JOICFP NEWS NO. 251 MAY 1995.pdf
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No. 251 May 1995
ISSN 0911-0755
MTcfp news
Japan Committed to Global Social Development
Prime minister expresses Japan’s
strong commitment to helping
developing countries with “self
help efforts”
The Japanese government made clear its
commitment to contributing to social
dopment around the world at the UNsponsored World Summitfor Social
Development, held in Copenhagen, Denmark,
from March 3 -12. Prime Minister Tomiichi
Murayama led the Japanese delegation and
joined the 118 national leaders and 13,000
delegates representing 193 countries at the
high-level summit.
The event
brought together
developed and
developing
nations in a huge
effort to alleviate
poverty,
unemployment
Tomiichi Murayama
and
social
(file photo)
injustice around
the world. The
sive turnout of world leaders was the
largest in the UN’s 50-year history and marked
a milestone in terms of international efforts to
fight poverty and related issues.
The conference produced the Copenhagen
Declaration which includes commitments to
fight poverty, empower women, and assist the
poorest countries. Among the issues discussed
at the summit was the so-called “20-20 Plan ’’
which calls on rich countries to commit 20% of
their foreign assistance for social improvement.
In return, poor countries receiving assistance
would set aside 20% of their domestic budget
for the same objective.
In his address to the summit, Prime
Minister Murayama expressed Japan's strong
position on promoting social development and
outlined various strategies for achieving this
goal. He also expressed his gratitude for the
assistance that Japan received from all over the
world following the Great Hanshin Earthquake
that hit Kobe and surrounding
areas of Japan on January 17.
Below are highlights of his
address.
As head of the Japanese
government, I seek the
creation of a “human-centered
society,” a vision of Japan in
which each individual citizen
RLD
is treated equally, endowed
FOR
with opportunity to fully
develop his or her potential,
and enabled to utilize fully his
Juan Somavia, chairman, Main Committee, and Chilean am
or her capacity through
bassador to the UN (center), addresses the Women's Caucus.
employment and participation
in society.
In promoting social development, I would
share of ODA allocated to this area already
like to suggest that, in the national policies of
exceeds 207c of the total of Japan’s bilateral
every country, the following three areas should
ODA. This area will continue to be given the
be accorded highest priority.
highest priority in our ODA policy.
First, in order to achieve social justice,
Furthermore, developed and developing
governments should place emphasis on a
countries, with the involvement of NGOs,
human-centered approach to social
should strengthen cooperation in this area.
development. It is necessary to promote
Second, Japan is resolved to continue
worldwide disarmament. Each country should
placing priority on assistance for education and
strive to allocate a larger share of its national
vocational training. J apan’s assistance in this
budget for social development programs.
area has more than quadrupled during the last
Second, governments should focus on
10 years. South-South cooperation is effective
developing human resources through education
in this regard in the sense that knowledge and
and training.
experience of more advanced developing
Third, social development cannot be
countries could be utilized for the promotion of
achieved by governments alone, but requires the social development in other developing
active participation of civil society as a whole,
countries. It is the intention of my government
including non-governmental organizations
to provide as much assistance as possible for
(NGOs). I wish to emphasize the significant
the concrete promotion of such cooperation.
role that women play in social progress. To
Third, Japan places special importance on
achieve social justice and development, it is
the role of women in the development of
essential to establish a society in which both
developing countries, particularly in the area of
men and women participate actively and
social development. At the International
contribute jointly to social progress.
Conference on Population and Development
In accordance with these policy objectives,
(ICPD), the importance of reproductive health
developed countries should give priority to the
was recognized, and the role of women in
social development field in allocating their
addressing the population issue was
official development assistance (ODA). J apan
highlighted. Japan has already been extending
will focus on the following three areas.
its active cooperation for the support of women
First, Japan gives priority to human
in developing countries, and intends to further
centered social development. At present, the
strengthen its assistance in this field.
1
Social Development Summit
Lawmakers: Population & Social
Development Inseparable
T-1
INHRNnTIONni
MATING OF
PflWH
ON
POPULATION AND SOCIfll O€V'
MnacH
mkiihoo. I,<’
Parliamentarians from around the world
endorsed action to promote social development
by approving the Copenhagen Statement on
Population and Social Development during the
International Meeting of Parliamentarians on
Population and Social Development (IMPPSD).
held at the National Parliament (Folketinget) in
Copenhagen. Denmark, from March 4-5.
Timed prior to the World Summit for Social
Development, the IMPPSD brought together 80
lawmakers from 55 countries and focused on
political commitment to social development.
The event was supported by UNFPA and IPPF.
A similar meeting, the International
Conference of Parliamentarians on
Population and Development (ICPPD)
was held ahead of the International
Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) in September
1994 in Cairo, Egypt.
/A view of the parliamentarians' meeting.
Shin Sakurai, chairman. Asian
Forum of Parliamentarians on Population
and Development (AFPPD). served as president women, participate equally and fully in all
spheres of social, cultural, economic and
of the event and led the Japanese delegation of
political life.
four legislators. The first such national
The document acknowledges the need to
suprapartisan body of lawmakers concerned
promote universal access to education and
with the issues of population and development,
health-care services, including reproductive
the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for
health-care and family planning services
Population (JPFP) was established in
and to promote equal partnership between
1974 by then Prime Minister
men and women in the family, the economy
Nobusuke Kishi.
Summit Insights
and in society.
The federation has been a
The declaration affirms the 20/20 principle
pioneering force both within Asia and
A meeting of the Council on Population
as a useful concept for fighting against poverty
worldwide in fostering political
Education held at JOICFP on April 6 focused on
and in development cooperation and stressed
commitment on these issues. It
the World Summit for Social Development, held in
the importance of building up national capacity,
continues to play an important role in
Copenhagen, Denmark, from March 3-12, and the
both governmental and non-governmental, to
gaining and maintaining support in
NGO Forum, which was
establish a people-centered framework for
Japan for multilateral and bilateral
held concurrently to the
social development. South-South cooperation
assistance to the field of population
summit.
is noted as a means to promote national and
and development.
Reports on the
international cooperation.
In his address on March 4,
procedure and outcome of
Sakurai stressed that the resolution of
the summit were provided
population problems cannot be
by two guest speakers, Jun
achieved without social development.
Nishikawa. professor.
Nishikawa
________ ___
■'While population issues are decisive
Waseda University, and
factors in determining our future, they
Kojiro Takano, director-general, Department of
cannot be forced,” he added.
Multilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign
A message was also read by Dr.
Affairs. The council
Hirofumi Ando, deputy executive
meeting was attended by
’ c'’[A
director, UNFPA on behalf of Dr.
40 people including
Nafis Sadik. executive director,
demographers, experts
UNFPA. Noting the impact of the
from the population field,
ICPPD on the attitudes and support of
government officials and
parliamentarians regarding
the mass media.
Japanese government officials and
population, Sadik’s message said that
Nishikawa explained
Takano
representatives
of Japanese NGOs held a
the post-lCPD challenge is to
the Copenhagen
forum
open
to
international
NGOs on
mobilize resources to realize the goals
Alternative Declaration created by non
March
9
at
the
NGO
Forum.
During the
of the Program of Action adopted at
governmental organizations (NGOs) at the NGO
event,
the
Japanese
officials
responded
the ICPD in Cairo.
Forum and spoke about the action plan that
to questions about Japanese official
Among the key points of the
Japanese NGOs should carry out following the
development assistance (ODA) and
Copenhagen Statement is a
summit. In his presentation. Takano focused on the
provided insights into the Global Issues
recognition of the importance of
role and contribution of the Japanese government
Initiative (GII) on Population and AIDS.
slowing down rapid population
to improve the situation of social development. He
The
meeting was the first of its kind
growth, eradicating poverty,
also provided insights into the speech made by
organized
by the government in
protecting the environment, creating
Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama at the summit.
cooperation
with NGOs.
jobs, and promoting social integration
whereby all people, and in particular
HU
2
JI
JO1CFPNEWS, May 1995
NGOs & GOs
NgOs Develop
Alternative
Declaration
Sixty members of Japanese non
governmental organizations (NGOs) including
JOICFP joined the 10,000 representatives from
2,500 NGOs at the NGO Forum ’95, held in
Holmen, Denmark, from March 3-12. The
event was held during the World Summit for
Social Development.
The forum approved the Copenhagen
Alternative Declaration which discusses the
issue of social development from an NGO
perspective and sets out conditions to realize an
rnative vision of development. The
uucument states that the dominant, neo-liberal
system as a universal model for development
has failed. Noting the burden of debt placed on
many countries, the declaration criticizes the
structural adjustment programs of the World
Bank and International Monetary Fund as
undermining economic and social progress. It
states that Bretton Woods institutions must be
made transparent and accountable to civil
society in both the North and South.
The declaration also calls for a transform
ation of gender relations in which women are
equal participants in the decision-making
Action on International Women's Day.
process. It states women must be guaranteed
sexual and reproductive choice and health.
A highlight of the NGO Forum was the
International Women’s Day activities on March
8. Under the slogan "180 Days/180 Ways —
Women’s Action Campaign ’95,” women
representatives drew attention to the
participation of 180 member states of the UN in
the 4th World Conference on Women to be held
in Beijing, China, in September. The Platform
for Action for Equality, Development and Peace
is to be adopted at the Beijing meeting.
JOICFP NEWS. May 1995
Japan Plans Population Assistance
for Ghana & Senegal
The Japanese government recently sent a
High-level Mission on Economic and Technical
Cooperation to Ghana and Senegal to conduct
policy dialogue on economic cooperation for
the medium and long term. The mission, which
also discussed future orientation of Japanese
cooperation in priority areas, was in Ghana
from February 28 - March 4 and in Senegal
from March 5 - 9. It was led by Kiyoaki
Kikuchi, special assistant to the minister of
foreign affairs and former Japanese ambassador
to the United Nations. The 17-member mission
included representatives of seven government
ministries including the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA).
For Ghana, three priority areas were agreed
upon: basic human needs including water
supply, education, population and AIDS, and
children’s health; agriculture; and roads and
power generation. Three priority areas were
also agreed upon for Senegal: basic human
needs including water supply, education and
primary health care including population and
AIDS; agriculture and fisheries; and the
environment, especially desertification. In the
future, both sides will select projects that will
form the basis of future cooperation.
The mission was a follow-up activity of the
Tokyo International Conference on African
Development held in October 1993 where
priority was given to cooperation in population
and AIDS. Senegal and Ghana are among the
12 priority countries for Japanese assistance
under the government’s Global Issues Initiative
(GII) on Population and AIDS.
For Ghana, the Japanese government is
considering technical cooperation in maternal
and child health/family planning (MCH/FP). A
preliminary study mission followed the
economic mission to study appropriate forms of
assistance. As for HIV/AIDS, the government
will continue its ongoing cooperation with the
Noguchi Memorial Institute in Accra. The
government, which is also studying the
possibility of technical cooperation, will
provide basic MCH kits including
contraceptives in collaboration with UNFPA.
For Senegal, the Japanese government has
not been providing assistance specifically in the
field of population and AIDS. It is now
exploring the possibility of assisting in MCH/
FP and providing technical assistance.
Japanese and local non-governmental
3
organizations
(NGOs) are
already
being
utilized by
the Japan
ese govern
ment under
Kikuchi (left) with President
the GII,
of Ghana Jerry Rawlings.
according
to Masafumi
Kuroki, director. Research and Programming
Division, Economic Cooperation Bureau,
MOFA, who joined the mission. Noting that
JOICFP experts were included in project
formulation missions to Indonesia and the
Philippines, Kuroki said that NGO advisors
would be included in coming missions to other
countries, especially in South Asia.
“We want Japanese NGOs to participate
more actively in the GII especially in concrete
project implementation.” he said. " There are
many Japanese NGOs involved in population/
AIDS and women in development, but not
many are doing concrete activities in develop
ing countries. In the field of population,
JOICFP has been the most active NGO in
implementing projects in developing countries.”
“For population and AIDS especially,
assistance
should
reach
people at
the
community
level. So
providing
assistance
Kikuchi (left) with President
at the
of Senegal Abdou Diouf.
central level
is not
sufficient,” Kuroki said. "NGOs are usually
working at the community level so they could
have an important role in making assistance
reach the people.”
In population assistance, the role of the
NGO and official development assistance at the
local level is important,” he said. “For
population assistance, we have to make the
access to the health facilities easier for people.
So assistance for local health centers, for
example, is more appropriate than hospitals in
big cities.”
Around the World
Messages for
Teens in Brazil
Zambia Takes
Integrated Course
A Japanese expert shared experiences in the
field of adolescent health with personnel of
CMI/PF (Centro Materno-Infantil/Planejamento
Familia) during visits to areas where the
Integrated Project (IP) is being implemented by
CMI/PF, while in Brazil from March 2-16.
Dr. Kunio Kitamura, director, Ichigaya Clinic,
Japan Family Planning Association (JFPA),
toured facilities and spoke to staff promoting
the project, which has been implemented in the
favelas (slums) of Sad Paulo since 1983 by
CMI/PF in cooperation with JOICFP.
The visit was timely for JOICFP and CMI/
PF, which are conducting training programs for
teenagers with funds allocated by the Japanese
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
under the Postal Savings for International
Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) scheme. The
education/motivation activities will focus on
adolescent health including AIDS prevention.
Lavu Mulimba is chairman of the Planned
Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) and
chairperson, Africa and Middle East Region of
Parliamentarians for Population and Develop
ment. During an interview conducted on March
16, he spoke to JOICFP NEWS about his
country's approach to population issues.
For 22 years we implemented a vertical
family planning (FP) program in Zambia. We
have since learned that though about 90% of
Zambia’s population is aware that FP saves and
improves lives, contraception practice is below
15%. So, we have now decided on a new
approach which is based on integrating FP
services into an a comprehensive package —
the supermarket approach. The reason that we
have taken this approach is that we are aware
that we must address the concerns which people
are immediately faced with such as water and
sanitation, and access to education and land.
We have adopted a strategic plan and are
realigning our expenditure priorities, and are
sharpening grass-roots operations to ensure that
we improve service delivery and the quality of
this integrated approach.
The JOICFP Integrated Project (IP)
therefore has become a focus of our new
service delivery: the involvement of the
community, the involvement of schools and the
deworming of local communities and school
children and women’s programs. The
empowerment of women of all ages- including
the young is important since women constitu
the most productive sector at the grass roots.
They produce the food and fetch the water, and
they also produce the children. By involving
women in the new integrated approach we are
better able to address constraints that are
preventing them from practicing FP.
I would like to emphasize the need for
continuing and extending the IP service
delivery mechanisms and programs to cover
more areas in Zambia. We need to train more
staff and to identify more volunteers, more
locals to serve as service providers — not just
for FP but to function as health workers
promoting nutrition and education. We have to
ensure that this approach becomes a way of life.
In this way, we will be participating effectively
in implementing the Cairo Program of Action
and the new directions and the commitments of
the World Summit for Social Development of
Copenhagen.
Dr. Kitamura (right) explains the adoles
cent health situation in Japan.
these programs in changing attitudes of young
people, Brazil has seen an increase in problems
such as unwanted teen pregnancy and illegal
induced abortion. The number of induced
abortions among teenagers is estimated at 1
million annually. This figure has tripled in two
decades, according to research conducted by
Sad Paulo University.
Meanwhile, the total number of illegal
induced abortions conducted in Brazil is
estimated to be as high as 4 million,
extremely high against the country’s
3.6 million births (UNICEF, 1992).
Fight Against AIDS
Among the challenges in the
field of adolescent health education
is the need to close the awareness
gap between teenagers and their
parents who often do not know about
the sexual activity of their offspring.
Experts emphasize that continuous
education is needed not only to
prevent unwanted pregnancy and
abortion, but also STDs including
HIV/AIDS among this group.
Teenagers attend an adolescent health training course
According to recent research,
in Sad Paulo.
AIDS is the major cause of death for
women aged 22 - 35 years and the
second major cause of death for men in the
The focus on adolescents reflects the
priority placed on this age group in the Program same age group. Brazil, the second country to
identify its first AIDS case (1983), has seen the
of Action approved at the International
number of AIDS cases climb to reach a
Conference on Population and Development
cumulative figure of 58,595 in 1994 (including
(ICPD) in Cairo.
deaths). According to unofficial estimates, up
Brazil was one of the first countries to
to 1 % of the population of Sad Paulo State
recognize the importance of educating this
could be HIV positive.
group. The country launched progressive
Against this alarming background, both
programs for teenagers as early as the 1970s to
government and NGOs have joined hands in
open up access to information in such areas as
AIDS-prevention campaigns. According to
sex education and contraception through
local experts, the key to making these activities
various methods including peer counseling and
work will be in education to change the
group training.
attitudes of people.
Despite the significant achievements of
4
JOICFP NEWS. May 1995
I EC Materials
Putting Women in
Picture
The strength and ingenuity that women call
upon to improve the quality of life for
themselves and their families is one of the
messages conveyed by a new series of still-film
videos developed by JOICFP. The three unique
videos in this series show how women remain a
driving force of development in Asia by
highlighting the self-help spirit that pushes the
A husband assists his wife by carrying
water, a task usually performed by women.
community-based movements found in villages
throughout the region.
The Asian Program Photo Video Series was
developed under the UNFPA-supported
Sustainable Community-based Family
Planning/Maternal and Child Health (FP/MCH)
Project with Special Focus on Women. As a
series, the videos provide unique insights into
Women have their photos taken in Nepal.
the distinctly Asian experience of community
organizing and the central role that women play
as a collective force in improving health and
welfare at the grass roots. Women are shown as
agents promoting such activities as FP, MCH.
JOICFP NEWS, May 1995
....
w
oOC^’*'
F''
’
environmental sanitation,
nutrition programs, and as
a united force working
together in income
generation projects to
raise funds for community
development.
For Asian audiences,
the videos reaffirm the
important role that women
Empowering women in Asia is the theme of the third still-film video
in JOICFP’s series.
have always played at the
grass roots. In Japan, the
videos are expected to serve as
an IEC tool to raise awareness of issues such as within the context of a mass, community-based
reproductive health and women’s empowerment movement. The video focuses on the
in developing countries. For non-Asian
experiences of Indonesia, Japan and Nepal.
viewers, the series reveals the effectiveness of
The fourth video in the series is currently
utilizing women’s initiative and reinforcing
under production. The tentative title is
their efforts in the community to raise the level
Adolescent Fertility and the video is expected to
of health and welfare through such activities as
feature the experiences of Bangladesh,
FP/MCH promotion. The videos are effective
Mexico and Thailand. It is scheduled for
for providing insights into Asian experiences in completion before the 4th World Conference on
community-based programs focused on women. Women to be held in Beijing in September.
The still-photo videos were created with an
Please contact JOICFP for information
unusual technique that blends photos taken with about the videos in this series.
a still camera to convey messages with a
powerful effect. The advanced technique of
weaving the beautiful still pictures into a
New Publication
seamless whole gives the impression of moving
pictures and active images. Between 300 and
Sisters of the South is a new book of
600 photos were used for each video, which
photos published by Marval in
vary in lengths of between 15 and
association with UNFPA. The beautiful
20 minutes. The 1,200 photos used
full-color volume features photographs
for the three videos were selected
by acclaimed women photographers
from a total of 15,000 photos. The
Marie Dorigny.
videos are available in English and
Chieko Ishikawa
Japanese.
and Viviane Moos
A New Profile ofAsia, the first
whose work
of the series, portrays community
chronicles the
movements in the six countries of
lives of women in
Bhutan. Indonesia, the Philippines.
Africa, Asia and
Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Latin America.
Health and community development
The powerful
activities are featured in the video.
images depict (he struggles and
Integrated Project, the second
triumphs against the odds of poverty,
video, focuses on the concept of
hard labor and inequality. Sisters of the
JOICFP’s Integrated Project (IP) —
South presents an opportunity for all to
the promotion of humanistic FP
recognize women’s strength and
within a package of integrated components.
ingenuity. The book includes a
The video depicts community-based move
foreword by Dr. Nafis Sadik, executive
ments that have flourished in many Asian
director, UNFPA.
countries. The third video, Empowered Women
in Asia, focuses on the issue of quality of care
5
In the News
Women at the Front-line in
Philippines
Considerable progress has been made in the
two project areas of Balayan and Malvar of
Batangas Province in the Philippines where the
UNFPA-supported Sustainable Community
based Family Planning/Maternal and Child
Health (FP/MCH) Project with Special Focus
on Women is being implemented. One of the
mosfsignificant achievements of the project has
been the success in encouraging the
participation of women volunteers, mainly
community volunteer health workers (CVHWs)
and women leaders of the Samahang
Batanguena, a women’s organization.
A major objective of the project has been to
build on the potential of women as key agents
for project promotion at the barangay (village)
Fukuda Turns 90
Takeo Fukuda, former prime
minister of Japan and current president
of JOICFP, celebrated his 90th birthday
with a large reception party on March
16 in Tokyo. The 3,000 guests were
drawn from all walks of life and
included Prime Minister Tomiichi
Murayama and other former prime
ministers.
In an
address to
the guests,
Fukuda
stressed
that
politicians
have a duty
to ensure
that there
will be a
future for
Fukuda
humankind.
He urged all those in attendance to work
to create a better world for future
generations in the 21st century.
Fukuda will serve as the honorary
chairman of the Inter-Action Council
meeting to be held from May 23 - 26 in
Tokyo. The meeting will focus on such
issues as balancing population growth
and food supply.
M
j',.
I'
u
1'
level by providing training and
conducting motivational activities.
At present, there are 285 CVHWs in
Balayan and 151 CVHWs in Malvar.
In the past year, over 300 CVHWs
and women leaders were trained in
community organizing and
The community volunteer health worker in Tarlac demon
interpersonal communication skills
strates
water sampling procedure using guava leaves.
in the area of FP/MCH. These
women now serve as a driving force
behind mothers’ classes on FP/MCH at
personnel have since requested an opportunity
the barangay level.
to tour the Batangas project areas to learn from
In December 1994, 15 CVHWs were
their experience.
selected as outstanding volunteers from the
The project is currently assisting two areas
three rural health units (RHUs) in the two
to
set
up a
municipalities in recognition of their work and
community
commitment. Five were chosen from the unit in
based
Malvar and five each from the two units in
monitoring
Balayan. Each volunteer was presented with a
system with the
plaque and provided with a reconditioned
bicycle donated by the Municipal Coordinating help of
volunteers to
Committee for Overseas Bicycle Assistance
assist health
(MCCOBA) through JOICFP to use for health
personnel in
activities in their communities.
To further boost the work of the volunteers, monitoring
activities to
a study tour was organized to enable the
collect data to
exchange experiences with personnel of a
A Balayan participant
guide service
receives a certificate of
model area in Tarlac in collaboration with the
provision.
attendance in Tarlac.
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Volunteers are
(JICA). Aimed at improving the skills in
presently being
community organizing and management of
trained and the system is expected to be launch
livelihood activities, the study team comprised
ed
in June this year.
outstanding volunteers, women leaders and key
health personnel who were in Tarlac from
February 28 - March 1.
Groundwork Laid for
The main focus of the tour was to observe
activities and exchange information with
Inter-Action Council
project personnel to assist with action plan
“Challenge to balance population
development. The Batangas team was
growth
and food supply” was the theme of
particularly impressed with the leadership role
a
high-level
group meeting of the Inter
that the midwife has played for the past 11
Action Council held in Tokyo on May 10
years in meeting people’s needs and promoting
and 11. It was chaired by Malcolm
health through the project’s Primary Health
Fraser, former prime minister of
Care Committee. Another area of interest was
Australia, and attended by 14 participants.
the different fund-raising and livelihood
The meeting focused on developing a
projects conducted under the project in Tarlac.
set
of
recommendations concerning
The visitors were introduced to such activities
population
growth and food supply to
as pig raising, cultivation of medicinal herbs
present
to
the
Inter-Action Council to be
and toilet construction. The team was also
held
in
Tokyo
from May 23 -26. The May
impressed by a community drug insurance
meeting
will
be
the 13th council session
scheme set up in Tarlac.
and
the
second
to
be held in Japan.
The tour stimulated personnel of both
Tarlac and Batangas. The Tarlac project
6
JOICFPNEWS, May 1995
In the News
Joined by a Thread
A joint effort by school students, volunteers
and local governments in Japan resulted in a
shipment of 119 reconditioned treadle sewing
machines to Tanzania on February 28. The
sewing machines, which reached Dar es Salaam
tiiii
i A W1SL
(UMATI)in
areas where the
Integrated
Project (IP) is
implemented to
support income
generation and
vocational
training
organized
through
mothers’ clubs.
Space
between the
sewing machines
within the
Students of Takasago Primary School in Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, stand together
shipping
with a Janome mechanic.
container
was
Janome mechanics recondition the sewing
utilized to send
machines before shipment.
1,000 notebooks donated by Toshima City,
Takasago Primary School (6); Ochiai Dai San
Tokyo, and 15,000 pencils donated by Arakawa Primary School (5); and Ikebukuro High School
at the beginning of April, will be utilized by the City, Tokyo. The stationery goods will be used
of Commerce (1).
Family Planning Association of Tanzania
The donation of sewing machines, which
to support nursery and primary schools in IP
are repaired free of charge by Janome Sewing
areas. Shipment costs, the
Machine Co., Ltd., has caught the public eye in
biggest obstacle to
Japan and helped create awareness of the
donations of this kind,
NGOs Briefed on Aid Schemes
situation in developing countries and stimulate
were covered by the
Showa Foundation, which
support for these countries.
Eighty representatives of Japanese non-governmental
donated ¥1.5 million
organizations (NGOs) from all sectors were briefed on
(US$15,300 at an
JOICfFP ‘Women s OTeaJth and Status Series
NGO-supporting schemes and the Japanese government’s
exchange rate of ¥98 to
assistance plan for fiscal 1995 (April 1, 1995 - March 31,
A New Animated Film
$1), and by donations of
1996) during a meeting held in Tokyo on March 30. An
¥500,000 (US$5,100)
annual event, the meeting was organized by the Non
from the Japanese public
12 min., Color/English, Hindi, Bengali, Nepali
governmental Organizations Assistance Division, Ministry of
collected through the
Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
JOICFP Fund.
The meeting was attended by officials of government
The majority of the
ministries involved in assistance to NGOs. The officials
sewing machines (50)
included representatives of MOFA, the Ministry of
were donated by the
Construction, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and
Volunteers of Towada to
Environment Agency.
Support JOICFP, a small
During the meeting, Hiroshi Hirabayashi, directorgroup led by Osamu
Education is a key to improving the health and
general, Economic Cooperation Bureau, MOFA, commented
Ogawa. After reading
status of women. The process of change begins
that the partnership between government and NGOs working
about the scheme in a
with learning how to read and write. As women
to improve the welfare of people should be strengthened. He
use these skills to earn money, they gain the power
newspaper. Ogawa
to make decisions for a better future.
said the Japanese government is willing to increase
coordinated the donations
RAKHEE AND MAUSEE is a joint Indian-Japanese
assistance to NGOs both at home and abroad.
production and part of the women's health and
of eight schools and the
status series of animated films. The theme is early
A report on progress of the Postal Savings for
local government of
marriage and the story concerns 14-year-old
International Voluntary Aid (POS1VA) scheme was provided
RAKHEE whose fate is changed by an independent
Towada City, Aomori
woman called MAUSEE.
by an official of the Ministry of Posts and
Prefecture, to support
Telecommunications. Now in its fifth year, the scheme has
Distributed by
JOICFP. The rest of the
Sakura Motion Picture Co., Ltd.
flourished with the number of account holders expanding to
machines were donated by
Yoyogi Center Bldg , 57-1 Yoyogi 1-chome
Shibuyo-ku, Tokyo 151, Jopon
reach 16.63 million as of February 1995 and awareness of
Taishido Junior High
Tel. 81 ■3-33206311/Fox: 8I-3-332O7666
NGO activities increasing among the Japanese public.
School (37); Toshima City
16mm-VTR (Beta, VHS/NTSC, PAL, SECAM)
(12); Arakawa City (8);
I
_n-*
'■ r-?5
>
RAKHEE and MAUSEE
JOICFP NEWS, May 1995
7
VOICE OF VOICES
By Chojiro Kunii
Inspired by a Dream
In the grim years immediately after the war,
most Japanese did not know how they could cam a
living. I had been demobilized from military service
and was at a loss as to the direction my life should
4
ANNOUNCEMENT
i-
adolescent women’s health; and to propose concrete
action toward the Fourth World Conference on
Women in Beijing for the promotion of adolescent
women’s health.
Organizers: APROFAM, UNFPA. IPPF and JOICFP
Participants: Representatives of governments and
NGOs from the Latin America and Caribbean region.
Note: Self-funded observers are welcome.
IEC Workshop on Adolescent
Women’s Health
Date: July 19-21, 1995
Venue: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Theme & objectives: To develop IEC strategics on
DIARY
take. Il was a desperate situation and while talking
with my wife I decided that 1 had to come up with
proposals to help people.
As it turns out, I came up with a workable idea
quite easily. The idea was to motivate women to
cam money by making clothes with sewing
machines. My wife agreed to the idea and began
persuading women around us to accept the plan. We
began activities with one of the units for women in
the cooperative movement of which 1 was involved.
As the idea spread, groups of war widows joined the
activities and Prince Takamatsu, the younger brother
of the late Emperor Showa, offered us rooms to use
for workshops. The story of the widows earning
money from sewing spread and more women joined
the activities.
Listening to my wife and her colleagues talk
about their work inspired me. I realized how easy it
was for people to devote themselves to work if they
were rewarded financially.
The women of the sewing circle divided their
work according to their talents. Some specialized in
sewing, some focused on attracting women to join
their work, while other more outgoing members
made the rounds of shops to sell the goods and gain
new orders. The women’s groups became widely
known and some expert dressmakers honed their
skills through these activities.
I wished these women well and dreamed that the
groups would strengthen their organization and
increase production. As for me, I explored my own
path. My goal was to realize my own drcam, a
drcam that began with a simple idea.
O
o
o Forum while in Copenhagen, Denmark, from
- Yasuyuki Mori, representative, JICA Jordan
o
Office, visited JOICFP on Feb. 22 to exchange
Mar. 2- 15
o - Dr. Kunio Kitamura. director. IchigayaClinic,
information.
() Japan Family Planning Association, and Program
- Saad Raheem Sheikh, director, Asia and the
o Officer Ryoichi Suzuki, visited Brazil from Mar. 2
Pacific Division, UNFPA, visited JOICFP for
() - 16 to provide technical assistance to IP
discussions while in Japan from Feb. 21 -24.
() personnel and for project monitoring.
- A seven-member mission from the Taicang IP
Center, China, was in Japan from Feb. 20 - Mar. 1 o - Lavu Mulimba. chairman, Planned Parenthood
(b Association of Zambia (PPAZ). and chairman,
to study mass health examination and education
() Africa and M iddlc East Region of
activities of NGOs.
O Parliamentarians for Population and
- Program Officer Yukio Honma was in China
from Mar. 5 - 10 to prepare the launch of the 5th O Development, visited JOICFP, the Ministry of
O Foreign Affairs and Toshima City to exchange
cycle of the IP.
information while in Japan from Mar. 13-18. He
- Tomoko lida and Masako Yamaguchi,
midwives from Japan, provided technical
() later visited Indonesia to study the FP program as
assistance to health personnel of the IP while in
o part of a Soulh-to-Soulh cooperation activity
Vietnam from Feb. 24 - Mar. 12. They were
o coordinated by JOICFP.
accompanied by JOICFP Program Officer Sumie
o - Program Officer Ryoko Nishida monitored the
Ishii and staff member Mariko Honma.
Philippine project from Mar. 12-21.
o
- V. M. Melendez Colindres. chief. Hospital
- Chang Zhongxuan, standing vice president,
o Division, Ministry of Health. Honduras, attended
China Family Planning Association, visited
o a onc-day FP seminar al JOICFP on Mar. 31.
JOICFP on Mar. 13 to exchange information on
o
-Eloine De Alencar, associate professor,
the China IP.
- Michio O/aki, councilor. JOICFP, attended the o Pernambuco Slate University, Brazil, attended a
World Summit for Social Development and NGO C) one-day FP seminar at JOICFP on April 5.
o
Japan Extends Loan
to Grameen Bank
The Japanese government recently extended a
yen loan of ¥2.9 billion (US$30 million al an
exchange rate of ¥98 to $ 1) to the Grameen Bank of
Bangladesh for womcn-in-dcvclopmcnt projects.
The bank, which was founded by its current
managing director, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has
become a powerful force for empowering women in
Bangladesh. One of its key activities has been the
provision of loans to women to set up small
enterprises. The unique decision of the Japanese
government to provide a loan to the non
governmental bank is seen as an endorsement of the
work of the bank al the grassroots.
Correction
Incorrect information was included in the
article on Ghana on page 2 of the April issue
(No. 250) of JOICFP NEWS. According to a
recent survey, the correct infant mortality rate
is 82 per 1,000 live births and its mortality
rale for children under 5 is 132 per 1,000 live
births. The maternal mortality rale is 214 per
100,000 live births. We regret the error.
New Executive Director
II
Yasuo Kon, 67, was promoted to the position of executive director
of JOICFP on March 28. Kon, who formerly held the post of deputy
executive director of JOICFP, also holds the posts of executive director
of both the Family Planning Federation of Japan (FPFJ) and Japan
Family Planning Association (JFPA). His promotion was approved by
JOICFP’s board of directors al a meeting held on March 28. A family
planning (FP) pioneer, Kon joined JOICFP in September 1988 to assume
the position of deputy executive director. Kon first became involved in
the FP movement in 1954 and brought rich experiences from domestic
and international activities to JOICFP.
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:
Kon
8
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, May 1995
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