JOICFP NEWS NO.246 DECEMBER 1994.pdf
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No. 246 December 1994
ISSN 0911-0755
JOICFP NEWSR
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Answering Community Needs in Africa
The IP stirs communities into
action as it is adapted to meet
local demands
The Integrated Project (IP) is finding
acceptance in African countries as it is adapted
and expanded at the local level to answer the
needs of the community people. Monitoring
missions to the three IP countries of Zambia,
Tanzania and Ghana found that while family
planning and maternal and child health (FP/
MCH) remain the goals of the project, a variety
of innovative approaches are being made under
the project to raise the level of health and well
being of the community people.
Zambia
In the semi-rural area of Fiwale in Zambia’s
Copperbelt Province, men’s clubs have sprung
up alongside women’s clubs under the IP. The
men’s clubs have been working in harmony
with women’s clubs to promote the activities of
the IP. This cooperation has also proved ideal
for overcoming male resistance to FP
acceptance.
In addition to FP/MCH activities, the clubs
are involved in a variety of community
development/!ncome-generation projects
including bee-keeping, food preparation, castor
oil processing, carpentry, road maintenance,
poultry farming and backyard gardening, metal
work, cooking, sewing and knitting.
The project has also contributed to the
establishment of nursery schools. The
centers, which provide a means to
check child health and serve as a source
of information on FP and health-related
issues, have freed women to listen to
FP messages provided by mobile FP
workers. Some of the mothers have
also begun their own adult literacy
classes at the shelters.
Tanzania
- ’-WW.
In Tanzania, the IP has overcome
resistance from the Catholic church to
win acceptance of the people living in
Community-based distributors at work in
the predominantly Catholic area of
Tanzania.
Mgeta, Morogoro Region.
The IP began in 1990 with parasite
munications are being used to set up a clinic.
control campaigns to pave the way for the
The village has already established a clinic
introduction of other health activities. Its FP
implementation committee to involve the
messages, however, met with local church
community people in the running of the clinic.
opposition. This was overcome by convincing
Japanese support is also contributing to the
the bishop of Morogoro that the project was
training of young women in Bontrease and
indeed aimed at improving the health and
Awutu villages where donated treadle sewing
welfare of the community. The contraceptive
machines are being used for vocational training.
prevalence rate has since continued to climb,
The variety of activities promoted under the
reaching 39.9% by the end of 1993, up from a
project has stirred the community into action in
mere 6.7% in 1990.
the IP areas of Ghana. The self-help spirit can
Another important aspect of the IP is the
be seen in the small-scale community gardening
establishment of community-based distribution
services (CBS) within villages to ease access to projects which are not only helping people
acquire skills, but are also assisting them to
FP/MCH services. The system utilizes local
generate funds for important activities such as
people such as the village health workers and
improving water supplies.
traditional birth attendants to serve as
contraceptive distributors. The village health
workers also are trained in primary health care
and FP under the IP.
Ghana
Children play at a nursery shelter in
Zambia.
In Ghana, meanwhile, the project has
sparked the interest of the community people
who are taking initiative to improve their way
of life. Support from Japan has also done much
to build on this enthusiasm. In Bontrease
village, for example, funds allocated under the
Postal Savings for International Voluntary Aid
(POSIVA) scheme administered by the
Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecom
1
A woman learns sewing skills with a
donated sewing machine in Ghana.
Population Aging
Community Support Systems
in an Aging Society
Non-governmental organizations will have
an increasingly important role to play in
supporting families with the aging of
populations in Asia, according to participants of
a seminar on population aging held in Japan
from October 19-29. They also agreed that
networking of NGOs within the field of
population aging is therefore important.
The seminar was the third to be conducted
by JOICFP under the regional UNFPAsupported project titled “Promotion of
Awareness and Policy Formulation on Aging
(RAS/92/P13).” The October seminar focused
on “Aging Population and Social Services —
Community Support Systems for the Elderly
and the Family” and was aimed at promoting
the formulation of social service programs and
development of community support systems
and strategies to meet the expected needs of
aging populations. The experience of Japan
was used as a case study for the seminar, which
was also aimed at fostering exchanges on aging
issues and promoting a regional network among
those involved in the field of aging in the
region. The seminar was attended by 12 policy
planners, program managers and policy
researchers from nine countries and was
organized by JOICFP with UNFPA support.
The seminar included three country
presentation sessions on the themes of family
support, development of community care and
the role of NGOs. Chris Leach, manager, Aged
and Community Care, Commonwealth
New Publication
JOICFP has publish
ed a report on the
Workshop on Population
Aging - Women in an
Aging Society, which was
held in Singapore in
March this year. The
booklet singles out policy issues related to
women and aging populations in Asia and
includes recommendations made under
the UNFPA-supported regional project,
“Promotion of Awareness and Policy
Formulation on Aging (RAS/92/P13).”
W<ww U IK fat Stntty
Department of Human Services and
Health, Australia, provided insights
into the Australian experience of
home and community care as a
guest speaker. Participants
responded with interest to
Elderly people participate in rehabilitation exercises ata
Australia’s Home and Country Care
health
facility for the aged in Mitsugi Town.
(HACC) and Aged Care
Assessment Teams (ACATs),
commenting that the approaches were relevant.
National Family Planning Coordinating Board,
The highlight of the seminar for
Indonesia. “This (Mitsugi Town’s)
participants was the field trip to Hiroshima
coordination and integration could be a good
Prefecture where they visited Mitsugi Town.
model to be implemented at home.”
The proportion of aged in the town’s population
For Siu Kum Leung, superintendent, Lok
is currently 23%, the same proportion estimated Sin Tong Cheong Home for the Aged, Hong
for Japan’s total population in 20 years.
Kong, the seminar was a networking
At Mitsugi, the participants observed the
opportunity. “The participants have invaluable
comprehensive community care system
experiences and I am glad to have this chance
implemented at the Mitsugi General Hospital
to discuss issues of population aging,” she said.
under the leadership of hospital Director
Sompong Chareonsuk, director, Asia
Noboru Yamaguchi. The hospital has integrated Training Center on Aging, Faculty of Nursing,
an office of the town government to be able to
University of Chiang Mai, Thailand, also
provide health and medical services along with
welcomed the opportunity to share experiences
welfare services for the elderly.
with other participants. The concept of
The approach, taken by hospital for the last community participation, maximum utilization
15 years, has been extremely successful in
of volunteers and networking with NGOs and
reducing the number of bed-bound elderly in
the town. Despite an increase the number of
elderly, the number of bed-bound has continued
to fall through the hospital’s efforts to promote
community care with a comprehensive support
system. The program, which began as mobile
nursing services, was expanded to include a
variety of welfare services and to actively
involve the community as volunteers in the care
of the elderly. The so-called “Zero Bed-bound
Campaign” of Mitsugi Town has today become
Elderly patients enjoy Japanese chess
a model for other towns and has been
at
Mitsugi General Hospital.
incorporated into the Japanese government’s
“Gold Plan” policies on population aging.
“The Mitsugi model in care for the aged is
other agencies were aspects of the Japanese
one which provides good reference for
experience that can be applied to the Philippine
Singapore,” commented Timothy Sim Boon
situation, according to Martiniana Mercado,
director, Region IV, Department of Social
Wee, director, Care Corner Family Service
Center, Singapore. He added that the provision Welfare and Development, the Philippines.
of medical and welfare services is the key to
All agreed on the importance of family
support,
but noted that family values are
reintegrating the elderly into the community.
changing and that social services and
“Coordination of sectors is urgently
needed: medical-public health and welfare
community care should be developed to support
families. The participants also emphasized the
should be synergized into an integrated
activity,” said Professor Achir Yaumil, assistant importance of financial security for the elderly
to the minister for population, and head of the
and the significance of continued employment.
2
JOICFP NEWS, December 1994
Japan
An Unshakable Commitment
to Women’s Health
The Japan Family Planning Association
(JFPA) celebrated 40 years of pioneering efforts
in the family planning (FP) field with a
reception held in Tokyo on November 2. Some
350 people including international guests
attended the event, which served to highlight
the achievements made by the non
governmental organization (NGO) since its
■M
Dr. Seiichi Matsumotq chairman, FPFJ,
speaks at the reception.
establishment in 1954.
The NGO is part of the Hoken Kaikan
Group and is headed by president and founder,
Chojiro Kunii. A self-reliant organization, the
JFPA is currently engaged in a variety of fields.
Prominent among these is the JFPA’s adolescent
health program under which it operates an
“open house” for adolescent counseling.
Another important aspect of its activities is its
FP promotion program through which it
provides training services for FP instructors,
produces educational materials and sells
contraceptives.
The JFPA also operates a maternal and
child health (MCH) promotion program, a
health program for middle-aged and senior
women and a program for genetic counseling.
To promote understanding of FP-related issues,
the JFPA publishes the monthly Family and
Health newsletter in Japanese and actively
promotes the advancement of scientific research
through meetings and a regular publication. It
also cooperates with JOICFP internationally
and with other related organizations.
The JFPA was first established with the aim
of spreading the concept of FP to avoid
unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion. The
year it was established, Japan recorded over 1
JOICFP NEWS, December 1994
J
million abortions. This figure
peaked a year later in 1955 at
1.17 million when Japan’s total
population was 89 million.
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Despite the provision of
abortion services by designated
doctors, the procedure took its
toll with one out of every 500
JOICFP Deputy Executive Director Yasuo Kon and
women undergoing an
Chairman Chojiro Kunii (from left) stand next to FPFJ
induced abortion in the
President Shidzue Kato outside a condom factory in 1954.
1950s dying from
complications.
Under Kunii’s leadership, the NGO
which has diversified its activities over the
directed its efforts at promoting FP as a
years to meet demands and maintain its selfmeans to raise the health of women and
reliance and autonomy. Among the new
children. Working smoothly with the
challenges for the organization is promoting the
government to reach the women in the
implementation of the World Population
communities, the NGO recruited
Program of Action adopted by the International
volunteers and followers and took its
Conference on Population and Development
activities nationwide.
(ICPD) in Cairo. The JFPA is particularly
The commitment to women’s health
committed to promoting the concept of
remains an important aspect of the JFPA, reproductive health and rights within Japan.
11 '
i'll
Japan Lagging in
Reproductive Rights
Japan is one of only 11 of the world’s
countries that have not authorized the oral
contraceptive pill for contraceptive purposes,
noted Margaret Catley-Carlson, president,
Population Council. Catley-Carlson made her
comments on the low-dose pill at a special
lecture meeting in Tokyo on October 14 where
she served as guest speaker.
The meeting was organized by the Japan
Family Planning Association (JFPA) in
cooperation with the Family Planning
Federation of Japan (FPFJ), and JOICFP. It
was attended by medical experts,
parliamentarians, representatives of non
governmental organizations and the media.
During her lecture, Catley-Carlson noted
the emphasis on women’s empowerment and
reproductive health and rights for women made
in the World Population Program of Action
adopted at the recent International Conference
3
on
Population
and
Catley-Carlson
Development
(ICPD) in
Cairo. She
emphasized that NGOs have an important role
to play in realizing the goals of the program of
action. Widening the choices of contraceptives,
an important reproductive health issue, is the
responsibility of the service providers including
NGOs, she added.
Noting the relatively high rate of induced
abortion in Japan, Catley-Carlson commented
that the lack of access to the low-dose pill is not
desirable from the perspective of reproductive
health and rights. She called for widening the
choice of contraceptives in Japan to include the
low-dose pill and a wider selection of IUDs to
promote reproductive health.
Latin America
.
-O'*
Messages with Meaning for
Adolescents
Regional workshop focuses on
appropriate IEC for youth
“Communication for Youth’s Sexual
Health” was the theme of an IEC Workshop for
the Latin American Region, held in cooperation
with UNFPA, IPPF and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Japan in Patzcuaro, Michoacan State
in Mexico from October 10 - 12. The meeting,
hosted by the Mexican Foundation for Family
Planning (MEXFAM), enabled the exchange of
experiences on the production and evaluation of
reproductive health education materials aimed
at youths and gave participants an opportunity
to determine unmet needs among adolescents
New Publications
Two publications related to the
adolescent health project in the Latin
American region are now available. The
first is a manual developed for use with
the five adolescent health films jointly
produced by MEXFAM and JOICFP.
The films, Blue Pigeon, The Lust Train,
Music for Two,
Best Wishes and
The Saxophone,
were developed
to support
adolescent health
education
activities in the region, particularly in
Mexico. The new manual, Sex Trusts
and Videotapes, is designed as an
instructor’s aid and provides information
on the films and an outline on the kinds
of questions to expect from students.
The second publication titled
Integrated Project: Production, Use,
and Distribution of IEC Materials for
Youth in Mexico, is the published report
of the evaluation on the use of the five
above-mentioned films. It provides an
overview of MEXFAM’s activities to
promote adolescent education using the
MEXFAM/JOICFP films.
Both publications are available in
English and Spanish.
not answered by existing
materials. Participants were
also required to produce
proposals for the production of
IEC materials for adolescents
in the region.
The workshop was
attended by 80 participants
Participants make puppets during the IEC workshop.
from 15 countries including
Japan and the U.S. During the
three-day event, five roundtable
discussions were held for exchange of
experiences. The participants were also divided National Seminar in Mexico
into four groups according to IEC format - TV
The effective use of educational films
and cinema; puppet making; radio; and printed
jointly produced by the Mexican Foundation for
materials - to discuss specific skills needed for
Family Planning (MEXFAM) and JOICFP to
each communication method.
promote adolescent sex education was the
During the workshop process, participants
theme of a national adolescent health seminar,
agreed that sex education is essential to prevent held in Patzcuaro, Mexico, on October 13 under
the auspices of UNFPA and IPPF.
unwanted pregnancies, abortion and STDs
including HIV/AIDS among youth. To achieve
The Mexico seminar focused on the newly
this, they stressed that youth should be directly
published manual for the film series and the
involved in the entire process of IEC production evaluation report on the use of the films in
and evaluation to ensure that the materials
MEXFAM’s “Gente Joven” program for youth.
reflect youth’s own view of sexuality.
The 40 participants, including most of
Participants also agreed that adolescent
MEXFAM’s regional coordinators, used the
programs should consider young indigenous
event to analyze the evaluation report and
people living in rural or marginal areas, the
discuss ways to improve the present situation of
the program utilizing the report.
most difficult groups to reach.
Noting that many materials are applicable
Participants agreed on the need to develop
in each other’s countries, the participants called an instructional video to assist educators to use
for the establishment of a network to enable the the films and accompanying pamphlets
exchange of materials within the region. The
effectively. A revised manual for the films was
workshop itself allowed participants to create
also noted as important.
The seminar ended with a commitment by
informal networks with people working in the
same field, according to the participant from
MEXFAM to develop a “bank” of leading
Ecuador. She said that meeting people working questions posed by adolescents in reproductive
health courses and to publish an auxiliary book
in the same field had given her considerable
motivation and that she hoped to organize joint
for instructors.
activities in the future and share materials with
other organizations in the region.
At the conclusion of the workshop, the five
participants with the best IEC proposals were
awarded grants for production. The proposals
consisted of a regular newspaper column on
youth sexuality in Guatemala; a series of radio
programs to reach indigenous populations in
Guatemala; dance performances on the theme
of youth sexuality in Jamaica; a video on
women and HIV/AIDS in Brazil; and a printed
teacher’s manual for prevention of sexual abuse
>4 view of the national seminar.
in Paraguay.
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4
JOICFPNEWS, December 1994
Latin America
° rTlBRARY
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documentation
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Support
The women’s groups and community
leaders in Solold State of Guatemala have
joined hands to improve the quality of life in
communities where the Integrated Project (IP)
Junior high school students learn sewing
skills at Santiago Atitlan.
is being implemented. With a donation of
reconditioned treadle sewing machines from
Japan, the IP communities have set up five
sewing academies in which women are learning
skills for income generation. In two villages,
local people have also opened their homes for
use as sewing academy facilities.
Efforts are also being made to integrate the
sewing academy more smoothly with other
health promotion activities of the IP. To
support the traditional birth attendants’
maternal and child health activities, the
academy trainees will sew cloths to wrap
newborns and aprons to wear at deliveries.
They are also sewing bags for weighing babies.
Meanwhile, in Japan the cause of the IP in
Guatemala is being promoted under the “Maria
Fund,” which seeks donations to support the
sewing academies. It is hoped that these
cooperative activities will be expanded in the
future to foster a network of support involving
Japanese women.
..
Laboratory staff explain family planning
at a health post.
JOICFP NEWS, December 1994
reject in
Guatemala on
Track
JL
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F’,■
A
Three experts included in a
Japanese mission to Guatemala
provided valuable technical assistance
to improve promotion of the
Integrated Project (IP) at the
grassroots. The team’s visit to
Guatemala from September 17 October 3 coincided with the National
Keiko Yazawa demonstrates how to weigh
Seminar on the Integrated Project.
newborns to TBAs in San Lucas Toliman.
The seminar was held in Panajachel,
Solold State, and was funded with
donations provided under the Postal Savings for improving services, noted that the lab
International Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) scheme
technicians had begun to reach out to health
administered by the Japanese Ministry of Posts
posts and centers and expand activities from PC
to health education including family planning
and Telecommunications.
(FP) messages.
The seminar was attended by almost 70
The third expert on the team, Keiko
community leaders, traditional birth attendants
Yazawa, a public health nurse, was formerly a
(TBAs) and paramedics related to the project.
The participants came from 15 municipalities in member of the Japan Overseas Cooperation
Volunteers (JOCV) to Guatemala. While in the
Solold and Suchitepequez states.
project areas, Yazawa focused on the activities
Organized as an orientation seminar, the
of the TBAs, monitoring their use of the health
event was attended by Dr. Fernando Ponce,
care bags, maternal and child health (MCH)
UNDP resident representative to Honduras/
Guatemala, who traveled from Guatemala City.
handbooks, illustrated MCH handbooks and
The seminar also included a hand-over
MCH cards supplied with POSIVA funds. In
ceremony of a motorboat donated with POSIVA particular, Yazawa noted that the illustrated
MCH handbooks, specially designed for
funds. The boat, which will be used to travel
illiterate audiences, was being effectively used
across Lake Atitldn, is invaluable for reaching
by the TBAs who have received regular training
the communities that are not serviced by roads.
from project personnel.
The project, which is expanding from the
Yazawa also provided technical training to
original site of San Lucas Tolima n to other
TBAs during her visit. The Japanese nurse
communities around Lake Atitlan, targets the
explained the use of infant weighing scales and
predominantly Mayan population of the area
procedures for screening newborns.
which is not well served by health services or
development activities. Despite the distrust
shown by these ethnic people to outsiders, the
project has won community support by catering
not only to health demands but to community
development needs.
During technical assistance exercises, the
Japanese experts were impressed with the high
level of skills developed by the laboratory staff
of San Lucas Toliman in Sololi Dr. Shigeo
Hayashi, former director, National Institute of
Health of Japan, and Takaaki Hara, director,
Research and Study Department, Japan
Nana Maria, a TBA who was featured in a
Association of Parasite Control, observed
JOICFP documentary film, with UNDP
parasite control (PC) and health education
Resident Representative Fernando Ponce
activities in primary schools during their visit.
at the national seminar.
The team, which provided guidance on
p
5
Nepal
People Readily Pay for Quality
Services in Nepal
The UNFPA-supported Sustainable
Community-based Family Planning/Maternal
and Child Health (FP/MCH) Project with
Special Focus on Women has been expanded in
Nepal to meet grassroots demands and is being
embraced by the community people. This was
the most significant finding of a monitoring
... —
Young women listen attentively to a lecture by
Sabitri Basnet on reproductive health.
mission conducted in Nepal from October 15 November 5. The project, under which health
services are provided on a fee-charged basis,
was smoothly expanded from the six villages of
Sunsari District to five adjacent villages in
Morang District in May.
The project is being implemented by the
Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN).
Noting the willingness of the people to join
project activities, the local FPAN branch
manager commented that the situation “is not
just good, but very good.” He added that the
project is well understood and appreciated by
the people and that they are willing to
pay for services. Under the project,
community people are charged 75% of
the total cost of services and medicines
as a means to promote sustainability.
The project has been well
A woman buys medicine from a community
integrated into FPAN’s system, tying in
medicine assistant in Sunsari.
neatly with the
association’s strategic
plan of promoting community
acceptors who are targeted to receive FP
participation, women's
training and knowledge to become reliable
sources of information on FP for other women
involvement, accessibility,
sustainability and quality of care.
in the village. By establishing reliable
neighborhood sources of information, it is
Expansion of the project has
hoped that information will be more easily
therefore been smoothly carried
out under the leadership of FPAN disseminated to other women, particularly
Director General Ram Neupane in concerning temporary methods of
contraception. This works in well with the
cooperation with the FPAN
branch manager and project staff. government’s five-year plan of emphasizing
greater access to alternative forms of
Quality of care is a major
issue in the project areas where
contraception to sterilization.
village people normally have to
The monitoring mission also visited other
walk over one hour to reach a
project areas in Panchkhal where community
health workers promoting FP/MCH at each of
government health facility where
the 15 community-based primary health care
medical supplies and services are
units in the district had received training. The
often limited. Under the project,
however, mobile teams of health professionals
training courses consisted of a five-day training
visit villages twice a month to provide FP/MCH in medicine management and a 10-day training
in Depro Provera services.
and health care services.
In a show of positive collaboration
During the monitoring mission, the team
between the government and a non
observed a mobile health clinic in Dumraha
village of Sunsari. Of the 35 clients seen by the governmental organization, the training was
clinic in the day, a large number of women (16) jointly organized by the local government and
family planning association. Each trainee
received antenatal services. According to the
received a certificate from the local district
baseline survey, only 17.2% of women in
public health office.
Sunsari replied that they had received antenatal
checkups during their last pregnancy.
The mission also took part in a
refresher training course aimed at needs
identification and improving record
keeping and reporting skills for 28 FP
workers. The training was conducted
by Sabitri Basnet, an expert of FP/
MCH and consultant of the project.
She was assisted by Ashoda Nepal,
staff nurse. FPAN. Both resource
persons were extremely pleased with
the course and the keen interest shown
by the trainees.
I
Under the project, mothers’ clubs
have been set up in each of the nine
A local government officer gives a certificate to a
wards of each project village. The
health worker.
clubs are composed of satisfied FP
p
I
Members of the mothers' club line up with a
sign bearing an FP slogan.
6
■
r
JOICFP NEWS, December 1994
In the News
Taicang IP Center in Action
A team of experts from Japan found the
Taicang IP Training Center in full swing when
the members visited China from October 20 November 2. The center, established in 1993,
is operated by the Taicang Family Planning
Association (TFPA) in cooperation with the
Taicang Family Planning Commission. The
team also joined the Parasite Control Seminar
on Technical Aspects for promoting the
Integrated Project (IP) in China, held at the IP
Training Center from October 26 - November 1.
The national-level seminar was organized
in cooperation with the National IP Steering
Committee, State Family Planning
Commission, China Family Planning
Association, the Institute of Parasitic Diseases
of the Chinese Academy of Preventive
Medicine and JOICFP. It was supported by
funds from the Postal Savings for International
Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) allocated by the
Japanese Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications. The funds were provided
Challenges for
Japan After ICPD
The challenges for Japan following the
International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) in Cairo was the topic of
a meeting of the Council on Population
Education, held at JOICFP on October 12. The
meeting featured two speakers who joined the
ICPD as members of Japan’s official
delegation. Dr. Makoto Ato, director, Institute
of Population Problems, Ministry of Health and
Welfare, represented the government at the
event, and Keiko Higuchi, professor, Tokyo
Kasei University, represented the non
governmental organization (NGO), Japan’s
Network for Women’s Health, Cairo ’94.
Jointly organized by the council and
JOICFP, the meeting was attended by 50
experts from the population field, government
officials, representatives of NGOs and the
media. The lecture meetings are held on a
regular basis as a means to promote
understanding of population issues.
Higuchi spoke frankly about the
implications of the Cairo document for women
JOICFP NEWS, December 1994
to JOICFP for its project in China titled
“Protection of Chinese children’s health and
promotion of the improvement of the people’s
living conditions in rural areas.”
Prior to the seminar, the TFPA held a hand
over ceremony for equipment and educational
materials purchased with POSIVA funds. The
donations comprised one vehicle, 30
microscopes, other medical equipment and
health education leaflets for children and
families. Zhang Zuqin, president, TFPA, gave a
speech at the ceremony in which he thanked the
15 million Japanese people who donated funds
under POSIVA.
The POSIVA support is expected to
contribute to the promotion of children’s health
and community well-being not only for the
450,000 people in Taicang, but also for people
in other IP areas in 16 provinces of China. The
IP now covers a target population of about 4
million in China.
A total of 44 participants from 10 IP areas
in Japan and drew attention to Japan’s Eugenic
Protection Law, enacted in 1948 to authorize
induced abortion under certain conditions.
Noting that today’s Japan is very different to
the country of the 1940s, Higuchi said that the
law should be changed to reflect the issues of
reproductive health and rights emphasized in
the Cairo document. She said that the meaning
of the law and its concept of eugenics do not
reflect women’s reproductive health or rights
and called for a national campaign to create a
more suitable law that authorizes abortion from
the viewpoint of women’s reproductive health
and rights. She said that since the national
Japanese delegation to Cairo clearly endorsed
the program of action, the government should
reflect the contents in its laws domestically.
Commenting on the concept of informed
consent, Higuchi noted that women in Japan not
only have no access to the low-dose
contraceptive pill, but do not even have access
to information about this effective form of
contraception. She said what little information
is available on the pill in Japan is mostly
negative. Noting that the information is not
enough for women to make an informed
decision about the pill, Higuchi stressed that it
was the responsibility of the government to
disseminate correct information.
7
A technician, trained in March under the IP,
demonstrates her techniques in Taicang.
in 10 provinces attended the seminar where
they learned various technical aspects of IP
promotion, particularly the use of parasite
control (PC) as a springboard to the promotion
of other health activities such as family
planning and as a means to promote program
self-reliance. The Taicang IP Center has been
charging fees for the mass PC examination and
treatment activities it provides to school
children. The center targeted more than 40,000
students in 1994.
The Japanese experts also visited the fourth
phase IP area of Shaown City in Fujian
Province from October 20 - 24, where the IP
was launched in early 1993. The team noted
that the concept of people’s participation had
been well accepted in the project areas where
the people had been inspired through PC
activities to construct sanitary drinking water
supplies and new toilets. In one of the IP
villages, the visitors viewed a new primary
school with sanitary toilets and water supply
and observed health education for children.
The change in the people’s attitudes was
highlighted for the team by a slogan painted on
a building in the project. The Japanese
remembered that prior to project
implementation the slogan had previously read:
“Examinations and approval are required for
the first and second birth. Unplanned birth is
forbidden.” However, the new slogan reads:
“Fewer births, healthier births. Healthy life,
happy and fulfilling life.”
School children read health education
materials in Taicang.
delegation of seven from JOICFP was led by
our deputy executive director, Yasuo Kon.
In the NG^Torum held concurrently with
r
VOICE OF VOICES
/
F’
By Chojiro Kunii
r
the ICPD, many Japanese women from
voluntary women’s groups took part. I heard
that these women held active dissuasions tin
ways for Japanese women to workTo improve
their situation. This news reminded me of
Shidzue Kato, a pioneer who struggled to find
solutions to population problems in the difficult
postwar period in Japan. Her efforts helped
•'
enlighten many of us to the suffering that
pioneers must endure as they open new paths.
There are a variety of ways in which we
Broadening Our Horizons
A few months ago, quite a number Japanese
women traveled to Cairo, Egypt, to join the
International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD). I have been told that,
while the conference itself was inspiring, the
participants also enjoyed the opportunity to
make history in the field of population. The
c
DIARY
c)
- JOICFP Program Officer Hiroshi Taniguchi was in
lhe Philippines from Sept. 26 - 29 to exchange
information with lhe JICA project team and
government officials.
- Dr. Shigeo Hayashi, former director, National
Institute of Health of Japan; Takaaki Hara, director,
Department of Research and Study, JAPC; and
Keiko Yazawa, former member, Japan Overseas
JOICFP
o Cooperation Volunteers, were in Guatemala from
o Sept. 17 - Oct. 3 to conduct project monitoring and
o provide technical assistance. They were
O accompanied by JOICFP staff members Mariko
o Honma and Tetsuo Kato.
- A three-member mission from FP organizations of
() China visited Japan from Sept. 25 - Oct. 3 to seek
o collaboration in FP.
------- ------- nI-------------
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HE;A
ADOLESCENT'
, T FU S E R I E S
can approach projects that will spark the
interest of beneficiaries. For example, the local
governments of the Municipal Coordinating
Committee,.for Overseas Bicycle Assistance
/(MCCT^Ayiave taken a prominent role in
:su^fi^2g ^ICFP’s projects through the
■^dwfcn of rec^iflitionHbicycles. The
provision of ju^MOkbicycles from MCCOBA is
greftditdentive for people living at the
grassroq^in. a developing country. JOICFP’s
to raise funds through the collection and
sale of used prepaid cards is also a wonderful
way to support people. Meanwhile, donated
reconditioned treadle sewing machines from
Japan are providing a source of income and
inspiring development in local communities.
These sorts of activities are extremely
important for both the Japanese people and the
recipients of the goodwill.
Today, it is not difficult for Japanese to
travel overseas. I would therefore like to
encourage my countrymen and women to travel
widely in Asia and see how the people live in
such cities as Jakarta, Manila and Shanghai —
cities that are very familiar to us at JOICFP. It
is my hope that such travels will help inspire
new approaches to international assistance.
‘
,T. >
” TSO
ANIMATION
BEST WISHES Ew
I
14min, color/English, Spanish
J
'
Why do a young man and a youn^ woman decide to live togethet?
Why does a couple try to find the answers to raisjng.a family ariq*a
happy life ?
7
,
BEST WISHES is the third animated film in a series jointly produced
by Mexico and Japan. This film depicts a young man and a young vyoman who
are pursuing true love and who are confronted by reality and their worries about
the futures. And they eliminate misconceptions about male-female roles and
learn to respect each other as individuals.
I
J1
__________________________________________________________ _
.1 J
L.
SERIES LINE-UP
ANIMATION FILM NOT
BLUE PIGEON
Timin, color/English, Spanish
ANIMATION FILM NO.2
MUSIC FOR TWO
13min, color/English, Spanish
Distributed by Sakura Motion Picture Co., Ltd.
YOYOGI CENTER BLDG., 57-1. YOYOGI 1-CHOME, SHIBUYA-KU, TOKYO 151, JAPAN
TEL.81-3-3320-6311/ FAX.81-3-3320-7666/TELEX.J34799 ITCINBTH
16mm-VTR(/Jeta, VHS NTSC, PAL, SECAM)
Toshima Officials Visit UNFPA
|
An 11-member study mission from Toshima City of Tokyo held discussions with UNFPA
officials on behalf of the Municipal Coordinating Committee for Overseas Bicycle Assistance
(MCCOBA) during a visit to UNFPA Headquarters in New York on September 2. The
suprapartisan delegation of assemblymen and local government officials discussed the
activities of the local Japanese government association, which has been providing
reconditioned bicycles and stationery goods to UNFPA projects in developing countries. The
bicycles, which have been donated for use by health and family planning workers in
developing countries, are particularly effective as a means of transport in rural areas.
8
40 Years of Int’l Assistance
Japan celebrated 40 years of active
involvement in international assistance with
activities held on and around International
Cooperation Day on October 6. Japan formally
began providing official development assistance
(ODA) in 1954 after becoming a signatory of
the Colombo Plan. The 40-year milestone was
marked by the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) and Overseas Economic
Cooperation Fund (OECF) with a special
symposium that reviewed Japan’s ODA
activities and focused on Japan’s international
role in the 21st century. A range of other events
were also held by Japanese non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and local governments to
draw attention to issues in developing countries
and Japan’s role on the international stage.
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, December 1994
Position: 3199 (3 views)