JOICFP NEWS NO. 240 JUNE 1994
Item
- Title
- JOICFP NEWS NO. 240 JUNE 1994
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No. 240 June 1994
ISSN 0911-0755
joicfbHews
omen & NGOs Stir PrepCom III
Women and representatives of non
governmental organizations (NGOs)
demonstrated the power of collective action and
made their presence felt at the Third Session of
the Conference Preparatory Committee
(PrepCom III), held in New York from April 4 22. Attending in record numbers,
representatives of more than 100 NGOs worked
together to get their views reflected in the draft
Program of Action for the International
Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD), which was discussed at the event. One
of the major outcomes of the meeting was a
shift in focus from family planning (FP)
towards the more holistic approach of
reproductive health and greater emphasis on
delegations to finalize
the document before
the ICPD.
While PrepCom
was formally a forum
for official delegates,
NGOs worked behind
the scenes at the
event to effectively
lobby delegates and
get their views
reflected in the
document. One of
the driving forces
behind the strong
women and NGO
presence was the
Women’s Caucus, which organized popular
hourly sessions held daily to facilitate the
involvement of women’s groups in the ICPD
process. A forum for open discussions, the
caucus provided representatives with an
opportunity to network, dissect the arguments
of the previous day and respond with
suggestions for revisions to the draft.
To cover as much ground as possible and
lobby all representatives, regional caucuses and
task forces were set up under the Women’s
Caucus. By taking the initiative and
maintaining well-organized pressure, the
caucus was able to see much of its suggestions
reflected in statements made by the national
delegates. At the conference end, the caucus
members were thanked for their efforts by Tim
Wirth, counselor, U.S. State Department.
NGOs were also behind a reception where
members of the Japanese delegation met the
press and representatives of international and
male involvement and men’s responsibility.
national NGOs. Organized by two Japanese
The third of three preparatory meetings for
government delegations organized prior to the
ICPD, PrepCom III was chaired by Dr. Fred
Sai, president, IPPF. During the meeting
delegates discussed the draft “Cairo
Document,” which is to be adopted at the ICPD
to be held in Cairo, Egypt, in September. The
ICPD will continue negotiations with national
NGOs, People’s Forum 2001, Japan and Japan’s
Network for Women and Health, Cairo ’94, the
April 5 meeting was attended by 60 people and
gave delegates a chance to introduce Japan’s
views on population and family planning (FP)
and the role of NGOs. In response to questions
about Japan-U.S. collaboration on population
and HIV/AIDS under the Global Issues
|WA2l|jOi6~
A view of the PrepCom III participants.
Reproductive health approach
endorsed in draft of Cairo
Document
< 1 JUNJ994
O’
1
Initiative, the Japanese delegates commented
that details of the initiative had not been
finalized, adding that Japan would like to
promote a government-NGO collaborative
framework. Japan’s commitment to
collaboration with NGOs was also stressed in
the official delegation’s statement to the
meeting.
PrepCom also brought together a number of
parliamentarians who agreed to organize a oneday forum at Cairo for parliamentarians
concerned with population issues. Shin
Sakurai, chairman, Asian Forum of
Parliamentarians on Population and
Development, served as chairman of the
parliamentarian’s meeting, at which the
lawmakers agreed to prepare recommendations
for consideration at the ICPD.
As a step toward the ICPD, a total of 934
NGOs were accredited to join the conference at
PrepCom. These will be joined by more than
70 local Egyptian NGOs at the meeting to bring
the total NGO presence at the ICPD to over
1,000. The ICPD Secretariat is expecting
participants at the event to total between 10,000
- 13,000. Of these, 6,000 - 8,000 will likely be
NGO representatives, 2,000 government
officials and 2,000 - 3,000 from the media.
In remarks made at the end of the
conference, Dr. Nafis Sadik, executive director,
UNFPA, and secretary-general, ICPD, stressed
government-NGO partnership as crucial to the
success of the ICPD and the implementation of
programs.
Participants listen to the briefing for NGOs.
ICPD
0
Spreading the Word about:
PrepCom HI
Fifty population experts, academics and
representatives of the mass media and non
governmental organizations (NGOs) were given
a broad outline of the events and outcome of
PrepCom III during a study meeting of the
Council on Population Education, held at
JOICFP on April 28. In a presentation to the
meeting, Makoto Ato, director, Institute of
Population Problems, Ministry of Health and
Welfare, explained the discussions that took
place on eight major issues at PrepCom III,
which he attended as a member of the Japanese
delegation.
Ato began his summary of the main points,
by describing the discussion on the issue of
setting quantitative population goals up to the
year 2015. He commented that the setting of
such goals requires the commitment of both
developed and developing countries. The next
issue raised, population and sustainable
development, brought out traditional
differences of opinion between the North and
South, he said. Population activities are often
viewed as something imposed from the North to
reduce numbers in developing countries, while
the South sees
the
consumption
patterns of the
North as the
major threat
to sustainable
development,
Ato said.
Improve
ment of the
Makoto Ato
status of
women and
population
was the next major topic, followed by
discussions on the concept of the family, Ato
said. At issue in the discussions on the family,
was whether the family should be considered as
singular or as a plural concept to denote the
diversity of types of families, he said.
The next major area, sexual and
reproductive health, was particularly
controversial with considerable discussion on
the concept of reproductive health, noted Ato.
Exchanges on the issue of safe abortion were
active and even the words of safe motherhood
were bracketed in the draft, he added. Another
major area of discussion was
to whom sexual and
reproductive rights should
be addressed. The exchanges
on this topic were particularly
A
heated with regard to
adolescents, he said.
The next major topic,
The Japanese delegation meets the press at PrepCom III.
international migration,
involved discussions on the
right of migrants to move and
the national right of a country to control its
study and understand issues related to birthrate,
borders, he said. The last discussion point
aging, women’s labor, migrant workers,
highlighted by Ato was the issue of population
welfare, sexuality, AIDS, education, poverty
program cost. He said that efforts were made
and environmental debt.
during the meeting to obtain the commitment of
In describing her experiences at the
each country toward estimated program costs.
meeting, Hara emphasized the role played by
A different perspective of PrepCom III was the Women’s Caucus, which brought
provided by Hiroko Hara, professor,
representatives of NGOs, women and men
Anthropology and Women’s Studies,
together and effectively lobbied delegates to
Ochanomizu University, who joined the
incorporate a women’s perspective in the draft
Japanese delegation as a representative of the
document. She also had positive words to say
Japan’s Network for Women and Health, Cairo
about the meeting of Japanese official
’94, a new NGO.
delegates, international NGOs and press that
Commenting on the composition of the
took place at PrepCom III.
Japanese delegation, Hara said that she was
Following the presentations by Ato and
pleased that women were well represented.
Hara, various
However, she was disappointed that the
participants of
government had not given more thought to the
the study
wording of its statement, particularly with
meeting made
regard to its use of the term “the environment
comments.
and women,” she said. One of the high points
Kuniko
of being a part of the delegation for Hara was
Funabashi,
being able to officially comment on the content who attended
of the draft Cairo Document’s chapters on
the second
women and reproduction as well as those
week of
chapters related to health.
PrepCom III,
Hiroko Hara
As a representative of a women’s NGO,
said that she
Hara said that she made efforts throughout the
was impressed
meeting to reflect the views of women. From
by the strong
this perspective, Hara said that she made certain networking among the women’s NGOs. The
recommendations. First, she said that the
meeting was also a good opportunity for many
population issue should not be discussed as a
Asian NGOs to link up with one another, she
matter of statistics, but rather as an issue that
said.
relates to the lives of individuals. Population,
Makiko Arima, head of the Japanese
she said, is a reproductive health issue.
preparatory committee for the Beijing World
Hara further commented that the issue of
Conference on Women in 1995, also among the
reproductive health should not be limited to
audience at the study meeting, noted that the
pregnant women or mothers. Instead, it should
recognition of reproductive health as an issue
encompass the full life of a woman, and the
was important to the Cairo process. She added
issues affecting health, welfare and livelihood,
that it was also an important issue in the
she said. Hara also highlighted the need to
document being prepared for Beijing.
2
JOICFP NEWS, June 1994
Philippines
Putting the Women’s Network into Action
project to strengthen FP/MCH
activities. The discussions
focused on the development of
I ir
strategies and activities for the
v
promotion of community
organization, greater
involvement of women’s groups
in community health activities
and cost-sharing and
sustainability.
The project was also
formally launched at the
workshop with the signing of a
Women practice the carols they sing to raise money in
memorandum of agreement by
Malvar.
the governor and two mayors and
representatives of the DOH and
JOICFP. The agreement clearly outlines roles
The UNFPA-supported Sustainable
for all those involved in the project.
Community-based Family Planning/Maternal
Initiated in 1993, the project is being
and Child Health (FP/MCH) Project with
implemented by the DOH Family Planning
Special Focus on Women got a powerful
Service and Local Government Unit of
endorsement from the local government in
Batangas in the Balayan and Malvar
Batangas Province, the Philippines, when the
municipalities of Batangas Province.
governor and mayors of the two project
The results of baseline surveys
municipalities attended the orientation and
recently conducted in the two project
planning workshop, held on April 18 and 19.
municipalities and two control areas by
Support of the local authorities is particularly
the Philippine Information Agency
important to the success of the project since
were presented at the workshop and
public services such as health were
decentralized in 1992 in the Philippines and are were used to guide the creation of the
now administered at the local government level. framework and work plan. While the
survey found that awareness of FP/
The Orientation and Planning Workshop
MCH was reasonably high among the
was also the first event to bring together
people, the most pressing issue found
representatives of all sectors involved in the
was a lack of accurate information and
project and provided a good opportunity to
knowledge about preventive health and
present background and objectives. Attended
FP among the people and the absence
by 40 representatives of the steering
of quality services to respond to such
committees at the national, provincial and
municipal levels, Department of Health (DOH), needs. The survey, which emphasized a
need for greater IEC, also indicated that a
UNFPA and JOICFP, the workshop enabled
majority of couples rely on less-effective
participants to develop the overall framework
methods, while many cited a fear of side effects
and work plan for the implementation of the
as a reason for not practicing FP.
One of the objectives of the project
will therefore be to strengthen the
existing health program.
Another issue highlighted by the
survey was the need to mobilize
community participation and
systematize community-based
health care. Insights into the
effectiveness of community-based
organization were provided in a
presentation on Japan’s postwar
The signing of the memorandum of agreement.
experience in community-based FP/
MCH activities and the Indonesian
JOICFP NEWS, June 1994
3
system of community action for health,
Posyandu. The Posyandu system, which has
been credited with raising the acceptance of FP
and level of MCH at the local level, utilizes
women volunteers to promote the health
activities cost-effectively and efficiently.
While in Batangas, the JOICFP mission
visited the two project areas to observe and
review existing programs and activities. Noting
the existing network of women’s groups, the
mission commented that the project should
build on the activities of these groups — which
are already taking the initiative in health areas
— to promote community health activities.
During the field trip, the mission observed
a nutrition education program promoted by the
women’s group Samahang Batanguena to
combat malnutrition among children, one of the
key issues in both project areas. In Malvar, the
mission also met with members of a women’s
Children eat nutrition supplements in Balayan.
group that has been raising funds through carol
singing to renovate the barangay health
substation. The women are also actively
helping the barangay midwife.
One of the main issues raised in discussions
on detailed implementation planning held after
the observation was how to systematize service
delivery to provide quality services readily at
the community level. In view of the heavy
workload of health personnel, it was agreed that
women’s groups will be fostered under the
project to expand their activities and support
the healthcare system. Noting the willingness
of the people to support health services
financially, it was also agreed that cost-sharing
be promoted to sustain the project.
Japan & U.S.
apan & U.S. Join Forces on Population & AIDS
Under Global Issues Initiative
Viewpoint from Japan
Masafumi Kuroki, director, Research and
Programming Division, Economic Cooperation
Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan,
spoke with JOICFP NEWS recently about
Japan’s official development assistance (ODA)
including the new joint Global Issues Initiative
with the U.S.
Global issues such as population, HIV/
AIDS and environmental problems are among
the priority issues addressed by the Japanese
government in its ODA to developing countries.
To actively extend its cooperation in these
fields, Japan has taken specific initiatives. One
entails cooperation in the environmental field.
Japan announced this initiative at the UN
Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) in June 1992, pledging ¥900 billion ¥1 trillion (US$7 billion - US$7.7 billion at an
exchange rate calculated at the time of the
pledge) of ODA during the fiscal years 1992 1996.
The second initiative is the Global Issues
Initiative (GII) for population and HIV/AIDS,
announced in February 1994. Under this
initiative, Japan is to extend up to US$3 billion
U.S. Perspective
Paul E. White, minister counselor,
Development Cooperation, U.S Agency for
International Development (USAID), recently
spoke to JOICFP NEWS about U.S. assistance
and the role of NGOs.
American overseas private assistance pre
dates and is larger than U.S. government
development assistance. Private Americans
donate over US$12 billion per year to the
developing world. Much of this activity is
carried out by NGOs.
USAID has long recognized the importance
of NGOs. Starting in the 1970s, USAID
substantially increased funding for NGOs but
found that many could not take advantage of
expanded funding. While their spirit and
energy levels were high, many NGOs were
small, totally voluntary, and lacked skills and
techniques for carrying out larger development
activities. USAID established innovative
of ODA during the fiscal years 1994 Japan s Global Issues Initiative (Gil)
2000. The U.S. has pledged US$9
billion under the initiative.
One of our primary concerns in
developing countries is that the rapid
increase of population is seriously
hindering development efforts. The
most effective means of tackling
population problems is to use a direct
family planning (FP) approach
together with an indirect approach
that incorporates activities aimed at
improving such areas as basic
healthcare and basic education and
enhancing the status of women in
society. We, therefore, place
emphasis on a comprehensive
approach.
As population problems and HIV/
Japan has pledged $US3 billion under the Gil.
AIDS directly affect the lives of
individuals, grassroots activities by
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to
By launching the GII on population and
tackle these issues are just as important as
AIDS, Japan and the U.S. are appealing to the
government-to-government cooperation. In
international community, in particular, and
implementing the GII, the Japanese government other donor countries to extend active
is promoting its cooperation with NGOs.
cooperation to developing countries.
’
on Population and AIDS
funding arrangements to expand and
professionalize NGO headquarters and field
capabilities and also provided significant
funding to strengthen developing country
NGOs and NGO associations. As a
result, today in many parts of the
developing world and in the U.S. there
are NGOs with excellent grassroots
development experience.
NGOs have played a vital role in the
population sector. The U.S. provides
18% of total ODA but 45% of donor
population assistance. A significant
portion of U.S. population assistance is
implemented by NGOs. Population is a
particularly important global issue
because actions taken to expand
reproductive choice over the next decade
will determine when the world’s population will
stabilize. The future costs of not acting will be
far higher than the cost of addressing
population issues now. Therefore, population is
4
a priority sector in USAID’s sustainable
development mandate.
The U.S. is pleased to join forces with
Paul E. White
Japan on population and AIDS. As
implementation of the new GII initiative begins,
both the U.S. and Japan look to NGOs to play a
vital role.
JOICFP NEWS, June 1994
Japan
Japan Raises Population
Assistance
Japan pledges US$67.10 million
to multilateral agencies in
fiscal 1994
Japan remains committed to assisting
population activities around the world and
views its contributions to UNFPA and IPPF as
an effective multilateral means to help
Japan again strengthened its financial
developing countries tackle health and social
commitment to the solution of global
welfare problems. The Japanese government
population problems and the promotion of
also actively assists population and FP activities
family planning (FP) by increasing its
on a bilateral basis
through such channels as
technical assistance.
Bilateral support
provided through the
Japanese Government’s Support to UNFPA/IPPF
in millions of U.S. dollars, 1985-1994.
Japan International
Child Rearing
- an Expensive
Affair in Japan
A recent white paper released by the
Ministry of Health and Welfare highlights the
financial and other burdens placed on families
with children in Japan and sheds some light on
why women are choosing to have fewer
children. In 1992, the total fertility rate (TFR),
or average number of children born to a woman
in her lifetime, is estimated to have hit 1.50.
One of the major aspects of child-raising
highlighted by the white paper is the lack of
child care support provided by the government.
Cooperation
The white paper notes
that the Agency
raising of
1994^
67.10
(JICA) was also
children is still considered a private affair for
..................
4 63.30
increased this year to
the family in Japan and that the belief that
1993!
mark
¥1.349should
billionbe raised at home by their
children
59.30
1992
““I
(US$12.73 million at an
mothers remains deep-rooted.
-------- 56.80
1991[ '
exchange
rate
of
¥106
to
According to the paper, it costs a Japanese
1990
“55.78
US$1) for an increase of family ¥20 million (US$189,000 at an exchange
1989p7
5503
11.1%. Nine countries
rate of $1 to ¥106) to raise one child. A family
| 52.13
198Si
will receive technical
with two children attending college spends 451987jS
48.93
support provided by
70% of its
1986^^^^
disposable
JICA in fiscal 1994:
45.93
Indonesia,
Kenya,
income on
42.91
|
1985C
Mexico, Peru, the
them, according
10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00
0.00
Philippines, Tanzania,
to the report.
Thailand, Tunisia and
The paper also
Turkey. The agency is
reveals that
also the sponsor of two
households
international FP seminars in Japan this year for
nationwide
. contribution to UNFPA and IPPF to US$67.10
which JOICFP is serving as the implementing
spent over ¥21
million in fiscal 1994 (April 1, 1994 - March
trillion
31, 1995). The figure represents an increase of agency.
The newest aspect of Japan’s assistance to
(US$198
US$3.8 million (6.0%) over its US$63.30
>4 young Japanese family.
million contribution in fiscal 1993. The amount the population field is its pledge to spend US$3 billion) on their
was approved by the Japanese Diet (parliament) billion on population assistance and HIV/AIDS children in
1992.
prevention over the next seven years under the
in its fiscal 1994 budget.
Global Issues Initiative. Launched in
The relatively low level of public spending
With the 1994 contribution, Japan still
cooperation with the U.S., the initiative calls
in Japan is one of the contributing factors to the
remains the biggest donor to UNFPA, the
for both governmental organizations and non
heavy financial burden placed on families to
world’s largest multilateral agency providing
governmental
organizations (NGOs) to play a
raise and educate children. Among the 20
population assistance. Japan has continued to
role in tackling population issues and fighting
countries of the OECD, Japan’s public spending
demonstrate its support for international
on education is the lowest at 3.7% of gross
population and FP activities since 1969, when it HIV/AIDS in developing countries. The U.S.
domestic product (GDP).
provided its first financial assistance to IPPF. It has pledged to provide US$9 billion under the
initiative.
Meanwhile, a report by the Management
started providing financial assistance to UNFPA
In response to the launch of the initiative,
and Coordination Agency indicates that the
in 1971 with an initial contribution of US$1.5
women’s groups and NGOs in Japan have
number of children under 15 years of age
million. Since then the scale of assistance to
expressed
their
hope
that
funds
will
be
used
to
decreased
by about 500,000 in a single year to
UNFPA and IPPF has increased annually. This
reach
the
people
at
the
grassroots
in
developing
hit
20.59
million
as of April 1, 1994. The
year’s contribution to IPPF out of the total
countries.
An
increased
role
for
NGOs,
which
figure
brings
the
proportion
of those under 15
contribution of US$63.30 million has not been
work
effectively
at
the
community
level,
has
in
the
population
to
16.5%,
the
lowest since
decided, but it will exceed the US$16.9 million
been
highlighted
to
achieve
this
aim.
WW
II.
provided to IPPF in 1993.
a
JOICFP NEWS, June 1994
5
Around the World
Investing in Youth & the Future in Brazil
One hundred years ago Japan and Brazil
established official ties of cooperation. Today,
the close ties remain intact and can be seen in
the cooperation that exists between the two
Olympic medalist Ricardo Plado with his
swimming students in Sao Paulo.
countries in the field of health. In the favelas
(slums) of Sao Paulo, assistance provided by
the people of Japan is being used to support
family planning (FP), maternal and child health
and adolescent health activities at the
community level.
Tackling
Population in
Sierra Leone
Yoshio Koike, UNFPA country director,
Sierra Leone, spoke to JOICFP NEWS on April
21 about the population situation in Sierra
Leone. Below are highlights of the interview.
Sierra Leone is not very large. The country
measures about 74,000km2 and the population
is only 4.5 million. It achieved independence in
1961. The country had been under the
patronage of the U.K.
In April 1992, there was a military coup.
Under the present regime, very young people
aged 22 to 29 steer the country. These people
are young and very enthusiastic and try to be
free from corruption. The government has
announced the procedure of democratization
and a general election is to take place in 1996.
The municipal assembly election will take place
in 1995. So hopefully they will have a multi
party political system in 1997.
UNFPA provides assistance to 48 countries
One important source of support to the
grassroots activities of Centro Materno-Infantil
(CMI) has been the assistance donated by the
Japanese public through the Voluntary Deposit
for International Aid (VDIA) scheme.
Administered by the Japanese Ministry of
Posts and Telecommunications, the
assistance has been used for two years to
train medical professionals, community
volunteers and women in primary health
care, produce IEC materials such as
posters on AIDS prevention and
adolescent health, and purchase medical
equipment and furniture for such facilities
as an adolescent health center and
kindergarten.
A JOICFP mission, in Sao Paulo from
April 9-16, observed some of the
innovative activities supported by the VDIA
scheme. One of these is a center for
adolescents (later opened on May 13).
Concerned about the rising level of such
problems as STDs and unwanted pregnancy
among youths, CMI planned the center to
function as a space for training of peer
counselors and for the provision of medical
services. To support this center, VDIA funds
have been used to purchase such equipment as a
medical examination table, office furniture, IEC
materials and audio-visual equipment. CMI is
planning to create three other such centers.
To recruit youth leaders and peer
counselors, CMI is utilizing such events as the
celebrity sports school project organized by the
state government. While in Sao Paulo, the
JOICFP mission observed Olympic medalist
Ricardo Plado provide a swimming class for
young people.
Committed to achieving self-reliance, CMI
has almost completed construction of a clinic
that will also function as the organization’s
main office. To generate funds, the center will
provide fee-charged services for infertile
couples, which are in high demand in the city.
These funds will be used to assist with the
provision of medical services including FP
clinical and counseling services and training for
the people living in the favela.
in Africa. Out of these, only 13 have
established population policies. Sierra Leone
was the ninth to set up its policy in 1989. The
National Population Commission was also
established, but unfortunately this committee
has been dormant.
The population growth rate in Sierra Leone
is 2.4% per year, an average growth rate in West
African countries. The total fertility rate is 6.8.
Although we don’t have reliable figures, we
estimate that the maternal mortality rate is
terribly high at around 1,400 - 1,700 per
100,000 live births. The infant mortality rate
(IMR) is about 180 and the mortality rate for
under 5-year-olds is about 275.
The problem facing the maternal and child
health and family planning (MCH/FP) project is
that country’s health infrastructure is almost nil.
On paper, the government has announced that
there are about 470 clinics available throughout
the country. But it is UNFPA’s observation,
after tedious monitoring work, that only onefourth of the clinics quoted by the government
are operational. Therefore, there are about 120
clinics that are operational, including the large
governmental hospitals in big cities. This is the
third year of the MCH/FP project which has
covered only 76 clinics where FP information
and services are provided.
Thanks to joint non-governmental
organization (NGO) and government efforts we
are recruiting about 20,000 newcomers and
acceptors for FP each year. If we can continue
to expand acceptors at this rate and maintain
them as repeaters for five years, we can bring
the contracep
tive prevalence
rate (CPR) up
to 20%. It is
now about 2%
in rural areas
and 9% in
cities. The
national
average is
about 4-6%. If
Yoshio Koike
we can
continue for 10
years then the CPR
will come closer to 60%, our target. Generally
speaking, there is no serious objection to FP
delivery from the socio-religious point of view.
The problem is that people are not wellinformed about why birth spacing is important
or about where they can get services. We are
now trying to improve IEC activities.
6
JOICFP NEWS, June 1994
In the News
Community Muscle
The community serves as a dynamic force
of change in developing countries of Asia. That
is the message of a new JOICFP video titled A
New Profile of Asia. Produced by JOICFP with
the support of IPPF and UNFPA, the video z
conveys the impact of the community-based
activities of the Integrated Project (IP) in six
developing countries with 312 still photos
arranged in sequence with narration and music.
Advanced techniques were used to smoothly
integrate the photos together to resemble a
sophisticated slide show.
The video was produced under the UNFPAsupported regional Sustainable Community
based Family Planning and Maternal and Child
Health (FP/MCH) Project with Special Focus
on Women. Available in Japanese and English,
the video will initially be used intensively in
Japan to develop awareness of the needs of
people living in developing countries and foster
support among the Japanese public in
international cooperation activities.
A New Profile of Asia is the first of a threepart series of videos made from still photos.
Designed primarily to stimulate an interest in
developing countries, A New Profile of Asia
focuses on the effects of the IP at the
Sharing Experiences
•
•
•
e
•
•
Seven participants from six countries
• learned about Japan’s postwar
• experiences in the field of family
•
8 Planning and maternal and child health at *
• a one-day seminar held at JOICFP on
•
• April 22. The paramedics were also
•
• introduced to the application of the
•
• Japanese experience in a presentation of •
• JOICFP’s Integrated Project in
• developing countries. The paramedics
• were part of the Specialized Nursing
• Course, sponsored by the Japan
• International Cooperation Agency (JICA). •
grassroots, depicting the activities
being undertaken by the
community people themselves
under the project. The second
video in the series, which is now
under production, will follow up
on the first by providing more
background on the IP. The video
series is designed as an
'I
educational material to be used by
instructors in group situations as a
Young women work as health volunteers in Sri Lanka.
start to discussions.
The video begins by
depicting how the tradition of
“mutual assistance” is being utilized in the
system, PDA assists FP acceptors to start
Philippines to promote community
small agricultural businesses such as animal
development. By building on the local
raising. Meanwhile, for Bhutan, the video
traditions, the project has been able to get
begins by outlining the high maternal and infant
people to join hands and share the benefits of
mortality rates and lack of medical facilities
collective health and other activities. For
and services. It then introduces the system of
Vietnam, the video focuses on a community’s
outreach clinics involving health workers and
efforts to rebuild their village. Faced with
volunteers, which has been established under
extreme poverty and poor health conditions, the the project to improve MCH.
women of the village band together and
The video also focuses on the role played
encourage the men to join them in their efforts
by women in village development in Sri Lanka.
to overhaul toilet facilities and water supplies
The video notes that the highly literate Sri
and improve the way of life.
Lankan women serve as a model for women in
For Thailand, the video depicts the efforts
development in South Asia. For Indonesia, the
of the Population and Community Development last country featured, the video covers the
Association (PDA), which integrates FP
activities of a self-reliant MCH clinic of
services with activities to promote enterprise
Jakarta, which provides MCH/FP services to
development. Setting up a revolving fund
urban residents on a fee-charged basis.
JOICFP JHTERML aw child health series
ANIMATION FILM
DOCUMENTARY NEW FILM
SONG OF TOMORROW RINAS DREAM
AT KILIMANJARO
ZOmin/color. Engish
32min/color, English
FOR HAPPY FAMILY
FOR YOUR BELOVED BABY
25min/color English, Thai, Japanese
COMING INTO THIS WORLD
25min/color English, Thai, Japanese
' GOLDEN YEARS OF HAPPINESS
|
23min/color English, Thai, Japanese
I GOOD KASEM AND CLEVER MANEE
!
15min/color English, Thai, Spanish
16mm-VTR(^eta, VHS NTSC, PAU SECAM)
Ik
The maternal & child health movement began in
Masama on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania,
involving the whole village joined by midwives,
girl volunteers and the religious group.
••••••••••••••••••••a
JOICFP NEWS, June 1994
7
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Sakura Motion Picture Co., Ltd.
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4
VOICE OF VOICES
By Chojiro Kunii
Light after Darkness
As I look back on the events that have
shaped my life, I can clearly see the long
shadow that the population problem cast over
Japanese history. During my lifetime, I have
seen the negative effects of population pressure
and witnessed the efforts of the Japanese people
to come to terms with this pressure and the
measures taken to avoid disaster.
When I was a young boy, the pressure of
Japan’s population was already being felt in
many ways. It manifested itself as rice
shortages, high unemployment rates, rural
poverty and political upheaval.
But the population problem was profoundly
affecting Japan before I was born. Since the
Meiji era, the country’s population crisis had
repeatedly driven it to enter war, sacrificing
many lives in each conflict. These wars were
seen as unavoidable, as a means of Japan’s
survival in the face of a bulging population and
DIARY_________________
- Dr. Hirofumi Ando, deputy executive
director, UNFPA, visited JOICFP to discuss
the Population Clock III and Population
Monitor, while in Japan from Mar. 5 - 9.
- A six-member Chinese mission headed by
Chang Chongxuan, standing vice president,
CFPA, was in Japan from Mar. 2 -11 to
study self-reliance strategies for FP/MCH
and preventive medicine.
- Idriss Aden Farah, counselor, Embassy of
Republic of Djibouti, Japan, visited JOICFP
on Mar. 11 to exchange information.
I
I
I
I
I
I
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scarcity of resources. But in reality, the
Japanese paid a high price by following this
belligerent course. Countless lives were lost in
war and poverty ravaged the masses. The
fanning population was reduced to working
hand to mouth, treading a thin line between life
and death.
The military’s repeated invasions into
neighboring countries were done in the name of
saving the people from misery. Japanese
people were told to obey the policy of foreign
aggression which was presented as a “supreme
command,” one that would determine their
survival. It was commonly believed that
through this strategy, the government was
trying to divert people’s attention away from
the political turmoil at home which resulted in
such events as the “February 26 Incident,” an
attempted coup by an army faction in 1936.
For those of us living through these times,
there was no escape from the terror and threat
of population pressure. It was not until Japan’s
final defeat in World War II in 1945 that things
began to change for the people. The defeat was
the biggest turning point in the country’s
history. As a result, Japan accepted the
C)
O
o - Joseph Van Arendonk, deputy executive
({) director, UNFPA, was in Japan from Mar.
9 -12 to take part in an international
o symposium on population organized by the
y
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
o on Mar. 11.
c - JOICFP program officers Sumie Ishii and
c Atsushi Yoshino were in Singapore, the
o Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan from
()
Mar. 2 -13 for activities related to the
Q
production and distribution of I EC
()
() materials.
°
Bicycle Donations in the News
The donation of reconditioned bicycles to developing countries from Japan received
worldwide publicity in May when the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) featured a 10minute program covering the scheme on the international broadcast Radio Japan. The program,
initially broadcast in Japanese and English on May 12, was also translated into many other
languages to be heard in all corners of the world. Operated by the 15 local governments and
JOICFP of the Municipal Coordinating Committee for Overseas Bicycle Assistance (MCCOBA).
the scheme is assisting people at the grassroots to improve health and welfare by providingIa
practical
and readily usable means of transport. Since
its launch in 1988, the scheme has seen
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9,500 reconditioned bicycles sent to 24 developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America
(as of March, 1994). During fiscal 1994 (April 1, 1994 - March 31, 1995), another 3,200
bicycles are expected to be sent to 23 countries. One of the member cities of MCCOBA,
Musashino City, recently announced that it will also send 2,280 pens and other stationery goods
to developing countries inside the shipping containers with the bicycles. These items will assist
with literacy promotion as well as healthcare record-keeping.
8
Potsdam Declaration, the constitution was
rewritten, and many reforms were carried out
including agricultural land reform under the
guidance of the Occupation Forces.
These changes amounted to a revolution for
the country, which adopted a system of
democracy for the first time in its history.
Given these new circumstances, the people
renewed their determination to change their
lives and vowed to survive. Uniting our
strengths, we began to rebuild our country. By
persevering and working hard, we managed to
create the country that Japan is today.
New JOICFP Publication
JOICFP published A Grassroots Movement
to Improve the Quality of Life, the latest volume
in its Documentary Series of publications, in
March this year. Subtitled Integrating Family
Planning with Healthcare and Community
Development Activities —10 Year Experience
of the Integrated Project in China 1983 - 1993,
the booklet provides an overview of the
activities of the project, which has been
implemented in China with support from IPPF
for a decade. The volume is a compilation of
speeches and reports by Chinese representatives
of central and local
governments and
non-governmental
organizations, village
leaders, village
doctors and a
villager, and provides
broad insights into
the workings of the
project at all levels.
Most of the contents
of the 120-page booklet were prepared for the
ceremony held in Beijing in June 1993 to
celebrate the project’s 10-year milestone. The
ceremony was attended by over 150 people
involved in the project. The booklet was
published with the support of the Hoken Kaikan
Foundation in cooperation with the State
Family Planning Commission of China and the
China Family Planning Association.
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, Ichigaya Sadohara-cho
Shinjuku-ku. Tokyo 162 Japan
Phone: 81-3-3268-5875
Facsimile: 81-3-3235-7090
JOICFP NEWS. June 1994
Position: 3260 (4 views)