JOICFP NEWS N0. 220OCTOBER 1992

Item

Title
JOICFP NEWS N0. 220OCTOBER 1992
extracted text
^'No. 220 October 1992

COMMUNITY HEALTH CEU
326. V Main, I Block
Koram&ngala

ISSN 0911-0755

Bangalore-560034

JOICFP NEWS
Population Policies for 21st Century
Population and sustainable development high on agenda at Bali conference

View of the Fourth Asian and Pacific Population Conference held in Bali in August.

“Population growth or population policies and programs, the need to integrate
change in quantitative terms, must be research and evaluation into program
matched by change in qualitative terms, planning and implementation, and the role
by improvements in population quality,” of population data and information in the
said Emil Salim, state minister, Popu­ formulation of policies and implementation
lation and the Environment, Indonesia. of programs. Another aim of the meeting
Inaugurating the Senior Officials was to draw attention to the major
Meeting of the the Fourth Asian and contributions that regional cooperation and
Pacific Population Conference in Bali, mutual efforts, including the exchange of
the minister called for more effective information and experience, make to
family planning (FP), family health and national development planning, particularly
welfare programs. “The focus of FP in the field of population.
services must be widened and the quality
Substantial Progress
of such services must be further
improved,” he said. “At the same time,
Noting the substantial progress that has
self-financing of FP programs must be
introduced and promoted and people's been achieved by the countries of the region
participation in such programs must be . in responding to the Asia-Pacific Call for
Action adopted at the previous conference
broadened and intensified. ”
A forum for the governments of in Colombo in 1982, the delegates to the
Asia and the Pacific to review and meeting expressed concern that population
appraise population trends and policies issues remain among the most pressing
in the region, the Bali conference was challenges facing the region. Under the
aimed at enabling the governments to theme of the conference, “Population and
obtain a clearer picture of the strategic sustainable development: goals and
value of formulating multi-disciplinary strategies into the 21st century,” the

participants confirmed a series of goals
and strategies and put forward the “Bali
Declaration on Population and Sustain­
able Development.”
The conference was co-sponsored by
the government of Indonesia and jointly
organized by ESCAP and UNFPA. It
was held from August 19-27 and attended
by senior government officials of 36
countries, representatives of international
organizations such as ESCAP, UNFPA,
UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, UNESCO and
WHO and non-governmental organiza­
tions including IPPF and JOICFP.
Representatives of Syria, Sweden, the
Holy See, World Bank and ADB also
attended the conference.
Stressing that there is no “quick fix”
for development, Seiko Takahashi,
deputy executive secretary, ESCAP, said
“Improvements will come about when
coherent policies and well coordinated
programs respond effectively to popu­
lation and development issues.” Noting
issues requiring “enlightened policies,”
Takahashi drew attention to the need to
1

Bali Conference
fully involve women in the development
process. “Although national development
policies do address women’s needs, they
are often focused more on their practical
needs as wives and mothers, rather than
strategic gender interests,” she said.
“Women compose half of the region’s
human resources; they cannot be left out
of the development equation.”
Providing an outline of priority issues
for the next decade, Dr. Nafis Sadik,
executive director, UNFPA, highlighted
the importance of reducing maternal
mortality and improving reproductive
health.

Maternal Deaths
Noting that almost 99% of all maternal
deaths — estimated at 500,000 a year —
occur in developing countries and almost
half of them in South Asia alone, Sadik
said, “A combination of better healthcare,
fertility regulation, better nutrition and
higher income is required for complete
prevention, but FP alone is an important
contribution, particularly among teenage
women and those aged over 35.” The
UNFPA head also emphasized as priority
issues for the next decade, eliminating
poverty, improving women’s conditions
and enabling reproductive choice. “One
of the most important contributions to
improving the status of reproductive
health of women is an environment that
enables them to exercise the right to
reproductive choice,” she said. Pointing
out that Asia is rapidly becoming the
future home of the majority of the world’s
elderly, Sadik said that it is time to
consider this and other emerging issues
and formulate appropriate programs.

Japanese Commitment
Heading the Japanese delegation to
the conference, Hiroyuki Sonoda, vice
minister of health and welfare, reaffirmed
Japan’s commitment to continue
promoting bilateral and multilateral
cooperation in the field of population. “I
sincerely hope that the Japanese
experiences may be of some good use for
those countries which have recently been
in the process of their economic and
social development,” he said.
The conference was welcomed as a
positive forum by the representatives of
regional governments who reaffirmed a
commitment to the creation of policies to
tackle the issues of population and
sustainable development. The ministers’
meeting concluded with participants
agreeing to the declaration on popula­
tion and sustainable development. [J]

2

A Voice for the Grassroots
Representatives of non-governmental population, enhancement of women in
organizations (NGOs) attending the Fourth development and poverty alleviation and
Asian and Pacific Population Conference to continue to “energize” NGO potential.
in Bali held a special meeting to discuss
Most of the recommendations were
ways ofaccelerating collaboration between reflected in the Bali Declaration, which
government and NGOs to promote more notes the pioneering and significant
qualified and sustainable FP programs. contributions that NGOs have made to
The meeting produced a
population efforts in the
series of recommendations
region. In the section on FP/
that were put forward to the
MCH, the declaration
drafting committee of the
recommends that NGOs
conference. As a result,
should continue their roles in
reference to the role of
supporting
national
NGOs in population policy
programs. The declaration
formulation and program
states that governments
implementation is included in
should collaborate with, and
the Bali Declaration and in
enhance the potential of
Dr. Johan A.M.Thambu,
the “Goals and Strategiesfor vice
NGOs by: a) involving them
chairman, Central
Population and Sustainable Council, IPPF.
in the development of
Development into the 21st
innovative programs, es­
Century” produced at the conference.
pecially for vulnerable segments of the
During the meeting, the NGO population; b) ensuring that through their
representatives agreed that the human and flexibility they are able to offer a greater
financial resource base of the private sector diversity of client responsive services; c)
needs to be activated in the service of FP encouraging them to strengthen their
programs, while the cost-effective and self­ grassroots networks and community
help approaches of NGOs should be participative strategies; d) putting to best
strengthened. The participants also called advantage their advocacy function; and
for governments to strengthen e) enhancing their role as quality service
collaboration with NGOs in the areas of providers.
[J

o1

FP Program
forthe People
“Development is not merely dealing with
the issues of economic growth, national
income, debts and loans or the ranking of a
particular country in the world arena.
Development is aboutpeople,” said President
Soeharto of Indonesia. Addressing the
Fourth Asian and Pacific Population Confer­
ence, the president stressed the importance
of considering people in policy making.
As host country, Indonesia offered a
successful model of population policies and
programs. Between 1980 - 1990, the
Indonesian annual population growth rate was
1.97%, significantly lower than the rate of
2.32% it marked between 1971 - 1980.
Similarly, the country’s total fertility rate was
reduced from 5.6 between 1967 - 1970 to 3.0
between 1989-1990. Much of this success is
attributed to the National Family Planning
Program launched in 1969.
The positive impact of the program lies in
its effective IEC and motivational cam­
paigns, steady institutional development,
availability of contraceptives and the wide
coverage of village-based healthcare. Other
important factors to its success have been the
broad base of political and religious support

Women and children at a Posyandu.
and the close collaboration among govern­
ment ministries in implementation.
Participants observed the activities of
an Integrated Health Service Post (Posy­
andu) where volunteers and trained health
personnel provide FP/MCH services, health
and nutrition education and immunization.
Coinciding with the conference, JOICFP
published an issueof its quarterly magazine
Integration which included a feature on the
Indonesian FP success story. A request for
2,000 extra copies was made by Haryono
Suyono, chairman, National FP Coordi­
nating Board of Indonesia fordistribution at
the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement,
held from September 1 - 6 in Jakarta.

JOICFP NEWS, October 1992

Bali Conference

Show of Commitment on Population
UNFPA director welcomes high-level concern for population in Asia and the Pacific
Saad Raheem Sheikh, director, Asia
and the Pacific Division, UNFPA,
attended the Fourth Asian and Pacific
Population Conference, held in Bali
from August 19 -24. Below is an outline
of his comments on the conference.
I think the Fourth Asian and Pacific
Population Conference was a success.
There was substantial participation at a
very high level — the fact that President
Soeharto opened the ministerial segment
of the conference, and that most senior
ministers of the member countries
participated, demonstrated the
commitment of the countries. The
delegations showed a very high degree
of commitment to population issues and
also outlined the plans of their own
governments and what they are doing,
not only in the FP field but also with

Legislators Speak
Shin Sakurai, vice chairman, Asian
Forum of Parliamentarians on
Population and Development (A FPPD),
and executive director, Japan
Parliamentarians Federation for
Population (JPFP), presented a
statement at the Bali conference from
the AFPPD. Below are measures put
forward in the statement to tackle
population and regional development
issues in Asia.
It is essential that the following
measures be undertaken by countries
to resolve the Asian population problem:
a) to undertake increasing efforts
towards reducing the present
population growth rate of 1.84% to 1 %
by the year 2000; b) reduce by 50% the
infant mortality rate which at present
stands at 64 out of every 1,000 births;
c) reduce by 50% the maternal mortality
rate in the region; d) improve the status
of women, who have a vital role to play
as a human resource and as mothers
who will bear and raise the coming
generations; e) to mobilize adequate
domestic and international resources
for population activities, in order to
reach the goals of US$9 billion for
population activities around the world
by the year 2000 (as called for in the
Amsterdam Declaration). We call upon
all parliamentarians as well as other
leaders of public opinion to intensify
their efforts to increase awareness of
population issues and to ensure the
implementation of these measures.

JOICFP NEWS, October 1992

regard to such issues as sustainable little passive in the past, especially those
development, the environment and women. in central Asia, West Asia and the South
Other issues related to the Asia and the Pacific, are now more committed and
Pacific region, especially with regard to active in this field than ever before. To
answer the demands in
the demographic objectives
— the concern with the
these countries, we
reduction of infant
definitely need more
mortality, improvement of
resources. In fact, the
programs that can lead to
individual delegations
safe motherhood and child
we had discussions with
outside the conference
survival, population edu­
all took issue with the
cation, and the active role
lack of resources within
of women’s organizations
UNFPA.
and non-governmental
It was also a great
organizations (NGOs) —
pleasure to see various
were very much high­
NGO representatives
lighted. From the viewpoint
who
not
only
of the Asia and the Pacific
Saad Raheem Sheikh
participated in the
Division of UNFPA, these
are indeed the concerns that we would have meeting but also made valuable
liked the delegates to agree about, and we contributions and interventions at the
are very pleased with their total and conference. We are very confident that
the recommendations of the conference
unanimous support of the concepts.
At the conference, it was emphasized and more specifically the Bali
to us that within the somewhat successful Declaration, will be very helpful to the
programs there are many pockets where delegates at the 1994 UN Conference on
activities related to population and FP have Population and Development in Cairo.
The Bali conference was a forerunner
not taken off or where the communities are
still very disadvantaged. More needs to be to other activities that are being held
done to bring those communities in line ahead of the global conference. The
with the rest of the country’s development. next conference is in Africa in Decem­
It also came out very clear from the ber, followed by Latin America, the Arab
[J]
meetings that the countries that had been a states and Europe.

Taking Issue with Population
In general, awareness of population issues
A Media Seminar was held on August 15
and 16 in Bali, Indonesia, prior to the Fourth is far lower in Japan than in other countries in
Asian and Pacific Population Conference. the region. Also, in terms of the percent of
Sponsored by UNFPA, the seminar was GNP allocated to population activities, Japan
is still lagging. The problem is
attended by 21 journalistsfrom
that people in Japan do not yet
17 countries. Masako Takuma,
have enough access to
staff writer, Science and
information on population
TechnologyDepartment, Nihon
issues. If the public was made
Keizai Shimbun, and member,
more aware of the issues, there
Ministry ofHealth and Welfare
would be a lot more support of
Press Club, attended the event.
efforts to promote development
Below is an outline of an
in other countries and we
interview with JOICFP NEWS
would see an increase in
conducted on September 3.
grassroots projects in Japan to
The seminar was a great
assist other countries.
learning experience for me. As
Masako Takuma
I think the time is ripe for
the only journalist from an
industrialized country, I learned much from Japanese NGOs to take a more active role in
representatives of developing countries which international cooperation activities to
are confronting serious population problems. supplement the government’s overseas
Also, the large number of women at the event assistance schemes. Much depends on the
meant that women’s issues were a major topic media, and how well we “spark” an interest
of discussion.
in Japan on population issues.
COMMUNITY

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3

JICA Seminar

Driving Force of FP/MCH Child Spacing
Seminar highlights role of Japanese women in FP/MCH promotion

in Malawi

Martha Kasonda, family health
coordinator, Ministry ofHealth, Malawi,
participated in the JICA seminar in
Tokyo. She spoke with JOICFP NEWS
on September 7 about the child spacing
program in Malawi. Below is an outline
of her interview.
The official population of Malawi is
about 9 million, but with refugees from
Mozambique, the total is about 10
million. Family planning in Malawi is
called child spacing (CS) and is integrated
with the maternal and child health (MCH)
program since the objective of both is to
reduce infant and maternal mortality.
Launched in 1984, the CS program is
aimed not at controlling population
Participants with Toyama Governor Yutaka Nakaoki (bottom, third from right).
growth, but at improving the health
One of the most vivid impressions of FP programs of government and non­ status of women and children.
Japan for the 14 participants of the governmental organizations (NGOs) from
There is no population policy as such
Seminar on Family Planning for Senior Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, in Malawi, but
Officers was the contribution women Mexico, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New there are poli­
made to the development oftheir country Guinea, Peru,Tunisia, andTurkey. Course cies that have
in the postwar years. Speaking on behalf leader of the seminar was Dr. Minoru been put in
of the participants at the conclusion of Muramatsu, former president, Population place in the
the seminar, held from August 24 - Association of Japan.
interest
of
September 11, Saida Agrebi, director,
One of the driving forces in FP/MCH mothers and
lEC/CSM Department, National Office in Toyama in the postwar years was the children. At
of Family and Population, Tunisia, said practicing midwives in each area who present, we are
thatJapanese women played an important worked alongside public health nurses, in the process of
and positive role in transforming their volunteers and members of women’s examining po­
Martha Kasonda
country from a nation in ruins to one of organizations to promote FP. During the licies related to
the most powerful industrialized coun­ field trip, seminar participants met with FP, issues that might have a bearing on
tries in the world today.
some of these pioneers, who are now over the CS program as well as issues related
Such insights into women in deve­ 60 years old.
to MCH. Several ministries concerned
lopment in Japan were gained during a
with these issues recently held a meeting
field trip to Toyama Prefecture from
Unwanted Pregnancies
to discuss ways of updating policies.
August 31 - September 5, where
Also, the government is encouraging
participants were able to speak with
During panel discussions, the midwives non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
pioneers of family planning (FP) and described the grim circumstances of the and other private sector bodies to promote
maternal and child health (MCH) and postwar years, explaining that their main FP services. The aim of the government,
observe community-based healthcare reason for promoting FP was to alleviate however, is to make sure that these bodies
activities. Like most areas in Japan, some of the hardship of Japanese women are fully supported so that they can reach
Toyama Prefecture experienced a surge who were giving birth to closely spaced people all over the country with services.
One major healthcare problem in
in population growth in the early years children and undergoing induced abor­
after the war, then saw population growth tions to avoid unwanted babies.
Malawi is the severe shortage of medical
level off as FP/MCH services were
While in Toyama, participants also professionals. The ratio of doctors is one
successfully introduced and accepted by visited public institutions including the to 60,000 people, while for nurses it is
couples in communities. Today, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, YatsuoPublic one to 14,000. We are therefore trying to
has a low birthrate of 9.9%c and infant Health Center and Hayahoshi Primary utilize a community-based distribution
mortality rate of 6.3 per 1,000 live births School and private facilities such as the (CBD) system and are planning to train
(1990). However, the prefecture is now Fujisawa Maternity Home founded by volunteers to work as promoters of FP
facing a rapidly aging population. A pioneering midwife, Hana Fujisawa, and providers of services and distributors
total of 15.0% of its population was over president, Toyama Branch, Japan of contraceptives. At present, we have
the age of 65 as of 1989.
Midwives Association. At the Hosoiri two pilot areas where NGOs are con­
The seminar was sponsored by the Community Health Center, participants ducting CBD programs. The government
Japan International Cooperation Agency were introduced to the activities of the is fully supporting these activities and
(JICA) and executed by JOICFP. It was Aiiku Han, a volunteer MCH promotion hopefully by 1993 we will be able to
[7]
attended by 14 senior administrators of organization.
[j] expand this program.
4

JOICFP NEWS, Ociobcr 1992

JICA Seminar

Action for Youth in Peru

Tunisia Puts
Women in
tbe Picture

Dr. Lucy Lopez Reyes, director, disease prevention. This education must
Adolescent Health Program, Ministry of begin in elementary school so that young
Health, Peru, was one ofthe participants people can fully understand how to take
of the JICA Seminar held in Tokyo. She care of themselves.
Saida Agrebi, director, IECICSM
Training in how to deal with adolescent
spoke withJOICFP NEWS on September
8 about the adolescent health program in problems was launched in March this year Department, National Office of Family
for people working in health and Population, Tunisia,joined the JICA
Peru. Below is an outline of
centers and hospitals. Once Seminar held in Tokyo. She spoke with
the interview.
trained, these health profes­ JOICFP NEWS on September 10 about
Fertility has been declin­
sionals will be in charge of women in development and family
ing in Peru since the 1960s
training other community planning (FP) in Tunisia. Below is an
except for one age group —
members such as teachers to outline of the interview.
the adolescents. Today, 10%
implement and provide ser­
As an Arab-Muslim country, Tunisia
of all young women in Peru
vices, advice and orientation is unique. Since independence from
between the ages of 15 - 19
France in 1956, the Code of Personal
to parents and children.
are either pregnant or mo­
The best investment that Status (CPS) serves as a legislative
thers. In the maternity wards
Lucy Lopez Reyes
can be made in maternal and measure to protect women’s rights in all
of state hospitals, adolescent
mothers account for over 20% of child health in terms of preventive domains including education, health,
deliveries. Moreover, one-fifth of these healthcare is to work with young women employment,
adolescent mothers have more than one at the very beginning of their reproductive development S
child and have had up to four pregnancies, years. The knowledge, attitudes and and politics. |
including both abortions and deliveries. practices of women are more likely to be This measure |
It is estimated that 80% of pregnancies influenced at this time than in later years. has made wo- 1
<»>
If you leave efforts until the woman you men in Tunisia I
are unwanted among adolescents.
To tackle the problem of adolescent want to influence is married, you will be very advanced | ■q- pregnancy, the government is imple­ dealing with established habits. You will in all aspects of |
menting a policy which has three main also have to involve more people in the life in comparfocuses: the family, parents and children. process such as her husband and his par­ ison to other
Saida Agrebi
Our aim is to foster self-esteem and a ents who have their own attitudes toward Arab, African
respect for others among children and the woman’s fertility. By approaching the and Muslim countries.
Since 1987, the articles of the CPS on
young people through the family; to woman at any early age, however, you
improve the child-rearing skills of only have to influence one person. By women have not only been reinforced,
parents; and to make children and young working with this one young person, you but new measures have been taken under
people aware of issues through education save time and involve fewer people. In the leadership of President Ben Ali to
[J] further the integration of Tunisian
in reproductive health, nutrition and addition, it is cost-effective.
women in the development of the coun­
try. Today, women make up more than
20% of the working population and play
a prominent role in politics at the nation­
al and municipal levels.
The population growth rate today is
Elizabeth Agnes Wamala, branch aimed at improving the standard of living
coordinator, Family Planning Associ­ and the welfare of the people through an about 1.9% and the contraceptive
integrated and prevalence rate is about 50%. Before
ation of Papua New Guinea, was in
balanced 1966, the population growth rate was
Tokyo for the JICA seminar. She spoke
approach
to about 3.3%. Family planning is consid­
with JOICFP NEWS about population
population and ered a human right in Tunisia and the FP
andfamily planning (FP) issues in Papua
development program has been successful since it was
New Guinea on September 7. Below is
planning. It was launched in 1966 thanks to progressive
an outline of the interview.
only recently IEC campaigns. The aim of the FP
According to the National Census
adopted and is program is to assist Tunisian couples to
taken in 1991, the population of Papua
now in the pro­ have the number of children they want
New Guinea is about 3.8 million. The
average childbearing age for women is
cess of being when they want.
Elizabeth Wamala
A unique outreach approach has also
implemented.
16 years and since the majority of the
The Family Planning Association of been adopted for poor, rural areas utilizing
population is Catholic, most couples have
large families with six or seven children. Papua New Guinea (FPA PNG), was “multi-disciplinary caravans” to bring
The country’s first National Population established in 1975. It used to have FP to the populations in these areas. In
Policy was formulated early this year by government support but is now supported each caravan, there are about 100 people
the government. It is a broadly-based, by IPPF. However, the FPA works in including professional and medical
multi-sectoral policy concentrating on close cooperation with the government representatives, health and social welfare
the three key sectors of health, education, since we share the same aim of improving personnel, volunteers and top govern­
and migration and urbanization. It is the way of life for the people.
[j] ment officials of the region.
[j]

lift

Population Policy for PNG

JOICFP NEWS, October 1992

5

Exchanges

Family, a View from Within
Families to tell own stories in book for International Year of Family

Perdita Huston, director, The Global government has to address relating to the
Family Project, was in Japan from family. These include education, training,
September 5 - September 19, to gather child care and issues related to the elderly
information for a book for the and disabled. These are the sorts of public
International Year of the Family (IYF) policy issues that will emerge by hearing
in 1994. She spoke with JOICFP NEWS from families themselves the kinds of
about herproject
problems they
on September
face.
16. Below are
If the objec­
highlights of the
tive of govern­
interview.
ment is to serve
The object of
its people, then it
this project is to
is going to have
give voice to
to listen to its
families them­
people, and its
selves — to find
people are in
out what is be­
families. When
hind the data and
governments
statistics and
want lots of
what are the atti­
children, they
tudes and per­
will even organ­
ceptions that
ize the police to
families have of
impose preg­
nancy on women.
the changes tak­
When govern­
ing place in
ments want fewer
society,
the
children they will
community and
within their own
manipulate
fertility. That is
family I have
Hilltribe family in northern Thailand
entitled the pro­
about as far as
ject, “Families — a View from Within.” most governments have gone at looking
The idea is to publish a series of at the family.
One of the reasons that I wanted to give
conversations with families from 12
countries around the world, in order to voice to families themselves is that we
provide a tool for discussion among non­ have in the world today some negative
governmental organizations (NGOs) forces which would like to define families
according to their way of thinking. I
and policy-makers during the IYF.
This spring, the four UN agencies — disagree with this and wouldn’t want it to
UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNDP and UNFPA happen. So, rather than let the Vatican or
— agreed to support this project and, certain fundamentalist groups, wherever
subsequently, the Secretariat for the they may be, define the family and say
Year of the Family has endorsed the what families should be or should do, I
project and has requested that it carry think we could learn more and enhance
the official IYF logo. I hope to have the democracy by giving voice to people in
families. That is a the theme of the IYF:
book available in the spring of 1994.
There are very few of us of any “The Smallest Democracy at the Heart of
country, culture or language who are not Society.”
I would urge readers to take a look at
interested in the changes that are taking
place in family structure. The multi- the documentation on the IYF which has
generational family is being pushed and some very progressive guidelines. I would
pulled by economic forces or envi­ also urge readers to get involved in the IYF
ronmental forces and the nuclear family, activities in their country.
*
*
*
alone in the community, is struggling to
provide support and sustenance to its For more information, contact: Henryk J.
members. The general public is interested Sokalski, coordinator, Secretariat for the
International Year ofthe Family, UN Office
in these issues.
The other thing that I think will come in Vienna, Centre for Social Development
forth from the words of family members and Humanitarian Affairs, Vienna, Austria.
g]
is some of the public policy issues that Fax:431-237-497
6

Towards
Self-reliance
A four-member team of consultants from
Japan was in Jakarta from August 26 September 2, and in Bangkokfrom September
2 - 6, to provide advice on ways to achieve
self-reliance of the Integrated Project (IP).
Organized by JOICFP and sponsored by
the Hoken Kaikan Foundation, the team
comprised Takanori Hirano, secretary general,
Hoken Kaikan; Shizuo Abe, head, Radiology
Division, Chiba Health Service Association
(CHSA); and Takaaki Hara, director,
Department of Research and Study, Japan
Association of Parasite Control; and included
a JOICFP official.
The team’s visit to Jakarta coincided with
the expansion of the School Health Project to
cover 1,000 schools in the city. The project is
implemented through MCH/FP clinics
operated by midwives and a central laboratory.
The consultants joined two seminars, one for
academics and the other for government
officials, where they offered advice on ways
to improve project implementation and
enhance income generation to enable the
expansion of the project to cover all 4,000
schools in Jakarta in the future.
Technical Assistance Team
At both meetings, the technical assistance
team emphasized the importance of enhancing
tripartite cooperation among government,
academic and non-governmental sectors to
improve the reach and effectiveness of the
project. The Japanese mission also attended
the hand-over ceremony of a mobile X-ray
vehicle donated to the IP by the CHSA
through JOICFP. Shipment costs of the
vehicle were covered by Yakult Co. ofJakarta
and the Hoken Kaikan Foundation.
Meanwhile, in Thailand the Japanese
experts offered advice on refining the mass
healthcare activities conducted by the
Population and Community Development
Association (PDA) under the IP. The Japanese
officials observed mass checkups conducted
by PDA in industrial areas and schools on a
fee-charged basis. Based on their obser­
vations, the team was able to pinpoint ways
to enhance efficiency and the cost­
effectiveness of PDA’s services.
[5]

Mass health checkups in Bangkok.

JOICFP NEWS, October 1992

In the News

Facing Up to Challenges for the ’90s
Challenges ’90s project stirs interest at FPA Executive Directors’ Meeting in Seoul
A pilot project launched by the Plan­
ned Parenthood Federation of Korea
(PPFK) under IPPF’s “Challenges for
the '90s” projectgeneratedmuchinterest
among participants at the Family
Planning Association Executive
Directors Meeting, held in Seoul from
August 31 - September 4.
The fourth of its kind, the biannual
Executive Directors’ Meeting was
sponsored by IPPF-ESEAOR and hosted
by PPFK. It was attended by top
representatives of all 12 members of
IPPF-ESEAOR comprising Australia,
China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam. A special memorial service
was held at the beginning of the meeting
for Bong Soo Kang, former co-chairman
of ESEAOR-IPPF and advisor to PPFK,
who recently passed away.
The Challenges ’90s initiative was
launched by IPPF to encourage family
planning associations (FPAs) to review

Technical Backstopping
The UNFPA Inter-Agency Country
Program Technical Support Team
(CPTST) for East and Southeast Asia
was established in Bangkok in July to
bring timely, high-quality and effective
technical advice closer to field-level
activities.
The CPTST is headed by Team
Leader Ghazi Farooq, and consists of
13 population advisers from ESCAP,
FAO, ILO, UNESCO and WHO who
will provide high-level technical
backstopping to national population
programs in the area of basic data
collection and population dynamics;
population policy formulation, evalu­
ation and implementation; maternal
and child health and family planning;
population education, information, and
communication; women, population
and development; and rural deve­
lopment planning.
The new arrangements will supple­
ment and strengthen the former
system of technical backstopping
provided directly to the countries by
the specialized UN agencies and will
ensure a unified and multi-disciplinary
team approach to promote better
coordination and sharing of ideas
among advisers.
(Source - UNESCO PROAP)

JOICFP NEWS, October 1992

Participants observe mothers’ club activities in Chongju City.

their mission and role and revitalize
activities in line with present-day demands.
The first member of IPPF-ESEAOR to
undergo the process of strategic planning
under the Challenges ’90s project, PPFK
has launched new activities in the fields of
maternal and child health (MCH) and youth
sexuality on a pilot basis.
Faced with a total fertility rate of about
1.6 and a gradual decrease in support from
the Korean government, PPFK began to
implement the pilot project incorporating
new services and activities with the support
of IPPF. By demonstrating the new
dimensions of its services and activities
and developing new strategies, PPFK is
aiming to gain further support from the
government and find new sources of
financial assistance.

Unmet Needs
After careful review of past achieve­
ments and present realities and a forecast
of future unmet needs, PPFK selected the
two new activity areas. The pilot project,
started in 1991, is to be evaluated after
two years of implementation at the end
of this year to determine future directions.
Participants visited pilot project areas
in the rural area of Ansung County,
Kyunggi Province and the industrial area
of Chongju City, Chungbuk Province. Of
particular interest to JOICFP were the
similarities between the administration of
the pilot project and JOICFP’s Integrated
Project (IP). The PPFK project is managed
by a three-tier system of central-, localand community-level steering committees
aimed at mobilizing all concerned people.
The field trips gave participants insights

into how PPFK is reorienting its activities
under the Challenges ’90s project to meet
present-day demands. The Challenges
’90s initiative is particularly relevant to
the Asia and Oceania Region where many
FPAs have fulfilled their original mission
through well-established FP programs
that have successfully lowered population
growth rates. Following PPFK’s lead,
four other FPAs in the region are currently
preparing strategic planning under
Challenges ’90s.
Also present at the Seoul meeting
was a representative of Taiwan who
outlined IEC strategies in his country in
a presentation on “FP communication
strategies: problems and approaches.’’
Expressing Taiwan’s desire to be a
member of IPPF, the representative said
that his country is ready to provide
financial and technical assistance to
other countries in the region wherever
possible. A forum for exchanging
information and experiences, the meeting
did much to reinforce the cooperative
network of FPAs in the region.
[J]

JAPC Awarded
The Japan Association of Parasite Control
(JAPC) received the prestigious Public
Health Award on September 24 for its
efforts in the health and sanitation field.
The awards committee noted the associ­
ation’s more than 30 years of work within
Japan in the field of parasite control and its
contribution to improving the health of
people in developing countries through
the Integrated Project (IP). Yukichi
Kadono, president, JAPC, received the
award on behalf of JAPC.
7

Voice of Voices

J O I C F P

By Chojiro Kunii

Documentary on Vietnam
Recently, a documentary film on the
Vietnamese people produced by JOICFP
in cooperation with Sakura Motion
Picture Co., Ltd. was completed. I
attended the film’s premiere in Japan
and was very touched by the genuine
commitment of the people appearing in
the documentary who are engaged in
rebuilding their community and their
country despite many difficulties.
The film provided some insights into
the suffering that these people endured
during the Vietnamese War. I found
myself asking the question of why these
people had to experience such a
distressing war. Not only were hundreds
of thousands of people sacrificed, but the
war’s ugly scars still remain, even now
after 20 years have passed.
I found one scene particularly
touching in which a health volunteer
visits the grave of her husband who was
killed 20 years ago. Her son is now
grown and is contemplating a new future.
In the scene, the light of a setting sun
shines on the peaceful people.

Fulfilling a Dream

The people in the film belong to a
village where an important bridge was
destroyed in the war. It has long been
their dream to rebuild the bridge across
the river that divides their village. The
film depicts the efforts of the community
people who contribute their own money
and labor to fulfill this dream.
But this film is not just a story about
the rebuilding of a bridge. The people of
the village have much to do to improve
their way of life. Community-based
health promotion activities are featured
in the film along with the activities of the
women’s union including nutrition care
of infants, communicable disease control,
family planning and income generation
for women — aimed at improving the
women’s living conditions as well as
those of the community. In particular,
the film highlights the enthusiasm and
cooperation displayed by the people
engaged in these activities.
By providing a glimpse of life in
Vietnam, the film effectively calls into
question the current affluence of Japan.
It is an excellent reminder for the
Japanese of the hardships encountered
almost 50 years ago in the postwar days
and encourages people to think seriously
about the way they live today.
[J]

8

ADOLESCENT HEALTH
NEW ANIMATED FILM

NEW
ANIMATION

SERIES

BEST WISHES
14min, color/English, Spanish

A young couple’s struggle to build an equal relationship is the theme of BEST WISHES,
the third animated film in a series produced by a joint Mexican and Japanese team.
The film concerns Gaspar and Sara who live in an inner-city slum. The couple faces a
crisis when Sara decides she wants to be more independent and work outside the home. As
they try to come to terms with this new element in their relationship, they learn the importance of communication and
realize that they must reassess male-female roles and respect each other as individuals.

SERIES LINE-UP

ANIMATED FILM NO.l
BLUE PIGEON Ttmin, color/English, Spanish
ANIMATED FILM NO.2
MUSIC FOR TWO 13min, color/English, Spanish

Directed and distributed by Saklira Motion Picture Co., Ltd.
STANDARD BLDG., 22-1, NISHI-SHINJUKU 1-CHOME SHINJUKU-KU, TOKYO 160, JAPAN
TEL.03-3342-5768 CABLE "SAKURA MOVIES TOKYO"/Telex.J34799 ITCINBTH
16mm-VTR(/?eta, VHS NTSC, PAL. SECAM)

ANNOUNCEMENT
Seminar on Population Aging
Date:
November 18 - December 2
Venue:
Tokyo, Japan
Organizers: UNFPA, JOICFP
Participants: Senior planners, managers and administrators responsible for the
planning and implementation of programs on aging from the target
countries/areas of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia,
the Philippines Singapore,Sri Lanka and Thailand
“Economic Security in Old Age — Can the Elderly Be Supported?”
Theme:
1) To promote the formulation and effective implementation of
Objectives:
appropriate policies and programs to deal with the social and
economic consequences of population aging using the experience
of Japan as a case study.
2) To exchange information experience and strategies on aging
issues among participating countries and to develop a regional
collaborative network among policy planners, program managers
and experts in the region.
Note: Self-funded participants are welcome to attend the seminar. For more
information, please contact JOICFP.

DIARY
Risman Musa, chief, Production Division,
Information, Education and Motivation
Bureau, National Family Planning Co­
ordinating Board, Indonesia, visited JOICFP
on Aug. 20 to exchange information.
*
*
*
Twenty-two Japanese paramedical personnel
attended the Seminar on International
Cooperation in MCH/FP, held in Tokyo from
Aug. 11 - 21.

*

*

*

JOICFP program officers Sumie Ishii and Aiko
lijima attended the Fourth Asian and Pacific
Population Conference, held in Bali from Aug.
10 - 27. Following the conference, lijima
joined Takanori Hirano, secretary general,
Hoken Kaikan Foundation; Shizuo Abe, head,
Radiology Division, Chiba Health Service
Association; and Takaaki Hara, director,
Department of Research and Study, JAPC, as

a team to provide technical assistance in
Indonesia and Thailand up till Sept. 6.
*
*
*
JOICFP Deputy Executive Director Yasuo
Kon and Program Officer Ishii attended the
IPPF-ESEAOR FPA Executive Directors’
Meeting, held in Seoul from Aug. 30 Sept 5.

JOICFP NEWS is a monthly newsletter
published by the Japanese Organization for
International Cooperation in Family Planning,
Inc. (JOICFP).
JOICFP NEWS welcomes your comments,
suggestions and contributions. Please mail to:

JOICFP NEWS
Hoken Kaikan Bekkan
1-1, Sadohara-cho, Ichigaya
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162 Japan
Phone: Tokyo 3268-5875
Telex: 2324584 JOICFP J
Cable Address: JOICFP Tokyo
Facsimile: Tokyo 3235-7090
JOICFP NEWS, October 1992
Media
NO. 220 OCTOBER 1992.pdf

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