tokyo Tech.
Guest lecturer
Naomi SAWADA
Founder of “Watashi-no-kurashi kenkyujo (My life institute).” She founded the institute intending to create a future in which the “unsaid” issues of those in need can be visualized in the forms of research results, research papers, activities, and others, and everyone in the society can cooperate and solve their issues. She is developing the LAQDA project as an opportunity to practice a framework that makes it easier for everyone to talk together, using the “Seripon”, a sanitary napkin case, as a hook for conversation. Her project was adopted for the “FY2022 Femtec Support Service Demonstration Project Grant” by METI.
Event overview
Agenda
- Part 1（15 minutes）：Talks
- About this workshop and “Sanitary Pad for All Who Need Them!” project., Rika NIIKURA
- Case study: LAQDA, dialogue through the installation of sanitary pads., Naomi SAWADA
- Part 2（90 minutes）：Discussion and Work
- Topic 1: What is your “Toilet Problem”?
- Topic 2: Think menstruation together: this and that
- Closing
