JOICFP NEWS NO. 235 JANUARY 1994.pdf

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No. 235 January 1994

ISSN 0911-0755

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Putting Women’s Health in the Picture

Tokyo workshop produces innovative ways to promote women's health through video
Participants of a workshop held in
Japan came up with four very different
approaches to the production of a pro­
totype educational video on women s
health for use in the Asian region. The
variety ofapproaches not only reflected
the range of women s health issues, but
highlighted the diversity of cultures in
the region and importance of tailoring
IEC materials to meet country-specific
needs. The workshop also enabled
participants to share experiences in the
field ofwomen s health education and to
consider ways to distribute and market
educational materials to promote the
self-reliance of non-governmental
organization (NGO) and government
programs and projects.

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Educational Video Prototypes

Attended by 19 participants from 15
countries including one observer, the
IEC Workshop for the Production of
Video Script on Women’s Health was
held in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture
from November 29 - December 4. The
event was part of the UNFPA-supported
regional project for Asia titled, “The
Development, Production and Distri­
bution of IEC Materials Aiming at the
Improvement of Women’s Health and
Status (RAS/92/P12).” It was organized
u nder the joint au spices of UNFPA, IPPF
and JOICFP. Participants included
representatives of family planning (FP)
associations and NGOs involved in
women’s health, IEC experts and health

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A group discussion in progress.

Clockwise, from top left) Selected illustrations from video prototypes: Christie
and Me; Proud to Be a Girl; One Day at the Beach; and Happy to Be Me.

officials from government and NGOs.
Before starting the creative work,
participants were introduced to different
aspects of women’s health by two experts.
An introduction to various legal issues of
women’s health in Japan was provided by
Dr. Shizuko Sasaki, director, Matsushima
Ob. & Gyn. and Pediatric Hospital, Tokyo.
The second resource person was Colleen
Cording, education resource consultant,
Tampax Health Education Service, New
Zealand, who used New Zealand as a case
study to call attention to the impact of
social and policy changes on women’s
lives and health.
Most of the creative work was carried
out in Saitama Prefecture where partici­
pants were divided into four groups and
brainstormed to determine concepts, the
target group and aspects of women’s health
that most need to be addressed for the
target group. The concepts were then fur­
ther developed to create take-home mes­
sages in a way that was appealing and that
reinforced a positive image for women.
Working closely with participants,
illustrators created four sets of illustrations
based on revised concepts which were

presented along with the 10 - 15 minute
scripts in Tokyo. The prototypes created
at the meeting were all designed for use
by instructors to stimulate discussions.
The four videos each had distinct
characteristics and messages. In Christie
and Me, the uterus is personified and, as
the narrator, introduces such issues as
menstruation, sexually transmitted
disease (STD) and contraception. Proud
to Be a Girl focuses on raising the self­
image of girls with such messages as
boys and girls are equal; menstruation is
normal; girls have potentials and abili­
ties; girls have choices and can make
decisions; and early marriage ought to be
discouraged. One Day at the Beach
introduces a range of topics related to sex
through a young couple’s interactions
while strolling on a beach. Happy to Be
Me urges women to love their bodies
and themselves and follows a woman’s
life cycle from puberty to old age.
The participants took home the scripts
and illustrations produced at the work­
shop and are expected to make proposals
for the production of country-specific
materials based on the protoypes.
[J]
1

IEC Workshop

Four Perspectives of Women’s Health
Workshop participants talk about women's health issues in four countries
Four participants of the IEC Work­
shop for the Production of Video Script
for Women’s Health spoke to JOICFP
NEWS about women’s health issues.
Below are highlights of the interviews
conducted on December 4.

Jenny Chan, officer-in-charge,
Information and Motivation, Family
Planning Association of Hong Kong
We have been providing services to
women for many years. Every client
who receives services from our birth
control clinics receives a checkup. We
extend services to women who are about
to marry, and two years ago we started
introducing services for non-contracep­
tive-using women and women beyond
reproductive age. We have also launched
a campaign to promote the self health­
care concept to women and we provide
education programs together with
primary screening services for women.
We recently conducted the first
survey of its kind on the general health
conditions of women in Hong Kong.
We have found that a lot of women know
something about
gynecological
problems and
know something
about the impor­
tance of taking
care of them­
selves, but that
theyjustdon’tdo
Chan
anything.
Another problem is that women have
some knowledge of contraceptives and
practice contraception, but a lot of peo­
ple fail. We found that the majority of
respondents never seek advice during
their first half-year of sexual activity and
that they use both safe and unsafe
contraceptives. As a result, many end up
seeking abortion services.
It has been very enlightening for me
to learn the major concerns of other

countries at this workshop. It has started
me thinking about the various needs of
women in all parts of the world.
*
*
*
Piaro Kaur, program officer, SIEC
Project, Federation ofFamily Planning
Associations, Malaysia

Starting from family planning (FP),
we have expanded our services to become
more comprehensive and now offer
2

women ’s reproductive health services. We
provide pap smear screening and breast
examination, and emphasize annual
medical checkups and premarital and
marital counseling for women.
About 50% of married women in
Malaysia are practicing FP, according to a
survey done some time ago. Over 90% of
them know at least
one FP method.
Our organization is
very concerned
with the margin­
alized groups in
terms of FP.
Malaysia is
moving toward
industrialized sta­
Kaur
tus. As a result,
there is rural-to-urban migration. Many of
the new factory workers are young women.
We want to work with these women in
reproductive health and rights, and
education. We also have a family life edu­
cation program for this vulnerable group.
I was very happy with this workshop
because if there is anything that I will take
back to my country it is the enthusiasm
among the participants and among the men
regarding women’s issues.
*
*
*
Rowena Ong Alvarez, deputy director,
Institute for Social Studies and Action
(ISSA), the Philippines

I belong to an NGO established in 1983
at a time of political turmoil in the
Philippines. We had a government and
administration which had been so keen on
promoting FP that it forgot that women
should be consult­
ed first, and that the
quality of services
should be guaran­
teed. So a backlash
occurred against
the coercive type
of FP of the 1970s
and early 1980s.
Because of this, a
Alvarez
lot of people are
“allergic” to the term FP.
The first three of our five priority issues
of ISSA are: maternal health; health of
reproductive organs of both men and
women with attention to adolescents,
women of reproductive age and also, since
last year, the issue of menopause; and
fertility management. Included in fertility

management is the issue of induced
abortion. In the Philippines where
abortion is illegal, it is estimated that
from 155,000-750,000 illegally induced
abortions are occurring each year — a
situation that makes it very dangerous
for women. We are also very strong on
the issue of violence against women
because ISSA supports and promotes
reproductive rights, not only reproduc­
tive health, so that women are able to
exercise reproductive choices. The fifth
priority issue is sexuality, which we as­
sert is the core of every individual.
Our activities include IEC and
research, and we are also very strongly
involved in legislative monitoring and
advocacy. All the activities are aimed at
contributing to women’s empowerment
because we want a social, political and
cultural environment in our country which
will respond to the needs of women.
*
*
*
Peter Gourlay, director, Education
and Training, Family Planning
Association of Victoria, Australia

Before I came to the workshop, I
wondered about what I would be able to
contribute and what I would be able to
take away. I was
particularly aware
of the Asian con­
text. I really un­
derestimated how
much I would gain
from other partici­
pants. I think this
is very important
because as profes­
Gourlay
sionals, we need
the support of each other.
Even though this is a workshop on
producing a resource on women’s health,
all four groups have raised the issue of
encouraging men to accept responsibili­
ty within relationships and to look at the
relationships, the power dynamics, and

the ability of women to negotiate safe
sex. This issue is about more than just
awareness or skill. It is about economic
and social justice. It is about the ability
to be able to say this is what I want and
expect. We can ’ tjust talk about women’s
health and women’s sexual choices
without considering that they occur in a
context that usually involves men. We
have to look at shared responsibility and
therein lies one huge challenge.
[J
JOICFP NEWS, January 1,994

In the News

Making a Stand on Population

Toward Shared
Population Action

Japanese parliamentarians took an “Population growth, aging and youth.” At
active role in the Fourth General another working group session, the three
Assembly of the Asian Forum of women of the JPFP mission shared
Parliamentarians on Population and Japan’s experiences in the field of FP
Development, held in Kuala Lumpur, and maternal and child health.
The JPFP delegation gained insights
Malaysia, from October 26 - 28. The
into FP programs being
eight-member Japan
conducted in Malaysia in
Parliamentarians Fed­
field trips organized by
eration for Population
IPPF-ESEAOR
and
(JPFP) mission was
JOICFP on October 25
headed by its chairman,
and 29. After receiving a
Dr. Taro Nakayama,
brief orientation by the
formerforeign minister
National Population and
of Japan, who gave a
Family Development
keynote speech at the
Board, the mission made
meeting titled: “Asian
observations of an FP
challenge towards the
21st century — popu­ The JPFP mission members program conducted in a
palm oil estate in Selangor
lation and develop­ with community women.
State by the Selangor
ment.” The speech
sparked active discussions at the event. Family Planning Association and a
The conference was attended by women’s development project promoted
participants of 30 countries and repre­ in Malacca State by the Malacca Family
sentatives of UN agencies including Planning Association.
In comments made after the field trips,
UNFPA and observers.
Dr. Toshio Kuroda, director emeritus, the parliamentarians said that they were
Nihon University Population Research particularly impressed with the positive
Institue (NUPRI), served as a resource impact that the project in Balai Panjang
person for one of the working group village in Malacca had had on the women.
sessions at the conference and stimulated The members emphasized the importance
active discussions on the topic of of education, particularly for women. [J]

A six-member mission from the U.S. State
Department, National Institute ofHealth and
U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) held talks with members of the
Japan Parliamentarians Federation for
Population (JPFP) and exchanged infor­
mation with JOICFP on the role of non­
governmental organizations in population
andfamily planning (FP) activities in Japan.
The team was in Tokyo to discuss population
and HIV/AIDS with the government of
Japan. In connection with these issues, the
USAID mission held talks with officials of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related
ministries on ways to enhance action on the
issues by strengthening collaboration between
the two countries.

Reproductive Rights in Spotlight
through promotion of activities in Asia related
to women under the Integrated Project (IP).
The conference served to highlight the
dramatic differences between the North and
South by drawing attention to the low fertility
and aging issues in the industrialized world
and high birthrate and high infant and mater­
nal mortality rates in the developing world.
The importance of paying atten tion to women ’ s
reproductive rights in policies developed to
tackle these population problems was stressed
at the conference.
The absence of a social system in Japan to
support working women was highlighted in
a keynote address by Keiko Higuchi, profes­
sor, Tokyo Kasei University. This situation,
The conference, which was sponsored by she said, was one cause of Japan’s extremely
the Kitakyushu Forum on Asian Women, low total fertility rate of 1.50 in 1992.
The four other panelists at the symposium
was the fourth of its kind held ahead of the
World Conference on Women to be held in were Devaki Jain, director, Institute of Social
India;
Sombhong
Beijing in September 1995. A total of 500 Studies Trust,
Pattawichaipom, executive director, Planned
people attended the event.
JOICFP was actively involved in the Parenthood Association of Thailand; Makoto
event, particularly in the working session Atoh, director-general, Institute of Popula­
on “Women’s reproductive rights and tion Problems, Ministry of Health and Wel­
population problems in Asia.” In discus­ fare, Japan; and Shunsuke Iwasaki, associate
sions, JOICFP shared experiences gained professor, Tsukuba University.
_____________________
JOICFP NEWS, January 1994
The need to take urgent action on the
issues of reproductive health, women and
the environment was stressed at the 4th
Kitakyushu Conference on Asian Women,
held in Kitakyushu City, Japan, from
November 19 -21. The callfor action came
out ofthe three-day meeting, whichfeatured
an international symposium on the theme of
“Population and Our Earth’s Future" and
working group sessions. One of the main
discussion topics that emerged at the event
was reproductive health and reproductive
rights. The meeting’s recommendations
will be sent to the 1994 International
Conference on Population and Develop­
ment (ICPD) to be held in Cairo, Egypt.

Discussions with JPFP
The mission, which was headed by Dr.
Duff Gillespie, deputy assistant administrator,
Bureau for Global Programs, Field Support
and Research, met with Dr. Taro Nakayama,
chairman, JPFP, and former foreign mini­
ster, and JPFP member Chieko Nohno on
November 17. Providing an outline of JPFP
activities and Japan’s bilateral and multilat­
eral assistance in the population and health
field, Nakayama stressed that JPFP is focus­
ing on activities ahead of the ICPD to be
held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994.
In his talks with the JPFPofficials, Gillespie
said USAID was interested in gaining a
more in-depth understanding of Japan’s
approach to population and FP. The agency’s
second aim, he said, is to identify shared
fields of interest to enable joint and
coordinated actions in the future. Ahead of
the expected increase in HIV infection in
Asia, the USAID mission called for joint
Japan-U.S. research into HIV/AIDS to
determine infection routes and high-risk
groups to formulate prevention strategies.
In discussions with JOICFP on November
18, Gillespie said that USAID had highlight­
ed reproductive health as a priority issue. He
also emphasized that the agency remains
committed to population programs.

(From right) USAID mission members Duff
Gillespie and Lori Ashford with JOICFP
Deputy Executive Director Yasuo Kon.

3

Women

Reproductive Rights & Health for Women
Women strive to maintain access to abortion in Japan and a voice in reproductive health issues
Yumiko Jansson-Yanagisawa, a
prominentJapanese writer and outspoken
advocate of women’s issues, spoke to
JOICFP NEWS on November 19 about
reproductive health and rightsfor women
and the issue ofabortion in Japan. Below
is an outline of the interview.
I have been involved in the women
and health movement since 1983. This
was the year after a concerted effort had
been made around parliament by people
affiliated to religious groups to delete the
fourth condition under the Eugenic
Protection Law which enables women to
obtain induced abortions.
In Japan there are two laws governing
access to abortion. The first is the
Criminal Law on abortion established
100 years ago, which makes it a crime
punishable by law to have an abortion.
This law is still alive. The Eugenic
Protection Law, however, was enacted in
1948 to give exception to the criminal
code. According this second law, there
are five conditions under which a woman
can get an abortion. The first three are
eugenic and medical and the last two are
“social” reasons. The first social reason
concerns women’s health and economic
situation. Thesecondreasonisrape. The
economic conditions of the law are always
challenged because anti-abortion people
argue that Japan has become rich and that

there can be no economic difficulties. Japanese version of a film on abortion
Groups also call for respect for the life of I called Abortion Stories from North and
the fetus.
South by a Canadian
The move to eliminate
director and created a
the fourth condition of the
book of the responses
law first emerged in the
to the abortion issues
1970s and then resurfaced
raised in the film.
again in the early 1980s.
Between 1985 and
It was at this time that we
1988, the issue of
formed a nationwide
reproductive
coalition and fought to
technology and how
prevent the revised law
we should deal with it
being presented in par­
arose. This prompted
liament. We succeeded.
us to create another
After 1983,1 felt very
book called Danger­
strongly that the Criminal
ous Reproductive
Law and Eugenic
Revolution.
Jansson-Yanagisawa
Protection Law should be
Not long after, a
abolished. I felt that instead we need a new move was launched to shorten the period
law that guarantees safe abortion on for obtaining an abortion from below the
demand for women. We felt that we do not 24th to below the 22nd week of
need the Eugenic Protection Law. The pregnancy. We had to act very quickly.
name itself is so biased. We also felt that But our women’s voices were rejected
we do not need any legal conditions such and the revision was made in 1990.
as those presently imposed under the
Eugenic Protection Law that force women
Abortion as a Health Issue
to go through the humiliating process of
getting permission for an abortion.
Abortion should be treated as a health
I am part of a group called Women’s issue in Japan and not as an ethical issue.
Health and Rights, Japan. This group It should be regarded as a medical treat­
holds educational meetings and organizes ment to maintain the health of women.
discussion forums for those interested in We have a Maternal and Child Health
reproductive issues. We have also made a Law which guarantees a healthy delivery
and post-delivery care. But abortion is
totally neglected. We don’t have pre­
abortion health counseling. We don’t
know how abortion is carried out, or
about
the post-abortion status of women.
A very unique study carried out in a studies to provide a clearer understanding of
The problem is that we do not have
Tokyo hospital has provided insights into the issue and to support preventive action.
any national survey conducted on
the growing number of unmarried women
The study found that the proportion of
seeking abortion in Japan. Conducted at unmarried women receiving induced abortions
abortion in Japan. What is needed is a
Sanraku General Hospital, the study drew increased from 10% of the total in 1985 to
resource of research and statistics that
attention to the failure of contraceptives, over 30% in 1989, to reach over 60% of the
can be used as a reference. We also
particularly the condom, and to a lack of total in 1992. Of those who became pregnant
receive many requests from abroad about
awareness of contraceptive effectiveness, due to contraceptive failure, 54% of married
women’s health issues and we cannot
especially among unmarried women. The women and 45% of unmarried women had
answer them all because the members of
study involved 463 women who received used condoms; 24% of married and 22% of
my organization also have other commit­
induced abortions at the hospital between unmarried used the Ogino method: while 34%
ments. We need to have a bigger, more
January 1985 - December 1992.
of unmarried women used withdrawal. Over
solid national organization of women for
The results of the research were presented 60% of all women said they chose the condom
reproductive health. There is a need for
at the Japan Maternal Health Association because it was easy to use, while 26% of
such an organization to conduct research
meeting of ob. & gyn. doctors, held in married and 53% of unmarried said they chose
Yamagata City from September 30 - October the condom because it was highly effective.
and handle the legal issues and para­
1, by Dr. Yoshihide Kimura, director,
In explaining why they had an induced
medical elements of women’s health.
Ob. & Gyn. Department, Sanraku Hospital. abortion, the most common reason provided
Since abortion is not viewed as a
Kimura, who conducted the study, high­ by married women was unwanted pregnancy,
medical or health issue, people have taken
lighted the lack of contraceptive choices for followed by health concerns. For unmarried
it for granted that it is something that
women and urged that the low-dose pill be women, the most common reason was to ashould be hidden or something to feel
legalized. Noting the absence of abortion void childbirth out of wedlock, followed by
guilty about. I want to shed light and
research in Japan, Kimura called for further unwanted pregnancy, then economic reasons.
show all the aspects of this issue.
[j]

Abortions Rising Among Single Women

4

JOICFP NEWS, January 1994

Women

Empowering
Women with
Knowledge
Nimalka Fernando, regional
coordinator, Asia Pacific Forum on Wo­
men, Law and Development (APWLD),
spoke to JOICFP NEWS on November
19 about women’s rights. Below are
highlights of her interview.
The APWLD is a network of wo­
men’s organizations involved in women
Nimalka Fernando
in law activities in the Asia Pacific re­
gion. We have connections with about recently done a study in seven countries on
65 women ’s groups in about 15 countries. economic rights and violence against
Grassroots women’s groups, both rural women. We called it the “Gender and
and urban women workers’ groups and Access to Justice Study” and examined the
women’s lawyers groups form the base accessibility to justice for women. In most
of our work.
cases, legal systems are so patriarchal,
We have tried to network very broad­ that women hardly think they can get
ly with groups involved in developing justice. We also found that women are not
legal strategies and human rights happy with the manner in which legal
strategies for women. In that context, systems deal with issues of justice.
An important issue for us is violence
we have gathered the experiences of
women in these countries with regard to against women. This issue has always
their rights and legal status.
been treated as a private affair between a
man and a woman, which leaves women
Legal Literacy
facing a very difficult plight. Fortunately,
however, as a result of the campaigns of
In terms of legal strategies, we have the women’s movement, violence against
evaluated the involvement of women’s women has become more of a public and
groups in legal literacy classes. By this, social issue. It is also a very important
I mean classes to give women knowledge issue when we consider the whole question
about basic things related to their rights. of family.
The provision of knowledge is the first
Int’l Year of the Family
step to empowering women. We believe
that we have to equip women with the
knowledge of what is available to them
The theme for the 1994 International
under the law, advise them if there is a Year of the Family is “Building democra­
law, and show them how to use the law. cy at the heart of society.” If we are going
Law has always been in the hands of to be true to this, then violence against
patriarchy, in the hands of the powerful, women must be considered with regard to
and has become something that people the issue of democracy in the family.
are really afraid of. Therefore, demysti­
Today it is very clear that the question
fication of law is very important.
of women’s rights once again is a question
Legal literacy is not merely a question of democracy in our society. The space
of giving information, but of helping available for the women’s movement or
women to use that knowledge. Therefore, human rights groups to actively advocate
legal literacy classes should go hand in the rights course is very slim. Especially in
hand with mobilization. Literacy should countries where there are internal security
be an empowering process.
acts or prevention of terrorism acts,
There are four major issues that we mobilization for rights is becoming
tackle in our work: the economic rights increasingly difficult. In such a situation,
of women; violence against women; mobilizing people to get laws enacted or
women and democracy; and women, removed in parliament becomes a political
religion and family law. During a single struggle. Women’s rights are very much
year, we like to have a thematic approach linked to the development of the policies
and try to get these issues discussed of government, and the women’s rights
through various mechanisms.
struggle has developed into a struggle
In our research program, we have towards democracy.
g]

JOICFP NEWS, January 1994

Abortion in the

U. S. &Japan
Gary Chamberlain, professor, Theology
and Religious Studies, Seattle University,
spoke with JOICFP NEWS on November 22
about abortion in the U.S. and Japan. Below
is an outline of his interview.
When I decided to look comparatively at
issue, I decided to look at Japan because
people in the U.S. who are opposed to abortion
always refer to Japan’s abortion rate. I think
this attitude about Japan came out of the high
abortion rate after the war. Without knowing
the reasons why abortion might have been an
important means of birth control at that time,
people tend to think of Japan as a place where
the attitude toward abortion is very casual.
When I tell people that the pill is not
allowed in Japan, however, they are amazed
because in the U.S., most women take the pill
and condoms are not very often used as a form
of birth control. People don’t understand
what resources are available to the Japanese
women or men.
Abortion is
very much a
political issue in
the U.S. and many
politicians are
elected or not
elected partly
because of their
position on abor­
tion. So it is a
Chamberlain
very controversial
and emotional issue. In Japan, it is not a
political issue. It has kind of been settled
politically, even though there may be
opposition to it. Also, the arguments about
abortion are tied in with religion in the U.S.
They are not just political arguments, they
become religious arguments. That is not so
true in Japan.
In Japan there is only one set of laws for the
whole country. In the U.S, there are 50 states
and each state can have different regula­
tions. Even though abortion is legal in the
U.S., the conditions under which it is permit­
ted differ from state to state.
Another difference is that there are a lot of
powerful women’s groups on both sides of
the question in the U.S. Women are very
active and there are many women legislators
who support abortion and want to keep it
open. The women’s movement in the U.S.
bases its argument on the woman’s right to
decide versus the right of the fetus to life. So
it is very legalistic and it is argued in terms
of individual rights. In Japan, people don’t
seem to talk about legal things first. They
seem more to talk about relationships first.
One more difference is that in Japan,
abortion is primarily a phenomenon of mar­
ried women, whereas in the U.S. it is a
phenomenon of unmarried women.
5

Tanzania

The Grassroots as a Driving Force
IP reaches out to people with effective IEC and distribution strategies to mobilize the community
The Integrated Project (IP) was first
introduced to Tanzania in 1984 on a pilot
basis to a population of 20,000. Since
then, the population coverage of the
project has expanded significantly to
reach more than 200,000 people. In
most of the project areas, however,
populations are spread over compara­
tively large areas as the geographical
coverage ofthe community-basedproject
has expanded dramatically since its
initiation. In Hai District, for instance,
the project now covers nearly the entire
2,167km2'of the district.
In this light, one of the major
challenges that has faced the IP in
Tanzania has been how to design and
manage the project to reach people in
large geographical areas. This challenge,
a typical one for community health and
development projects in Africa, has
prompted the creation of innovative
strategies to reach populations, sustain
awareness and maintain project
momentum. One of the major strategies
that has emerged to promote the IP has
been the creation of a bottom-up opera­
tion system that utilizes various commu­
nity groups and leaders at different levels.

Income Generation
In Masama, one of the original IP
areas, the Masama Rural Health Center
has served as a center for service provision
and training in such income-generating
activities as sewing machine operation.
Through this center, which is run by
health center staff, a women’s club has
been established. With 42 members, the
club is doing much to promote the family
planning (FP)/maternal and child health
(MCH) and nutrition education activities
of the project. As a result of this
arrangement, the health activities of the
project have been smoothly integrated
with the community development
activities of the women’s club.
The effectiveness of women’s clubs
for spreading awareness of the project
has also been demonstrated in Sonu,
where the women have formed an “FP
Association” for FP talks and have taken
part in collective activities such as
gardening and animal raising. With a
current membership of 74, the association
has adjusted its agricultural activities to
suit the seasonal changes and to most
effectively utilize the rented land, and
6

have been generating
considerable funds
which have been used
to promote the
project.
In other areas, the
support of commu­
nity leaders and local
groups such as
traditional birth
attendants (TBAs),
rural health center
staff and village
health committee
members has been
gained for the project.
The IP-implementing
agency, the FP Asso­ A lab technician motivates teachers of Mgeta Primary
ciation of Tanzania School in Morogo Region with a demonstration and health
(UMATI), has also education talk.
begun creating teams
of volunteers consisting of influential representatives of several villages and
people under an “UMATI Branch” in each serves as a pipeline to the division, dis­
community. Made up of eight to 10 trict, regional and central level to realize
people, the branch is geared to motivating an effective bottom-up system of
and educating villagers and encouraging management.
fund-raising activities.
To complement this management
To further enhance the effectiveness structure, a system of service delivery
of project promotion, UMATI has gained has been set up under the IP to reach
the involvement of representatives of the populations through the community­
political party system at the sub-village based distributors (CBDs). Under the
and village level and of local government system, three CBDs are selected from
representatives in project administration. about 10 candidates from each village
Meanwhile, the local steering committee, and intensively trained for three weeks
which operates at the ward level includes by UMATI to each serve 150-200
households. The CBDs, who receive
only equipment and materials such as
bicycles, carry bags, boots and an
umbrella, conduct their duties in the
afternoon. Since the system was
introduced, demand for CBDs has
increased both within and outside IP
areas. In Hai District, 149 CBDs have
been trained, while 30 have been trained
in Mgeta. An additional 60 CBDs have
recently comlpeted training under the
project and an efficient system of CBD
supervision is currently being planned.
The project, which has also utilized
such institutions and activities as
churches, mosques, outpost clinics, MCH
clinics, film shows and home visits, has
had apositive impact on the contraceptive
prevalence rate (CPR) which is now about
35-49% in the original IP areas compared
to the national average of 0-7%. In new
Members of the Sonu Women’s Club project areas, where the work of the
display some of the Irish potatoes they CBDs has had an impact on FP accep­
cultivated under the IP.
tance, the CPR is about 16-34%.
[5]
JOICFP NEWS, January 1994

In the News

Opening Doors to
Knowledge in Bhutan
An unusual survey carried out in
Bhutan by JOICFP has shed some light
on the knowledge, attitudes and practice
regarding menstruation and reproductive
health among young women. A smallscale study, the research was conducted
in light of the rise of teenage pregnancy
and sexually transmitted disease (STD)
rates among youths which have prompted
the ministries of education and health to
collaborate in changing the school
curriculum to include aspects ofsexuality
and reproductive health. One of the
objectives of the survey was to provide
the government with insights into the
level ofknowledge ofreproductive health
among young women before the
curriculum change. The results of the
survey were released in October.
To conduct the survey, three
questionnaires were developed for the
three target groups of school girls,
teachers and health school students. The
survey was conducted in January 1993
and was followed up by a visit by the
researcher, Catherine Payne, former
research associate, Family Planning
Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania,
U.S., to facilitate understanding of the
survey results. Payne, who was in Bhutan
from August 18 - September 4, also spoke
with teachers to learn their views on the
planned introduction of population
education to schools and gained

comments from officials writing
the new curriculum.
A total of 160 young women
attending five schools filled out
the questionnaire, while an
additional 60 students were
questioned by Payne in informal
interviews. The young women A health worker records data prior to giving a
surveyed were aged 10-20 years health education talk to community people.
with three-quarters of those
surveyed aged between 10 and 15 years. ministries, experts of IEC and epi­
Despite the small target group size, the demiology and district health officers.
survey results clearly indicated that young One of the objectives of the workshop
women were not being informed about was to stimulate local data collection and
menstruation in a comprehensive manner. analysis, with the aim of lessening
dependence on outside surveys. The first
day of the workshop was mainly taken up
Menstruation Awareness
with discussions on issues raised by the
Most of the young women interviewed survey, while on the second day the
did not have a complete understanding of participants broke into groups and
menstruation. Of all 160 girls surveyed, focused on devising their own surveys.
only one-quarter made a clear connection
Despite the increase in teenage
between menstruation and reproduction. pregnancy and STDs among youths in
Among the group that had heard of Bhutan, family planning services are not
menstruation, 60% had heard from their reaching young people, particularly outfriends, 30% from siblings, 27% from of-school youths and those without
mothers, and 10% from schools. Mean­ children. While hospitals mainly provide
while, the teachers involved in the survey contraceptives to people over 21, outreach
were extremely supportive of the study clinics are not catering to the FP needs of
and generally recognized the importance young people. The clinics, which focus
on maternal and child health care, are
of reproductive health education.
A two-day workshop was also held open only once a month in the close-knit
during the JOICFP visit and was attended communities where the youths live. One
by officials of the education and health of the recommendations of the survey
and workshop was a call to open up the
subject of reproductive health and permit
the provision of correct information to
Property
youths through open discussion.
g|
government or any of the over 3,000 local
governments to support activities abroad.
Public property covered by the law includes
expendable items as well as those currently
in use. Public property is replaced according
to a specific time-frame, regard less ofwhether
or not it requires replacement.
Although the new law has huge possibilities
for supporting NGO activities, it raises a
number of issues related to international
assistance. In particular, NGOs will be
obliged to make a careful analysis of the
needs of recipients to ensure the transfer of
appropriate items. Two other issues that will
affect the transfer of public property abroad
have already been noted by MCCOBA, which
recommends that items be reconditioned
before transfer and that shipping costs be
taken into account. Under the new law,
NGOs receiving public property will also be
A baby is weighed during the monthly
obliged to report on the use of the items.

NGOs to Receive Public
Under a new law enacted on November
10, the national and local governments of
Japan are obliged to respond to requests
from non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) to utilize used public property for
international assistance purposes. Prior to
the enactment of the new law, JOICFP
attended a hearing session of the House of
Councilors in April where it introduced the
positive experiences of the Municipal
Coordinating Committee for Bicycle
Assistance (MCCOBA). An association of
local governments and JOICFP, MCCOBA
has been actively donating reconditioned
items such as bicycles to support health
promotion and development in developing
countries. JOICFP has also independently
provided a range of reconditioned items to
developing countries outside of MCCOBA.
The new law paves the way for NGOs to
utilize any property used by the central

JOICFP NEWS, January 1994

visit of the health worker.

7

i-

Voice of Voices
By Chojiro Kunii

New Law on Public Property

The Japanese government passed a
law on November 10 governing the
transfer of public property to non­
governmental organizations (NGOs) for
overseas assistance. This law obliges the
national and local governments to respond
to requests from NGOs such as JOICFP
for the transfer of used government
property, including both expendable and
non-expendable items, for overseas
cooperation programs.
The new law is expected to do much
to boost the activities of NGOs and
promote the welfare of people in recipient
countries. Under the new law, only those
NGOs that have government endorse­
ment as public organizations are eligible
to apply for public property. JOICFP,
which is registered with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health
and Welfare, is one of the eligible
organizations.
Significant Breakthrough

The new law represents a significant
breakthrough for JOICFP and offers
considerable possibilities in terms of
meeting the material needs of people
living in areas of the Integrated Project
(IP). It is expected to have a positive
impact on raising the living standards of
people in IP communities.
Although the property that will be
transferred under the new law will
actually be secondhand, the items will
serve as effective tools to support NGO
programs for the development of local
communities in developing countries. In
such countries, the shortage of equip­
ment and materials poses obstacles to
efforts to improve the way of life. In
this context, the government’s decision
is both appropriate and helpful.
JOICFP will try to make full use of
the new law to expand the IP by utilizing
the experience we have gained through
our involvement with 14 local govern­
ments in the donation of reconditioned
bicycles overseas under the Municipal
Coordinating Committee for Overseas
Bicycle Assistance (MCCOBA).
Taking this opportunity, JOICFP is
also calling on all members of the Japan
Association of Parasite Control and Japan
Health Service Association to continue
supporting JOICFP activities through the
transfer of technology and experience
and by assisting with international
exchange programs.
[J]

8

-

DIARY

A four-member mission from Mexico headed
by Ramona Pando de Cosio, president of the
Board, Mexican Family Planning Foundation
(MEXFAM), paid courtesy calls to the Mayor
of Bunkyo City and the VDIA Office, Ministry
of Posts and Telecommunications on Sept. 27.
*
*
*
Farida Omran El-Nemr, director, Nursing
Department, Sohag Health Directorate, Egypt,
visited JOICFP on Sept. 28 to exchange
information.
*
*
*
Famine N’diaye, director, Africa Division,
UNFPA, visited JOICFP on Oct. 8 to exchange
information.
*
*
*
Princess Basma Bint Talal, chairperson,
Queen Alia Fund, Jordan, exchanged infor­
mation with JOICFP Deputy Executive Direc­
tor Yasuo Kon during a meeting on Oct. 13.
*
*
*
V. T. Palan, director, IPPF-ESEAOR, visited
JOICFP on Oct. 20 to exchange information.
*
*
*
Dr. Richard Cash, lecturer, International
Health, Harvard School of Public Health, and
fellow, Harvard Institute for International
Development, visited JOICFP between Sept.
30 - Oct. 4 and Oct. 17 - 21 for briefing/
debriefing on the China independent evaluation.
*
*
*
Reiji Suzuki, executive director, Tokyo Health
Service Association; Wataru Kunii, board
member, Hoken Kaikan Foundation; and
JOICFP Program Officer Yukio Honma were
in China from Oct. 20 - 24 to discuss
collaboration for the Taicang IP Center.
*
*
*
Dr. Shigemi Kono, professor of demography,
International School of Economics and Business

40% of Japanese
Workers Are Women

Administration, Reitaku University; JOICFP
Deputy Executive Director Yasuo Kon and
program officers Hideyuki Takahashi and
Ryoko Nishida were in The Gambia to attend
PANFRICOIV, held from Sept. 27 - Oct. 1.
Kono and Nishida later traveled to Ghana on
an IP monitoring mission from Oct. 3 - 8.
Takahashi later met up with Dr. Akio
Kobayashi, professor emeritus, Jikei Medi­
cal College, and Seiichi Tabata, children’s
picture book artist, and was in Kenya,
Tanzania and Zambia from Oct. 4 - 24.
*
*
*
Jing Joong Ho, assistant director, Board of
Audit and Inspection, Korea, visited JOICFP
on Oct. 26 to hold discussions with JOICFP
Deputy Executive Director Yasuo Kon on
the government system of audit for NGOs
in Japan.
*
*
*
A 10-member mission from China led by
Xie Mingdao, director, Family Planning
Commission of Sichuan Province, was in
Japan from Oct. 28 - Nov. 10 to study FP/
MCH in Japan.

JOICT^P Women's

and Status Series

________ A New Animated Film_________

Twin Lotus
13 min., Color/English, Chinese

IO
I lli

A newly-wed couple is just beginning to live
together in a beautiful riverside district in southern
China. One day the wife collapses from illness
while at work.
Women today must learn about their bodies and
be intent upon maintaining their health so they can
lead more self-reliant lives.
This film, from the Women's Health and Status
Series, is a JapanChina joint production that uses
an animation technique based on a traditional
paper-cutting method.
Distributed by

A recent report released by the Labor
Ministry found that four out of five workers
in Japan are women. Despite the large
proportion of female workers, women are
not getting a fair deal in terms of many
aspects of employment such as labor
conditions and taxation systems, the report
stated.
In fiscal 1992, women accounted for 19.74
million workers, up 560,000 from the
previous year, the report said. Overall, they
made up 38.6% of the entire Japanese work
force.
Of the women workers, 5.92 million, or
30.7%, were part-time employees working
less than 35 hours a week.
Calling for improvements in the situation,
the report noted that women were still
working under relatively poor labor
conditions in terms of remuneration,
promotion and retirement funds.

Sakura Motion Picture Co., Ltd.
Yoyogi Center Bldg., 57-1 Yoyogi t-chome
Shibuyo-ku, Tokyo 151, Jopon
Tel: 81-3-3320-6311 /Fox: 81-3-33207666
Telex: J34799 ITCINBTH

16mm-VTR (Beta, VHS/NTSC, PAL, SECAM)

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
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1-1, Sadohara-cho, Ichigaya
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Phone: 81-3-3268-5875
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JOICFP NEWS, January 1994

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