ISDAK SDGs Charter

In September 2015, the United Nations inaugurated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which was adopted in 2001. Under the slogan of “Leaving no one behind,” various institutions, such as civil organizations and national as well as local governments, have been making efforts to achieve it. ISDAK is no exception: we have been working for diversity, safer space, and eco promotion.

However, motivation for SDGs promotion is not necessarily shared by all the ISDAK students. With the establishment of this charter, we ISDAK students declare that each of us will work for SDGs with a sense of commitment.

1. Purpose: The purpose of this charter is to actualize the efforts for SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), diversity, safer space, and eco by the corporation of all residents.

2. Application Scope: This charter shall apply to anyone who lives at ISDAK. The word of “residents” in this charter refers to everyone who lives at ISDAK, including RAs and CAs. Rules regarding SDGs promotion in RA and CA jobs shall be separately provided.

3. Second-hand smoking prevention (SDGs No.3): In order to reduce the risk of second-hand smoking so that everyone can live comfortably without feeling insecure at ISDAK, residents shall not smoke except in the designated areas.

4. Alcohol Harassment Prevention (SDGs No.3): In order to make ISDAK a comfortable and safe living space without alcohol harassment and alcohol-related accidents, residents shall not force or pressure anyone to drink against their will. If someone who said they would like to drink at a point changes their mind and does not want to drink anymore, their will shall be respected in any occasions, such as drinking parties and drinking games. Those who refuse to drink shall not be harassed or teased, or criticized based on fixed gender roles (for example, “not drinking is not manly enough”).

5. Alcohol Harassment Prevention (SDGs No.3, 16): Residents shall make efforts to intervene into acts of inappropriate drinking, including, but not limited to, alcohol harassment, overdrinking, or the promotion of over drinking. If direct intervention is difficult, residents may ask not only their friends, but also RAs, CAs, the guard office, and the housemasters for help. Residents shall not be treated negatively based on the fact that they intervened.

6. Noise Control (SDGs No.3): Residents shall keep in their minds that ISDAK has residents with diverse lifestyles. Residents shall always give due consideration to their noise level when holding a gathering in order to make ISDAK a comfortable living space without noise pollution.

In Kunitachi city, where Hitotsubashi University is located, two ordinances regarding diversity and safer space have been inaugurated: the Kunitachi City’s Gender Equality and Diversity Policy in 2018 and the Kunitachi City’s Policy for Human Rights, Diversity and Peace in 2019. Since then, the city has been making efforts to secure a safer and more comfortable space for everyone- a city where anyone is free from discrimination and harassment, in regard to all kinds of social identities, including, but not limited to, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, and age. Elimination of harassment has been an important goal also at Hitotsubashi University, in accordance with the university’s harassment prevention guideline. In line with these movements, ISDAK has also been advocating for diversity and safer space through new-residents guidance, workshops, and other events.

Nevertheless, prevailing stereotypes, biased expectations, discriminatory words and deeds, and violence, regarding various social identities, including, but not limited to, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, and age, still have significant negative effects in our ISDAK lives. Anyone can be both a victim and a perpetrator, regarding the issue of discrimination and violence. In order to make ISDAK a place where all residents can be what they want to be and live safely and comfortably, it is necessary that all residents have a sense of ownership in this issue and corporation.

With the following rules, as such, we ISDAK students hereby declare that each of us will contribute to the advocacy for diversity and realization of a safer space at ISDAK so that all residents with diverse backgrounds and identities can fully express their personalities, show abilities, and be what they want to be.

7. Discrimination and Harassment Prohibition (SDGs No.4, 5, 10, 16): Residents shall know that discrimination and harassment in any forms based on any elements, including, but not limited to, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, age, are not acceptable. Residents shall constantly keep it in mind that ISDAK has residents with diverse backgrounds and identities. Residents shall obey regulations, such as anti-discrimination laws and ordinances inaugurated by Tokyo, Kunitachi, Kodaira, and the national government, and harassment and discrimination prevention guidelines by the universities. Additionally, residents shall always be aware of their words and deeds so that they will not offend someone, or strengthen oppression and discrimination against specific social groups, either consciously or unconsciously.

8. Intervention Measures against Discrimination and Harassment (SDGs No.4, 5, 10, 16): Residents shall make efforts to implement bystander actions in order to prevent the harm when they witness discrimination and/or harassment. If implementing intervention on their own is difficult, residents can ask not only their friends, but also RAs, CAs, the guard station and the house masters for help. Residents shall not treat the intervener(s) adversely because of the intervention.

9. Learning about Diversity and Safer Space (SDGs No.4, 5, 10, 16): It is necessary that each resident has not only interest in, but also accurate knowledge of diversity and safer space in order to prevent all forms of discrimination and harassment at ISDAK. As such, residents shall always be aware that their words and deeds shape ISDAK and make efforts to actively learn about diversity and safer space.

Global environmental problems, such as the waste problem, natural resource problem, marine plastic pollution, and global warming, have been becoming an even more serious problem. These problems will never be solved without constant efforts of various people.

The Japanese government is one of the actors addressing the environmental issues. It has been providing basic principles and concrete policies for the creation of a recycle-based society through the promotion of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), since then it inaugurated the Act for Promoting Effective Use of Resources in 2001. Also, the plastic shopping bags are no longer distributed freely after July 1, 2020, following the amendment of ministerial orders regarding the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law. Kodaira City, where ISDAK is located, has also inaugurated the Kodaira City’s Policy for Environmental Actions in 2001, where the reduction of environmental load and the promotion of a recycle-based society are pursued.

As above, it is the ISDAK residents’ responsibility to contribute to the creation of sustainable recycle-based society and environmental protection. Nevertheless, not all of us have necessarily been successful in taking environmental responsibility as a personal responsibility and in making constant efforts in our daily lives. Considering that the big turnover of residents is causing the excessive consumption of goods at ISDAK, it is our urgent agenda to promote reuse behavior on the dormitory-wide and floor level.

With the following rules, we ISDAK residents hereby declare that we will cooperate with each other for eco promotion. While each of us may have different levels of awareness for eco at this moment, we all will take this issue personally and do what we can do in our daily lives. By so doing, we will make ISDAK a role model of eco promotion for dormitories.

10. Garbage Separation Enforcement (SDGs No.12, 14): Residents shall make efforts in acquiring accurate information regarding the garbage separation rules through RAs, CAs, and flyers by Kodaira city. Residents shall constantly implement appropriate garbage separation in accordance with the rules by Kodaira City and ISDAK. Residents shall follow RAs’ and CAs’ instruction for accurate garbage separation.

11. ISDAK REUSE and Garbage Reduction (SDGs No.12, 14): Residents shall make efforts to contribute to the promotion of 3Rs and garbage reduction by actively using the ISDAK REUSE.

12. Reusing Bicycles (SDGs No.12, 14): Residents shall make efforts to implement measures to reduce the amount of discarded bicycles at ISDAK, for example by utilizing the bicycle reuse service.

13. Reusable Bags and Garbage Reduction (SDGs No.12, 14): Residents shall make efforts to carry and use reusable bags in order to reduce plastic waste.

14. Using Eco-friendly Products (SDGs No.12, 14): Residents shall make efforts to use eco-friendly products in their lives, such as products with the recycle mark.

15. Saving Electricity and Water (SDGs No.12): Residents shall make efforts to reduce the water and electricity consumption in their own rooms and the common area (kitchen and shower rooms).