JOICFP NEWS NO. 252 JUNE 1995.pdf
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No. 252 June 1995
ISSN 0911-0755
JOICFP NEWS
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Innovative Campaign Strengthens Ruppert'
Network in Japan
Prepaid card campaign draws
remarkable response of
pport throughout Japan for
international assistance
A JOICFP domestic campaign to collect
used prepaid cards for sale has generated
considerable funds for developing countries and
spread the word in Japan about the work of
organizations such as UNFPA and IPPF in the
population and family planning field. The total
number of cards collected by the end of April
was over 4 million worth an estimated ¥33.2
million (US$338,000 at an exchange rate of ¥98
to US$1). Through the JOICFP Voluntary Fund
(JVF), the money is being used to raise health
and improve the way of life at the grass roots in
developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin
America by assisting the promotion of
JOICFP’s Integrated Project (IP).
The campaign, which covers all 47
prefectures of Japan, has also attracted widead media coverage to draw even more
support for the campaign and spread awareness
of the needs
of people in
developing
countries.
The prepaid
cards, which
are used for
trains,
highway fees
Used prepaid cards.
and public
telephones,
feature attractive designs and settings in Japan
and other countries, and are mostly sold
overseas where they are coveted by collectors.
The campaign has caught the eye of the
public by showing people what just one used
prepaid card (worth approximately 5 - 6 US
cents) will buy to promote health in a
developing country. For instance, JOICFP
conveys that with one card, a new razor blade
can be purchased for cutting an umbilical cord
during delivery to
promote safe
motherhood. Another
reason for the
campaign’s appeal is that
it does not solicit funds
directly from people, but
encourages them to do
something positive for
others by sending in
cards that they use
almost every day and
discard.
Each donor who
sends in a card receives a
thank you from JOICFP
Volunteers count used prepaid cards donated to JOICFR
and information about
activities, a gesture that
helps maintain the impetus
Japan FM Network Broadcasting Association of
of the scheme. A team of 18 volunteers now
assists with the counting of cards and
33 FM radio stations developed a nationwide
publicity campaign for six months from last
correspondence with donors.
October, and other radio stations and both
Launched in August 1993, the campaign
national and local newspapers have regularly
has also attracted a wide support network of
featured the campaign. In addition, companies
businesses, educational and medical
such as Taito Corporation, one of Japan’s
institutions, workers’ unions, and the media.
leading amusement parlor companies, have
Organizations such as the Lions Club, Lioness
created posters to publicize the campaign. The
Club and Rotary Club have given their support
attention the campaign has drawn has enabled
to the scheme. Even the National Social
JOICFP to deepen understanding of its
Welfare Council with over 3,300 offices in
activities and those of UNFPA and IPPF, and
every town and city in Japan is supporting the
widen the support network domestically.
campaign, a move that gives JOICFP a
The prepaid card campaign adds another
powerful endorsement as a trustworthy
dimension to JOICFP’s cooperative activities.
organization in Japan.
JOICFP already has strong links with local
Within communities and organizations, the
governments through the donations of
campaign has had positive spin-off effects for
reconditioned bicycles and other items by the
other aspects of JOICFP’s activities. After
Municipal Coordinating Committee for
contributing to the campaign and receiving
Overseas Bicycle Assistance (MCCOBA) and is
materials about JOICFP, a group in Aomori
working closely with the Ministry of Foreign
Prefecture recently donated 50 treadle sewing
Affairs to implement the Global Issues
machines which were sent to Tanzania to assist
income generation.
Initiative (GII) on Population and AIDS. By
One of the keys to the success of the project establishing close ties with the public and
has been the free advertising that has been
media, JOICFP is creating a solid support
provided by the media and businesses. The
network for international assistance activities.
1
Global Issues Initiative
Active NGO Role in GH
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of
Japan has already shown its commitment to
carve out an active role for non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in the implementation of
both directly and indirectly, to
developing countries. Japan
has targeted a sum of US$3
billion in official development
assistance (ODA) for the
GII for the period covering
fiscal years 1994 - 2000.
Based on in-country
surveys and the review of
collected data and
The report notes adolescent health as a key area for Mexico.
information in the three
A, - ko-V
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Jj countries, JOICFP compiled
reports which were submitted to MOFA in
the Japanese government based on the review
April. The documents are intended to
needs and priorities.
provide the Japanese government with
The recommendations were made under
constructive recommendations for effective
four principal strategies: adoption of a
Women receive health education, an area
assistance in population and AIDS.
comprehensive approach or sector approach;
noted as important for Ghana.
The surveys were carried out in the three
emphasis on reproductive health including
countries between October 1994 and March
adolescents; promotion of South-to-South
the Global Issues Initiative (GII) on Population
1995. JOICFP received collaboration and
collaboration; and involvement of NGOs.
and AIDS by involving them in initial activities. assistance from UNFPA Country Support
The report makes a summary of the
JOICFP recently completed situation analysis
Teams in Addis Ababa and in Dakar and
principal strategies into five items common to
surveys entrusted by MOFA in Mexico, Ghana
UNFPA country offices in Mexico, Ghana and
all three countries: collaboration and
and Senegal, three of 12 GII priority countries.
Senegal. The reports mainly deal with the
coordination with other donor countries/
Under the GH, the Japanese government is
situation analyses of population and AIDS.
agencies; involvement of NGOs; emphasis on
to provide assistance in population and AIDS,
However, as for Ghana and Senegal, they also
human resource development; promotion of
review the situation of
IEC activities; and improvement of grassroots
• ••••••• children’s health,
health centers and AIDS-related facilities, the
* especially the immuni
provision of basic medical equipment and
GII Progress Update
zation program, since this
supplies, and training programs.
area is included under the
The surveys noted three areas for
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) officials from the
Common Agenda in the
consideration for effective implementation of
Bureau of Economic Cooperation discussed progress of the
Japan-U.S. Economic
the GII. In identifying the first area, collaboi,
Japanese government’s Global Issues Initiative (GII) on
Framework Talks.
tion with and full utilization of experts and
Population and AIDS with 30 representatives of Japanese
The focus of the
agencies outside of Japan, JOICFP notes the
NGOs at a Tokyo meeting on April 17. The fourth
situation analyses for all
necessity of Japan to collaborate with outside
government-NGO meeting on the GII organized by MOFA,
three countries was to
experts familiar with local situation and issues.
the event focused on NGO involvement in all official
review issues of
The second area, development of expertise
development assistance
population and AIDS in
within Japan, reflects the limited numbers of
(ODA) processes under all
the overall national
agencies and experts capable of dealing with
the areas covered by the
development planning; to
such activities in Japan. To remedy this
GII such as planning,
analyze the situation of
situation, JOICFP suggests expanding existing
implementation,
population, AIDS and
government training courses, full utilization of
monitoring and evaluation.
children's health (except
NGO expertise, involvement of ex-specialists
The MOFA officials
in Mexico) and to review
from UN agencies and former Japan Overseas
also announced the
current issues and needs in Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV).
schedule for project formulation missions to countries
the implementation of
In identifying the third area, coordination
designated as priority countries under the GII. The officials
population and AIDS
with concerned agencies within Japan, JOICFP
noted that NGOs will be involved in two of the missions, one
programs; to review
points out the desirability of coordination with
to Bangladesh in June and one to India and Pakistan in
existing bilateral and
other concerned government agencies since the
autumn. JOICFP will participate in the Bangladesh mission.
multilateral assistance;
GII includes indirect assistance related to
The other scheduled mission to the Philippines and Indonesia
and to provide
population. The regular meeting between
in July is a follow-up to a previous mission.
recommendations for
MOFA and NGOs concerned with the GII was
possible interventions for
noted as a big step forward.
rr
2
JOICFP NEWS, June 1995
In the News
Focusing on Reproductive Health
for Adolescents
Ahead of the 4th World Conference on
Women to be held in Beijing, China, in
September, JOICFP is focusing its lens on
reproductive health issues for adolescents with
a still-photo video featuring adolescent women
in Bangladesh, Thailand and Mexico. A
JOICFP film crew was in Bangladesh from
April 22 - May 2 and Thailand from May 2-15
to shoot photos for the films. The team is
scheduled to visit Mexico from June 29 - July 7
H LJl#i-
On location in Bangladesh.
for the same activity.
Bangladesh was chosen for the South Asia
segment to highlight the issue of early
'rriage. During its stay in Bangladesh, the
..m captured on film the daily life of one
couple living in a rural area. The couple, a 14year-old wife and 20-year-old husband, was
married when the wife was 13, before the onset
of menstruation.
After marrying into her husband’s family,
Moni, has been working to serve and feed her
husband’s large extended family. She was
introduced to the concept of reproductive health
by the Family Planning Association of
Bangladesh (FPAB), the local implementing
agency of the UNFPA-supported Sustainable
Community-based Family Planning/Maternal
and Child Health (FP/MCH) Project with
Special Focus on Women executed by JOICFP
The FPAB works to empower women
through a “human dynamics” approach. The
organization encourages women like Moni who
marry young into a powerless existence of
servility, and early and frequent childbirth, to
join other women in activities aimed at
improving health and raising economic status.
JOICFP NEWS, June 1995
Dubbed the “silent revolution,” the
collective movement of women involved in
income-generation, FP/MCH and related
health-care activities is having a marked
impact on rural women’s health and status.
In Thailand, the film crew focused on
the life of a former commercial sex worker
taking part in an occupational skill
development training scheme promoted by
the Population and Community
Development Association (PDA).
The adolescent was one of the
estimated 150,000 women, mostly
teenagers from extremely poor
rural backgrounds, working in the
sex industry in Thailand. In
Bangkok alone, there is an estimated
44,000 women working as commercial
sex workers in 1,500 establishments.
The film crew captured her new life as
a leader of teenagers in the village
working to change attitudes and the
fate of similar young women.
The PDA scheme is aimed at
improving the health and raising the
IcPD Follow-up
for Donors
The Donor Workshop on Implementing
Reproductive Health Programs will be held
from June 12 - 14 in New York as a follow-up
activity of the International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD), held in
Cairo in 1994. The meeting will focus on how
to bring the reproductive health approach to
family planning (FP) programs, one of the
resolutions of the ICPD Program of Action.
The meeting, hosted by the Overseas
Development Administration (ODA) of the
U.K. and U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) and organized by the
Population Council, will be attended by
representatives of DAC member countries.
According to Population Council President
Margaret Catley-Carlson. the meeting will
consider such issues as assessing the
3
Moni, a 14-year-old, was a bride at 13.
status of young rural women by assisting them
to train in skills that can be applied to earn
income and avoid the health hazards associated
with the sex industry.
The Mexican segment of the film will focus
on teen pregnancy and the innovative efforts
being made by the Mexican Foundation for
Family Planning (MEXFAM) in the area of
education and health care for adolescents.
reproductive health status of women in different
countries to look for common problems;
orienting FP services to clients; determining
reproductive health implications of FP methods;
and handling STDs and HIV/AIDS.
The meeting,
which is expected
to help provide
donor countries
with a better idea of
how to assist
developing
countries in the
field of
reproductive health,
Catley-Carlson
should help spread
the idea of repro
ductive health in donor
countries holding seminars and workshops.
Senior JOICFP Program Officer Kiyoko
Ikegami was requested to attend as an
advisor to the Japanese government delegation
at the meeting.
In the News
South-South Initiative Takes Off
Two members of a South-South
collaboration team from Indonesia spoke to a
JOICFP mission in Ghana on April 26. Dr.
Pudjo Rahardjo and Jasmi Kamil of the
International Population & Family Planning
Training Center, National Family Planning
Coordination Board (BKKBN) of Indonesia,
provided an outline of the South-South initiative
and spoke about its objectives in Ghana,
Malawi and Tanzania. The two experts from
Indonesia were assisted during their mission by
Wilma H. Goppel, consultant of South-South
Cooperation, UNFPA. Below are highlights of
the interview.
South-South collaboration in population
and development was initiated by Dr. Haryono
Suyono, state minister for population,
Indonesia, and chairman of BKKBN. He
became the first chairman of “Partners in
Population and Development; a South-South
Initiative,” the new name for South-South
collaboration.
The South-South initiative, whereby the
North and South are working together in
population and development, actually began
after the International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo
in 1994. The founding partners launched the
program under the auspices of UNFPA and
major donors including Japan.
This mission is a follow-up of the tripartite
agreement for assisting these countries
established among Indonesia, UNFPA and the
government of the Netherlands. It is an
orientation mission for assessing needs.
In terms of collaboration, Indonesia is first
offering these countries observation study tours
(OSTs) which consist of 15% of classes and
briefings, 70% of field experience and
observation, and 15% of workshops.
Secondly, Indonesia is offering internship
programs whereby field personnel can benefit
from on-the-job training. The third modality
we are offering is technical assistance — not
A woman receives FP advice in Indonesia, a
pioneer of South-South cooperation.
for us to teach them — but to collaborate in
such areas as the planning of policies and the
drawing up of operational plans. This is not f
national level policy. We are only assisting in
the implementation and the approaches.
UNFPA’s role is very significant. The
major donors like Japan have established trust
funds with UNFPA for South-South
collaboration. With these funds, UNFPA and
recipient and provider countries in the South
will organize the collaboration that is needed.
upporting Self-help Efforts
A JOICFP mission was in The Gambia
from April 17 - 23 to discuss the three-year plan
for the Integrated Project (IP). The discussions
focused on strengthening community
participation in the project. The team also
spoke with government officials who expressed
strong support for the self-help efforts
encouraged under the project.
One of these was Coumba Caesay
Marenah, minister of health, social welfare and
women’s affairs, who praised the work of the
Gambia Family
Planning Association
(GFPA), the IP
executing agency.
Marenah, former
director of the Women’s
Bureau and a volunteer
of GFPA, called the
Marenah
GFPA a pioneer of
family planning (FP)
promotion in The Gambia and noted that the
organization was initially the only body
promoting FP services in The Gambia. She
said the GFPA influenced the government to
integrate social development and FP activities.
The GFPA is one of the strongest non
governmental organizations (NGOs) in The
Gambia where NGOs play an important role in
providing services in areas the government
cannot reach, she said. Noting the importance
of stimulating community participation in
activities, Marenah said people must take
initiative to raise the quality of their own lives.
Marenah also commented that the
reconditioned bicycles provided to health-care
personnel under the project have been
extremely useful. JOICFP, through the
donation of bicycles by the Municipal
Coordinating Committee for Overseas Bicycle
Assistance (MCCOBA), was the first
organization to provide bicycles. The donation
stimulated a need within the health-care field
and UNICEF has since initiated bicycle
provision for village health workers, she said.
Ghana
The JOICFP mission was also in Ghana
from April 23 - 28, where it discussed the
project plan, construction of a clinic in
Bontrease village and the monitoring of support
provided under the Japanese Ministry of Posts
4
CBD training in progress.
and Telecommunications’ Postal Savings for
International Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) scheme.
One of the most recent developments of the
IP, executed by the Planned Parenthood
Association of Ghana (PPAG), was the training
of 15 community-based distributors (CBDs) in
March. The CBDs, which have begun
providing services in new project areas, were
provided with a first aid box and contraceptive
supply. Members of the local steering
committee expressed their intention to support
the CBDs to ensure smooth project promotion.
Meanwhile, construction of the Bontrease
clinic is expected to be completed within June.
Preparations are being made for the opening
and to ensure that the clinic is well managed
and supported by the efforts of the community.
JOICFP NEWS, June 1995
China
China Project to Expand
Dr. Peng Yu, vice minister of the State
Family Planning Commission (SFPC), and
chairperson of the National Steering Committee
of the Integrated Project (IP), endorsed the
approach of the project during a seminar held in
Beijing, China, from March 7 - 9.
“The Integrated Project (IP) is well suited
to the situation of China. It is helping to realize
the recommendations of the World Summit on
Social Development
held this year in
Copenhagen in terms of
economic development,
eliminating poverty and
satisfying such basic
needs as health,
education and safe
Peng
drinking water. The
project promotes
reproductive health
rather than merely controlling population, in
line with the resolution of the International
Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD) of Cairo in 1994,” she said.
Peng added that one of the advantages of
the IP is that stresses the concept of integrating
family planning (FP) with total health-care
services. The project also emphasizes benefits
for the people and the importance of attaining
service self-reliance, she said. International
A ceremony was held in Shanghai
on April 13 to formalize collaboration
between the Japan Family Planning
Association (JFPA) and the Shanghai
Family Planning Commission in the
field of reproductive health including
sex education and adolescent health.
The event was attended by 230 people
including representatives of both
organizations, the Shanghai Family
Planning Association as well as district
and county-level FP associations,
pharmacists and the mass media.
JOICFP NEWS, June 1995
assistance provided to the project should only
be seen as an opportunity to work towards selfreliance, she stressed.
Peng was one of seven lecturers at the
seminar. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA program officer
for China, also spoke at the event. The seminar
was held in preparation for the launch of the
fifth cycle of the project and was attended by
18 participants from the nine provinces and
autonomous regions. The project will be
expanded in the fifth cycle to cover 26 areas
within 22 provinces and autonomous regions.
During the seminar, the National IP
Steering Committee recommended that an IP
center similar to the one in Taicang City be
established in each project area. The center,
which would be established with the support of
>4 view of the seminar.
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and
IPPF, would serve as a model for other areas.
The Taicang IP Center, managed by the Taicang
Family Planning Association, receives support
from the Postal Savings for International
Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) allocated by the
Japanese Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications.
Mass Approach for Self-reliance
Representatives of the IP from eight areas
in six provinces in China learned practical
strategies including the use of mass parasite
control (PC) to achieve the self-reliance of
health-care activities during a seminar held at
the IP Center in Taicang from March 24 - 30.
The national-level Parasite Control Seminar on
Technical Aspects for Promotion of the IP in
China, brought together 43 staff of the project.
It was supported with funds allocated by the
Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecom
munications under the Postal Savings for
International Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) scheme.
The 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.
A team of Japanese experts was in China
from March 18-31 and joined the seminar to
provide technical assistance. Participants also
viewed the fee-charging system utilized by the
Taicang IP Center for PC activities. The center
covers all primary to junior high school
students in Taicang City with PC activities.
The center’s achievements are remarkable
for a non-governmental organization (NGO) in
China. Working in collaboration with the
Family Planning Bureau, the center provides
full parasite examination and treatment, rather
5
than the sampling examination approach
implemented in other areas by health bureaus.
The Japanese team also visited the second
phase IP area of Jiangning County in Nanjing
City, Jiangsu Province, from March 18-21.
The IP, which was launched in two townships in
1987, was expanded to cover 12 townships in
1994 and a population of almost half a million
people. There is
now a plan to
expand the project
countywide to
cover all 23
townships by 1996.
The team noted
that the concept of
People wait for
involving commu
health checkups.
nity people directly
in the implemen
tation of the project has been well accepted.
The team observed new residential areas with
sanitary toilets and clean water supplies and
viewed health education at a junior high school.
The visit enabled the team to observe the
use of a mobile health-care van donated by the
Preventive Health Service Association of Chiba
Prefecture in 1991. The van. which offers
health checkups on a fee-charged basis, also
provides IEC activities. Traveling both within
and outside IP areas, the van screened 111,000
people between 1991 - 1994.
Around the World
Nepal Project Moves Ahead
as Grass-roots Force
A JOICFP mission in Nepal from April 2 14 laid the groundwork for a National IEC
Workshop and National Workshop to be held
November 14-16 and November 19-21,
respectively. Materials are now being collected
from non-governmental organizations, the
government and international agencies ahead of
the IEC workshop to enable participants and
experts to
determine the
most effective
approaches for
family planning
(FP) promotion.
The mission
also smoothed
arrangements for
Volunteer supplies.
an external
evaluation to be
conducted this year of the UNFPA-supported
Community-based Sustainable Family
Planning/Maternal and Child Health (MCH)
Project with Special Focus on Women. Another
aspect of the mission was discussion on the
production of the Nepali version of the video
Rakhee and Mausee, and plans
for the utilization of ¥1.09
million (US$ 11,122 at ¥98 for
US$1) JOICFP Voluntary
Fund (JVF) generated by the
collection and sale of used
prepaid cards in Japan.
The mission also observed
refresher training for 135
women volunteers from 15
Participants of the refresher training provided for project
villages in Panchkhal, Kavre
volunteers in Panchkhal.
District, conducted by
resource person and project
consultant, Sabatri Basnet. The
study team from Panchkhal also recently visited
workers received supplies and items for FP/
a community-development project of the FP
MCH promotion and outstanding individuals
association in a neighboring area.
were awarded for the contribution to FP/MCH
One of the outcomes of the mission was the
activities. The JOICFP mission paid a visit to
decision to formulate technical support for both
the community-based primary health-care unit
project areas of Panchkhal and Sunsari to
of Anaikot and met with the village health
provide training, provision of quality service,
committee and women volunteers.
A positive development in the project is the and a referral institute for patients.
The most relevant persons were recruited to
coordination achieved with the other activities
be members of the technical support group for
of the Family Planning Association of Nepal
and women volunteers to diffuse FP/MCH
each area.
Working with Dominican Youth
Milqueya Fortes, vice president, Family
Planning Association of the Dominican
Republic (PROFAMILIA), and president,
Dominican Pharmaceutical Industry
Association (INFADOMI), spoke to JOICFP
NEWS on April II about her organization.
Below is an outline of the interview.
In the Dominican Republic, a large
percentage of the population is very young. We
therefore understand that it is necessary to work
with young people. They need orientation on
such issues as sexual life, reproduction and
male responsibility. It is important that our
young people do not begin sexual life too early.
Pregnancy that occurs at a too early stage
interferes with health. It is impossible for a
young woman to have good health if pregnancy
is too early. A young woman cannot finish her
studies if she becomes pregnant and once she
leaves school she has narrower opportunities to
improve her educational level.
Therefore, young people need knowledge.
They need to know how to take care of their
health and need proper knowledge about their
bodies and about life. They need to understand
the importance of good health and education.
Our association has innovative programs
for young people. We provide education in this
field and we also work in the area of AIDS
prevention. Our principal goals now concern
adolescents. We understand that we need to
educate and provide orientation to young
people because these are the people who will
take care of the following generations.
The PROFAMILIA Council is made up of
people from different professions which allows
us to discuss and analyze issues from different
points of view. We have an active organization
of volunteers and hold workshops on various
issues. We recently held a workshop on sexual
health and reproduction. It is important that we
have a clear philosophy about our job working
6
as volunteers.
PROFAMILIA
has a good
reputation in
the Dominican
Republic
because we
have been doing
a pioneering job
at many levels.
Fortes
We recently
established a new
clinic for men and have two clinics for women
belonging to PROFAMILIA. We also have
agreements with more than 100 private clinics
that deal with different clinical contraceptive
methods, especially the IUD. We are also
engaged in social marketing. We have
agreements with companies and sell the con
traceptive pill, condoms and others at different
levels of society lower than retail.
Our organization has changed because
times have changed and all things need to
evolve according to the times and the needs of
the people.
JOICFP NEWS, June 1995
Japan
Japan Sees Drop in Children
The number of children in Japan aged 14
years or younger this year was the lowest on
record since World War II, according to a
survey released by the Management and
Coordination Agency. As of April 1, Japan had
a total of 20.2 million children under 15, a drop
of 390,000 from 1994.
According to the figures, children now
make up 16.1% of the country’s population,
slightly lower than the 16.3% share that
children have in the populations of both Italy
(1992) and Germany (1991). Children make up
21.9% of the population of the U.S. (1992),
8% in Korea (1994), and a large 36% in
Jonesia. Among industrialized countries,
Japan has the lowest proportion of children
under 15 in its population.
The proportion of children has continued to
decline in Japan’s population with the fall in the
number of births per woman, or total fertility
rate (TFR). The birthrate actually rose slightly
in 1994 for the first time in 21 years to bring
Kato Nears 100
A birthday party was held for family
planning (FP) pioneer Shidzue Kato in
Tokyo on April 22 to celebrate the
beginning of her 99th year. Based on the
traditional Japanese method of
determining age, Kato who is actually 98,
turned 99. To celebrate this milestone, the
party used the Chinese character for
hakuju, a play on words to mean “100
minus 1.” The
party was attended
by 200 people.
Kato, who holds
the posts of
president of the
Family Planning
Federation of
Japan (FPFJ) and
Kato
vice president of
JOICFP, first began working to promote
FP and raise the status and health of
women as a young woman in the early part
of this century. Kato is still a powerful
voice on population, FP and women’s
issues in Japan and won the UN
Population Award in 1988 for her
contribution to the field.
JO1CFP NEWS, June 1995
the TFR to between 1.47-1.49,
still below the population
replacement level, but higher than
the 1.46 of 1993.
As the proportion of children
in the population has fallen, the
share held by people aged 65 and
older has risen. In 1950, children
occupied 35.4%, while the elderly
held 4.9%. The aged now hold a
14.4% share.
This year also marked the
lowest ratio of children to
Only 16.1% of Japan's population is aged under 15.
working population (23.2%) since
statistics were introduced in 1920.
The figure means that there is now one child
14-year-olds comprised the largest group at
per 4.3 working adults. Among the age groups,
1.55 million.
Domoto Chairs UNFPA Panel
Implementation of the goals set forth in the
Cairo International Conference on Population
and Development (ICPD) document is arguably
a more contentious task than formulating the
document itself. To explore ways to integrate
the goals of the ICPD in its programs, UNFPA
held a meeting of its Ad-hoc Advisory Panel on
Gender, Population and Development on April
5 and 6 in New York. Japanese Member of
Parliament Akiko Domoto was invited from
Japan to bring her perspective as an activist in
issues of women and population to the 16member panel.
The panel, which meets every two years,
was established in 1986 to advise UNFPA on
polices, strategies and programs designed to
mainstream gender concerns in population
activities. It is composed of population, gender
and development experts from both developing
and developed countries.
The April meeting was comprised of seven
sessions dealing with issues such as
information, education and communication;
reproductive health and family planning; and
collaboration with non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). Domoto served as chair
for the session on information, education and
communication, and centered discussion on
how to implement gender in these areas.
The result of the meeting was a draft
document of specific and innovative
recommendations to UNFPA. These ranged
7
from suggestions about collection and analysis
of gender-differentiated data, provision of
information and training to more fully utilize
NGOs, and focus on impacting men’s attitudes
and behavior in regard to reproductive health
including family planning and gender equality.
Indeed, the road to Beijing looks to be a bit
rocky. However, with efforts such as the ad-hoc
meeting sponsored by UNFPA, the flow of
ideas and goals will
stake new ground
for women. As Dr.
Nafis Sadik,
executive director,
UNFPA, stated in
her opening
remarks,
a
defining
characteristic of this
Domoto
(ICPD) Program of
Action is the
importance that it
accords to the need to empower women, to
ensure gender equality and equity and the
treatment that it gives to perspectives of women
in relation to all relevant concerns... we are
working hard to ensure that the Beijing
conference builds on the achievements of the
ICPD and we will need your support in your
various countries and regions to make sure that
this happens.”
- By Rhonda Schiangen
VOICE OF VOICES
By Chojiro Kunii
More Action, Fewer Words
The International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) in Cairo last year brought
together representatives of a multitude of
organizations and governments for discussion on
world population and related issues.
One of the most significant issues discussed at
Cairo was women’s empowerment and economic
ANNOUNCEMENT
—
International Seminar on Family
Planning Administration for Senior
Officers II
Theme & objectives: The seminar will focus on
effective administration of FP and MCH programs at
(he central and local levels by calling on Japan’s
experience in the field. It will also encourage the
mutual sharing of experiences and knowledge.
Date:
August 22 - September 15,1995
Venue:
Tokyo,Japan
Participants:
15 high-ranking FP administrators/
managers to be selected from Bangladesh, Brazil,
independence. While following the discussions, I
found myself wanting the participants to argue less
over issues and come up with concrete strategies that
could be put to work to achieve the aims.
From my experience in Japan, I found that the
genius of women lies in their ability to get things
done rather than merely discuss issues. When Japan
was defeated in the war 50 years ago, I felt it was the
right time to end the past and begin anew. It was my
conviction that we should take advantage of the new
development in Japan to begin new directions.
One new direction I came up with was the
concept of improving the situation of women
through income-generating activities. The idea of
Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Ecuador,
Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Guinea, Laos,
Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Tanzania and Thailand
Organizer:
Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) in collaboration
with JOICFP
Background:
The seminar is part of the
government of Japan’s technical
cooperation programs for
developing countries for fiscal
1995 (April 1, 1995 - March 31,
1996).
Forfurther information, contact the Embassy of
Japan in nominated countries through the relevant
government agency.
women sewing clothes to make a living and improve
their lot seemed a good one. I figured that the ability
to earn an income would start a process. If the
efforts continued, the status of the women would be
raised and they would have greater power. In turn,
their families would also lead better, happier lives.
I asked women around me for suggestions and
tried to find out what it was that they needed and
wanted in their lives. We decided to go ahead with
the plan and began working with a group of
volunteers including my wife. It was like an
impossible dream when we started, but as we
progressed the scheme proved a practical means of
earning income. In fact, the income we generated
was more than we expected. We encouraged other
women to take up dress making with their sewing
machines and in a short period of time many women
had joined the scheme. With collective numbers
came considerable economic strength and the
realization that women have remarkable potential.
This experience of working with women
convinced me that practical action is far more
important that words.
New Publication
•
•
•
•
•
DIARY
- Dr. Noriji Suzuki, professor emeritus, Kochi
Medical College; Yoshio Ohno, executive director,
Shizuoka Health Service Association; and Takaaki
Sambe, director, Dept. 2, Central Research
()
Laboratory, Tokyo Health Service Association,
were in China from Mar. 18 - April I to provide
technical assistance. They were accompanied by C)
O
JOICFP Program Officer Yoshitatsu Kanno.
- Dr. Milqueya Fortes, vice president. Family
')
Planning Association of the Dominican Republic
)
(PROFAMILIA), visited JOICFP to exchange
Q
information on April 10.
(
-JOICFP Senior Program Officer Aiko lijima was <)
in Nepal from April 1-15 for project monitoring.
- Isamu Harasawa, executive director, and Shoji
Shibata, deputy executive director, JFPA, were
in Shanghai, China, from April II - 19 to seek
collaboration in the contraceptive supply
program. They were accompanied by Takeyuki
Ishibashi, director, Population Problems
Research Institute, Mainichi Shimbun, and
JOICFP Program Officer Yoshitatsu Kanno.
- Hiroshi Taniguchi, editor, Integration, was in
Vietnam from April 17 - 28 to gather information
for the JOICFP publication.
- JOICFP Senior Program Officer Ryoko
Nishida and Program Officer Mayumi Katsube
were in The Gambia to prepare for the next
project cycle and in Ghana to monitor the
POSIVA project from April 16-30.
e
•
•
e
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•
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JOICFP recently published the
Summary Report of the Seminar on
Population Aging, an event held in Tokyo
and Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, from
October 19 -28, 1994. The seminar was
organized under the UNFPA-supported
Asian regional project entitled Promotion of
Awareness and Policy
Formulation on Aging
(RAS/92/P13). The
theme of the seminar
SemlM: on Popnktlon Altai
was “Aging Population
and Social Services —
Community Support
Systems for the Elderly
and the Family.” It was
primarily aimed at promoting the
formulation of social service policies and
development of community support systems
and strategies to meet the needs of societies
with aged populations using the experience
of Japan as a case study. The report contains
situation analyses, case studies and
recommendations. For more information,
please contact JOICFP.
IP Pioneer Dies
JOICFP NEWS is a monthly newsletter published by
the Japanese Organization for International
Cooperation in Family Planning, Inc. (JOICFP).
Dr. Muneo Yokogawa, professor emeritus, school of medicine, Chiba
University, and chairman, Japan Association of Parasite Control (JAPC), died
in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on May 3 of a subarachnoidal hemorrhage. He was
77. A board member of JOICFP, Yokogawa had a long association with
JOICFP and provided valuable input into the promotion of JOlCFP’s
Integrated Project (IP) in developing countries. Yokogawa contributed to the
establishment of the Asian Parasite Control Organization (APCO) in 1974, a
driving force of the IP. and served as chairman of the APCO Parsitologists’
Meeting, a forum for discussing surveys and research, and for creating
innovative strategies for IP promotion.
JOICFP NEWS welcomes your comments,
suggestions and contributions. Please mail to:
Yokogawa
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, June 1995
Position: 3199 (3 views)