JOICFP NEWS NO.257 NOVEMBER 1995.pdf
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No. 257 November 1995
ISSN 0911-0755
JOICFP NEWS
Advocating Reproductive
& Rights
I i
a
Women parliamentarians and NGO representatives including members of Japan's Network for Women and Health with Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
in August. During the meeting, the women urged government support for reproductive health and rights and women's empowerment.
I
Japanese women push for
recognition of reproductive health
and rights at home
Japan’s unequivocal endorsement of
reproductive health and rights and women’s
«ipowerment at recent major international
.jnferences is adding momentum to a
campaign by women activists to make
reproductive health and rights a reality for
women within Japan. One of the major issues
now being pursued by these women and their
supporters is the licensing of the low-dose
contraceptive pill which is still illegal in Japan.
Advocates of wider contraceptive choice
were given some hope that the low-dose pill
would be licensed for contraceptive purposes
when the Mainichi Shimbun (newspaper)
reported on September 18 that authorization
could be expected in March 1996. However,
some women have begun to voice doubts that
the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW)
, will indeed give the pill the go-ahead, recalling
past instances of optimism surrounding the pill.
The history of the pill issue in Japan is one
of disappointment for people involved in the
' field of reproductive health including family
planning (FP). Hopes for licensing have been
L dashed on several occasions since the pill
became popular worldwide in the 1960s.
<0^2)
Licensing seemed imminent in 1992 after
considerable testing had silenced concern about
the pill's side effects. However, authorization
was suddenly delayed in February of that year
by the MOHW over concern that use of the
low-dose pill for contraceptive purposes would
lead to the spread of HIV/AIDS.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, a
subcommittee of the Central Pharmaceutical
Affairs Council under the MOHW determined
on September 12 that the contraceptive was safe
and effective. In a comparison study of the
ratio of pill use and spread of HIV in other
countries, the subcommittee found that the
cause-and-effect relationship was negligible.
The MOHW’s reluctance to license the
low-dose pill in Japan remains a thorny issue
for Japan abroad, especially in light of Japan’s
clear support of reproductive health and rights
and women’s empowerment at the 1994
International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, the 1995
World Summit for Social Development held in
Copenhagen in March and the 4th World
Conference on Women held in Beijing in
September. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MOFA) is pursuing a very progressive course
in terms of reproductive health and rights and
women’s empowerment in ODA. particularly
1
with its Global Issues Initiative (GII) on Popu
lation and AIDS and its new Women in Devel
opment (WID) Initiative. MOFA has regular
consultations with NGOs including women’s
groups and is reflecting NGO perspectives in
Japan’s assistance in developing countries.
In a bid to guide government support, a
group of women parliamentarians and NGO
representatives including members of Japan’s
Network for Women and Health met with Prime
Minister Tomiichi Murayama in August ahead
of the Beijing conference. The group requested
that the government emphasize the deletion of
brackets around the terms of reproductive
health and rights in the conference document
and that clear support for these issues and
women's empowerment be expressed in the
official speech by the delegation head. They
also urged the government to meet with
domestic and foreign NGOs al the conference.
The meeting with the prime minister
followed a similar meeting in July with then
Minister of Health and Welfare Shoichi Ide.
Noting that the government supported
reproductive health and rights in its approval of
the Progam of Action of the ICPD. the group
outlined various steps to be taken within Japan.
Specifically, they called for a research group
involving women to be set up on reproductive
Japan
health and rights; more facilities for
consultation on reproductive health; promotion
of education on women’s health; and a
widening of contraceptive choice.
For this latter request, the group pointed out
that since prevention of unwanted pregnancy is
a major issue for women’s reproductive health,
contraceptive choice should be expanded as
much as possible and should include the lowdose pill. They also criticized what they see as
a double standard concerning the pill; the
government does not allow the low-dose pill for
contraceptive purposes, yet takes no action over
the current use of the higher-dose pill as a
contraceptive by more than 200,000 women in
Japan. Women can obtain the higher-dose pill
on prescription for menstrual disorders.
The group emphasized that licensing has
taken too long in Japan and that contraceptive
choice is extremely limited for Japanese
couples who basically have to rely on the
condom. They added that the lack of
availability of the low-dose pill in Japan is at
odds with worldwide trends. While calling on
the ministry to license the pill as soon as
possible, the group stressed that the government
has to go further and establish a monitoring
system operated by a third party to check side
effects and ensure informed choice for women.
Commenting that too much emphasis is
placed on maternal and child health (MCH) in
Japan, the group briefly outlined the
reproductive health concept and explained that
child-bearing is only one part of a woman’s life
cycle. The present policy focus on MCH and
administrative structure does not adequately
answer the needs of women, they added. They
called for new bureau to be established to
specifically deal with reproductive health.
The efforts made by activists after the
ICPD to meet and convince government
officials and politicians on reproductive health
and rights may have contributed to a favorable
environment for the low-dose pill’s
authorization, according to Yuriko Ashino,
deputy executive director, Family Planning
Federation of Japan (FPFJ). Media attention on
the pill issue has also helped, she added.
While expressing her hope for pill
licensing, Ashino emphasized, “Women need to
continue to put pressure on the government.
We need to pay attention to the pill issue so that
licensing won’t be canceled again.”
As part of its on-going efforts to draw
attention to reproductive health issues including
the pill, Japan’s Network for Women and
Health is holding a symposium with the theme
of ‘‘Reproductive Health and the Pill” on
November 11 in Tokyo.
Japan’s Population Growth Slows
Japan’s population grew at the
slowest pace on record during the
three-year period of 1993 -1995,
according to a recent report of the
Ministry of Home Affairs. As of
the end of March this year, the total
population of Japan was
124,655,498 based on family
registration data at local
4*
governments throughout Japan.
The figure shows an increase of
332,697 people, or 0.27%, from the
Teenagers underwent fewer induced abortions in 1994,
1994 figure. Men make up a total
but adolescent health remains a pressing issue.
of 49.12% and women account for
50.88% of the population.
decrease of 22,000 from 1993, according to the
Out of the 47 prefectures of Japan, 40 saw
an increase in population figures and seven saw Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).
Women in the 20 - 24 age group received
a decrease. The population of Hyogo
the largest number of abortions at 83,309, with
Prefecture marked a decrease of 26,619 people
the 30 - 34 and 35 - 39 age groups in second
over the year before as the result of the Great
and third place.
Hanshin Earthquake which hit Kobe and
A drop in the number of abortions was also
surrounding areas in January this year. The
noted among teenagers who underwent 20,783
ministry also noted that 50.86% of Japan’s
abortions, or 5.7% of the total of abortions
population lives in the nine prefectures of
performed, in 1994. In 1993, 29,776 abortions
Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Aichi, Saitama,
(6.6% of the total) were performed on
Chiba, Hokkaido, Hyogo and Fukuoka.
teenagers. Experts welcomed the drop in
numbers of abortions, but noted that teenagers
Japan heads toward
were making up a larger proportion of abortion
a grayer future
recipients. This tendency indicates the need for
greater attention to sex education for
People aged 65 years or older now account
„ r
for a record 14.5% of the population, according adolescents, they said.
The largest number of abortions was
to a report released on September 14 by the
performed in Hokkaido followed by Tokyo,
Management and Coordination Agency. The
Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures. The decreasing
report was timed ahead of the nation’s Respect
abortion
rate is one of the achievements of
for the Aged Day on September 15.
Japan
’
s
family
planning movement launched
In terms of numbers, Japan has 18.21
after WWII. The movement was driven
million aged people of which 7.49 million are
forward in 1955 when the number of abortions
men and 10.73 million are women. Overall,
reached a peak of 1.17 million.
elderly women outnumber men three to two.
However, women outnumber men two to one in
the 85 years and older age group in which
480.000 are men and 1.10 million are women.
The figures indicate that aging has unique
significance for women in Japan.
Japan’s aged are particularly active with
24.8% of the total engaged in work. This is
significantly higher that the proportion of
working elderly in the U.S. (12.4% in 1994)
and in Canada (6.5% in 1993).
4
Induced Abortions Drop
The official number of induced abortions
dropped dramatically in 1994 to hit 364,350, a
2
Japan has 18.21 million people aged 65 or
older of which 10.73 million are women.
JOICFP NEWS, November 1995
r
The Philippines
Committed Leadership
Arm-
—
Two consultants conducting an evaluation
in May this year found a high level of
motivation among the community people,
particularly women, involved in the regional
UNFPA-supported Sustainable Community
based Family Planning/Matemal and Child
Health (FP/MCH) Project with Special Focus
on Women being promoted in the Philippines.
H The evaluators highly appraised the
I commitment of leaders including the mayors of
I the municipalities of Malvar and Balayan where
I the project is implemented in 63 barangays
I ''"’llages). They also found that women had
;ady begun some income-generation
I activities to create funds and contribute to
I project sustainability. They noted that
I maintaining this enthusiasm is one of the
I challenges of the project.
The evaluation was conducted by Dr.
I Emma Porio,, coordinator for Southeast Asian
H Global Urban Research Initiative (GURI).
■
0. A_.U
■ Department of Sociology & Anthropology,
V Ateneo de Manila University, and Dr. Juliet de
I la Cruz, Family Planning Clinic, Philippines
I General Hospital. The mid-term evaluation
■
-
involved interviews with concerned persons and
inspections of health facilities.
A report session of the results held on
September 7 in Balayan was attended by 80
people involved in the project including
provincial officials, a mayor, barangay captains,
health personnel, volunteers and representatives
of UNFPA and the Department of Health.
In the report, the evaluators noted that one
of the strengths of the project is the
commitment and understanding of objectives
shown at all levels. They found that barangay
task forces and women’s groups have been set
up in all barangays to support and implement
the project. Education, an important
component of the project, has also been
promoted through such activities as mothers’
classes of which 66 have been held for 1,634
mothers, they noted.
The evaluators appraised the intensive
education activities including training which
has motivated health staff to promote the
project and volunteers to assist midwives. This
and the improvement of health facilities with
provision of equipment and supplies had
Towards Full & Equal Participation
Satish Mehra, country director-UNFPA,
ilippines, provided JOICFP NEWS with his
I views on the country situation in the
I Philippines. Below are his insights.
The Platform for Action of the recently
I concluded Fourth World Conference on Women
I in Beijing and the Program of Action of the
I 1994 International Conference on Population
l| and Development (ICPD) in Cairo both focused
I on the centrality of the issue of women in
[1 development. Some specific recommendations
I focused on education and empowerment with
I emphasis on reproductive rights.
In the Philippines, the post-Cairo agenda
■ recognizes that the full and equal participation
I of men and women in all fields of human
I endeavor and decision-making is fundamental
I to attaining the goals of Philippines 2000 — the
I country’s bid to achieve a newly industrialized
I country (NIC) status by the turn of the century.
I The inadequate level of education, health,
|| nutrition, skills and social development of
I human resources, particularly women, has been
I cited as one of the barriers that impede
JOICFP NEWS, November 1995
development in the Philippines.
For instance, in the area of health, many
women continue to be unserved or underserved.
Maternal mortality is high at 209 deaths per
100,000 live births. Around 3 million women
want to either space the next birth or do not
want to have any more children and have no
access to any reliable method of family
planning (FP). Because of lack of information
and access to services, around 150,000 women
with unwanted pregnancies resort to illegal
abortions annually. Moreover, significant
numbers of women suffer from various illnesses
such as anemia and hypertension.
The ICPD’s focus on reproductive health is
a welcome response to the many health
concerns of women. The reproductive health
orientation views women’s health from a life
cycle perspective and enables the convergence
of a wide constellation of services beyond FP to
address these various needs. As a proponent of
the ICPD Program of Action, the Philippine
government has adopted the reproductive health
paradigm with FP as the core component.
3
Community health volunteer workers assist
with growth monitoring of infants.
contributed to raising the contraceptive
prevalence rate from 12% to 41% in Malvar and
19% to 44% in Balayan in one and a half years.
The wider choice of contraceptives was also
noted as a contributing factor.
While noting that the commitment of
leadership could serve as a model for other
local governments, the evaluators stressed that
maintaining this commitment is a major
challenge to ensure sustainability of the project.
The team also urged continued efforts to
improve data collection and monitoring systems
as a means to create awareness of the actual
health needs among those involved in the
project as well as the community people.
UNFPA is currently supporting a US$22.6
million “Strengthening the Management and
Field Implementation of the Family Planning/
Reproductive Health Program” of the Deparment of Health. The program essentially aims to
expand, improve and strengthen FP and repro
ductive health
information and
services in
targeted govern
ment and non
government
service delivery
outlets to improve
women and
children’s health
and welfare. With
Mehra
the adoption of a
reproductive health
orientation, the program’s areas of emphasis
include: integration of STD/HIV/AIDS and
reproductive tract infections into FP information
and services; greater involvement of men as
important and equal partners of women in repro
ductive matters; apd improvement of the quality
of services to address the large unmet demand
for FP and to reduce the need for abortion.
Japan
Strengthening NGO-GO
Cooperation
Women participants outnumbered men by
11 to six at the Seminar on Family Planning
(FP) Administration for Senior Officers II 1995
held in Japan from August 22 - September 14.
The greater participation of women was
appropriate for the seminar, which coincided
with the 4th World Conference on Women held
in Beijing and reflected much of the repro
ductive health and rights and women’s em
powerment focus of the conference in its course
content. The seminar was the first since the FP
seminars were first organized by JOICFP in
1967 that women outnumbered men. The event
was entrusted to JOICFP by the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The seminar was attended by high-ranking
FP administrators and managers from the 17
countries of Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia,
Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Children of Hongo-Higashi Elementary School
listen to their teacher as the visitors look on.
Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Tanzania and
Thailand. It included a Tokyo session and field
observation in Yamagata Prefecture. Japan’s
experience in FP and maternal and child health
(MCH) care and its demographic transition
since WWII was utilized as a case study for
the seminar.
The Program of Action of the 1994
International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) of Cairo also served as a
major reference point for the seminar.
Specifically, the seminar focused on
strengthening and utilizing NGOs for effective
promotion of reproductive health including FP
at the community
level. The
experience of Japan
Family Planning
Association (JFPA)
was used in the
seminar to highlight
the benefits of
cooperation between
governmental
Participants observe an infant health checkup at an MCH center in
organizations (GOs)
Yamagata Prefecture.
and NGOs and the
effectiveness of
sector, particularly health. I think the idea of
providing a variety of fee-charged services to
NGO-private sector cooperation and new
promote self-reliance. Participants were
introduced to strategies that have enabled JFPA strategies for self-reliance are very important,”
to achieve self-reliance joint GO-NGO training she said. “The idea of involving the private
sector in public health like the work of JFPA is
and JFPA’s progressive adolescent health
very interesting.” Vieira added that an AIDS
education activities.
patient costs the country a lot of money, but
During the field trip, participants observed
many of the activities they had learned lives and money could be saved if companies
had to conduct AIDS-prevention programs.
about in the Tokyo session. The
The seminar was enlightening for Dr. Docia
visitors were introduced to various
Afiriyie Saka, district director of health
advantages of GO-NGO collaboration
services, Ministry of Health of Ghana, who
and the effective utilization of
noted that the integrated system of health care
volunteers drawn from the community
and community involvement are two major
to promote health. Among the
activities observed was the work of the issues of health
care provision
Aiiku-Kai MCH volunteers and the
in Ghana.
Health Promoters’ Association of
“Before the
community health. The field trip also
seminar, I
included a visit to the Yamagata
thought
Prefectural Government Office,
J
.. | I
integration was
Murayama Public Health Center and
about
observation of activities in Higashine
integrating
City, Hongo-Higashi Primary School
various vertical
and Yamagata Saiseikan Hospital.
Vieira
programs
For Dr. Elisabeth Meloni Vieira,
within the
senior program officer, Family Health
Association, Sao Paulo, Brazil, the seminar was health sector,” she said. “But by the end, I
useful for showing that all countries, regardless realized that we must integrate the systems of
the country, because each has a part to play in
of cultural settings, have problems with
improving the health of the people.”
reproductive health and women’s status.
“We’ve been fighting to try to improve
"Reproductive health is a new concept and it is
community involvement, but more often than
difficult to convince health officials about
reproductive rights,” she said. “It is very useful not, we get community participation in which
the health provider has to initiate the activity
and stimulating to see other people’s
and drag people along,” she commented.
experiences and problems.”
“Community involvement is different. It is
Vieira was particularly impressed with the
where people initiate action on their own and
strong collaboration between GOs and NGOs
when this happens, the community is so
and the way that NGOs work with the private
devoted and involved.”
sector. “We have a very strong private sector
“If Ghana can get these two concepts well
and have a financial crisis with the public
■
'■S=
I
I
4
JOICFP NEWS, November 1995
1
I
L
In the News
ffective at the Regional Level
The visitors taste food created during a
nutrition guidance class for mothers.
sorted out as I found in Japan’s experience, then
we will surely find ourselves on the path to a
better health-care system,” she added.
The work of the community volunteers in
^Pan and the linkages between GOs and NGOs
were the most impressive aspects of the
Japanese situation for Dr. Wan Mansor Bin
Hamzah, medical officer of health, Tumpat
District Health Office, Kelantan, Malaysia.
“Even without the support of the government,
the Japanese
people could
promote their
own health,” he
said. “In my
country,
everyone thinks
that education
and health
problems are
Saka
the govern
ment’s problem
“nd that services have to be delivered by the
/ernment." If the community and volunteers
were to be involved in health promotion as they
are in Japan, the programs could be more
energetic, he added.
On return to Tokyo, participants were given
a presentation on the issues of reproductive
health and rights in Japan by Yuriko Ashino,
deputy executive director, Family Planning
Federation of Japan (FPFJ). At a working
session held at the conclusion of the seminar,
participants spoke on obstacles to promoting
reproductive
health in each
of their
countries. The
session was
particularly
rewarding for
participants
who noted the
similar
problems faced
Hamzah
in each country.
JOICFP NEWS, November 1995
The team recommended to continue the IP.
UNFPA recently evaluated the regional
However, the evaluators stated that it should be
project entitled Family Planning and IEC for
promoted slowly and in a very careful manner
Adolescents (RLA/92/P01) in Latin America,
that reflects the recommendations of the
which is funded by UNFPA and implemented
evaluation mission, and suggested that a mid
by JOICFP. Finding the project effective and
extremely necessary in the region, the
term evaluation be conducted in the next cycle.
They also recommended that timely studies be
evaluators noted the effectiveness of JOICFP’s
strategy of a regional network through the
American Conferences on Integrated Programs
(CAPRI), as well as the methodology for
training in IEC in regional workshops on
&
adolescents and IEC materials. They
I
9•
recommended that a new regional project be
approved to offer continuity in these activities
and to strengthen training methodology and
IEC material production in the region.
A health worker talks to traditional birth
The evaluation was conducted around San
attendants and a local woman in Guatemala.
Lucas Tollman, Solola, Guatemala from August
14-23. The evaluation team comprised Isabel
conducted of ethnic consciousness in the
Hernandez, advisor on sociocultural research,
indigenous population of Solola to define more
Country Support Team for Latin America and
effective strategies and called for a campaign
the Caribbean, UNFPA; Surama Lima de
against ethnic prejudice. To produce a true
Juarez, national consultant on reproductive
break in behavior dictating subordination of
health, Nursery School of Quetzaltenango,
women, the evaluators recommended that
Guatemala; Mirtha Carrera Halim, country
director-UNFPA, Honduras and Guatemala; and mechanisms of community intervention be
defined based on the findings of their research.
Sergio de Leon, program officer-UNFPA,
Guatemala.
At the local level in
Guatemala, the evaluators
found that the Integrated
Panama’s First Lady Visits
Project has responded in part
The first lady of Panama, Dora Maria Boyd de Perez
to the multiple requirements
Balladares, gained insights into the international
expressed by the population in
cooperation activities of JOICFP and the work of the
the area. However, they found
Japan Family Planning Association during a visit on
that the project is still not fully
September 12. The wife of the Panamanian president,
answering the needs of health
who was accompanied by four wives of cabinet ministers,
attention, reproductive health,
was on her return from Beijing
IEC in general and particularly
where she led her country’s
for adolescents, nutrition,
official delegation to the 4th
sanitation and micro
World Conference on Women.
management. One of the
In discussions with JOICFP
reasons noted by the mission
Executive Director Yasuo Kon
is that inter-ethnic relations in
and JOICFP staff members,
the IP area are based on
the first lady expressed
indigenous prejudice which
interest in JOICFP’s
represents an obstacle to
Boyd de Perez Balladares
adolescent health program in
project promotion, particularly
Latin America and the Integrated Project, which integrates
with regard to achieving
primary health-care with reproductive health including
community participation. The
family planning. She also spoke with Dr. Seiichi
lower status of women in the
Matsumoto, chainnan, JFPA, and Dr. Kunio Kitamura,
area was also noted by the
director, Ichigaya Clinic, JFPA. about the organization’s
evaluators who pointed out
activities, particularly those concerning adolescents.
empowerment of women is
absolutely essential.
by
5
In the News
Vietnam Project Tailored to
Community Needs
involvement from the
community should ensure
that services are more
relevant and appropriate to
respond to local needs.”
Chien also appraised the
project’s focus on women in
development and promotion
ofMCH. She said the
project would also help the
Dr. Tran Thi Trun Chien, vice minister of health of Vietna
government try an integrated
speaks at the national workshop.
approach to health services
and streamline the work of
grass-roots health providers.
budget and implementation aims which was
The workshop brought together project
developed prior to the workshop in consultation
managers and personnel from
with project personnel and management. Based
e the four provinces and seven
on this document, each province and district
| • districts where the project is
Women Honor Kato
was required to tailor the plan to reflect needs
promoted. Participants
included deputy chairpersons of at the local level for submission to the MOH.
The document had two focuses, training and
the people’s committees and
upgrading of the commune health centers.
directors and deputy directors
The concept of tailoring implementation to
of health at the provincial and
suit local needs and making local managers and
district levels. Directors of the
personnel more responsible for the projects
maternal and child health/
family planning (MCH/FP)
works in well with Vietnam’s recent push to
decentralize administration.
centers of each province also
attended along with central
level officials of the MCH/FP
I
Some of Japan’s most prominent women offered their
Department of the Ministry of
congratulations to Shidzue Kato, 98, at a party in Tokyo
Fukuda Memorial Service
Health (MOH) and a UNFPA
on September 21 for receiving the president’s Citation of
representative.
Some 5,200 people from 115
Brown University. Kato, acting president of JOICFP and
Project managers and
president of the Family Planning Federation of Japan
countries
paid their last respects to the
personnel attending the event
late
Takeo
Fukuda, former prime minister
(FPFJ), received the special award from the Rhode Island
were expected to develop their
of
Japan
and
president of JOICFP, at a
institution on July 18 in honor of her efforts to promote
own implementation plans for
memorial
service
held in Tokyo on
family planning and the empowerment of women.
the next cycle of the project
September
6.
The
official ceremony was
Speaker of the House of Representatives Takako Doi,
following the workshop. This
jointly
organized
by
the cabinet of Prime
well-known expert on women’s empowerment Keiko
was a change from the first
Minister
Tomiichi
Murayama
and the
Higuchi, popular writer Tomoko Yamazaki and prominent
phase, where details of the
Liberal
Democratic
Party
(LDP),
chaired
activist Yukika Soma were among the 60 people at the
implementation plan were
by
Foreign
Minister
Yohei
Kono,
in
event. Prominent critic Chieko Akiyama, who served as
developed jointly by JOICFP
memory of Fukuda who died on July 5.
moderator for the luncheon, commented that people have
and the MOH and handed to
The service was attended by members of
much to learn from Kato whose life embodies the true
staff for implementation. The
the imperial family of Japan and
meaning of democracy. She added that throughout her
change reflected the skills and
prominent politicians including Takako
life, Kato’s actions have been guided by strong principles.
experience that have been
Doi. speaker, House of Representatives,
Addressing the gathering. Kato commented that since
fostered among project staff
and Juro Saito, speaker, House of
the time of Margaret Sanger, her mission has been to help
and management.
Councilors. Former chancellor of
women obtain the means to protect their own health.
To assist in plan
Germany, Helmut Schmidt was among the
Noting that there is still a need to further empower women
development, the participants
many foreign dignitaries who attended the
in Japan, Kato expressed her desire to see equal
were provided with a basic
service to bid farewell to Fukuda.
participation of women in Japanese politics.
project document covering
The UNFPA-supported Sustainable
Community-based Reproductive Health Project
(VIE/95/P03) is important for Vietnam
according to Dr. Tran Thi Trun Chien, vice
minister of health of Vietnam. Speaking at a
workshop organized on August 21 - 22 to
launch the second 2-year phase of the project
for 1995 - 1996, the vice minister commented
that a key element of the project is community
participation. “It is only when people are
committed to something, that it can work and
that it will be sustainable,” she said. “This
project aims at mobilizing the local
communities in improving their own
environment and their own health. Such
6
JOICFP NEWS, November 1995
In the News
A Project for Women, by Women
The Integrated Family Development Project
(IFDP) is succeeding as a project for women by
women and is contributing to women’s
empowerment and the promotion of
reproductive health in Bangladesh where it is
implemented by the Family Planning
Association of Bangladesh (FPAB) with the
support of JOICFP. The project falls under the
UNFPA-supported regional Sustainable
Community-based Family Planning/Maternal
and Child Health (FP/MCH) Project with
Special Focus on Women. The three main
focuses of the project are women’s
jowerment, promotion of reproductive
health including FP and promotion of education
and economic activities for women.
One of the effective ways in which the
project is contributing to women’s literacy and
education is through mini-libraries which have
been set up recently for women in project areas
in Panchdona Union of Narsingdi District and
Dhalia Union of Feni District. The libraries,
which are located in the project centers, contain
Enter-Education
Dr. Sung-Hee Yun, associate director,
Population Communications Services/
Population Information Program (PCS/
PIP), and chief, Asia Region, Center for
Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins
University School of Public Health,
exchanged information about I EC with
JOICFP staff during his visit on August 22.
Yun was in Japan to serve as a speaker at
the 15th World Conference of the
International Union for Health Promotion
and Education, held in Makuhari near
Tokyo from August 20-25. Yun spoke
about the unique “Enter-Educate Program”
promoted by Johns Hopkins University.
JOICFP NEWS, November 1995
books that provide women
with practical information
on such issues as
children’s nutrition, health
i’’ *•
and lifestyles.
Income generation is
another area of the project
that is helping women to
improve their situations.
Loans provided under the
project have stimulated
women to form work
teams for such income
generation activities as
erate
Women with children make mats which will be sold tt
mat making, goat raising,
income for improving the quality of life.
pottery making, weaving
and sewing, which are
transportation equipment, which are being
contributing to improved livelihoods and skill
effectively utilized at the community level for
development for women.
the empowerment of women.
To enhance reproductive health in villages,
24 women have been trained as
family development volunteers
(FDVs) in each of the two unions
and serve as enthusiastic health
Focus on Disarmament
and education agents at the
community level. Recruited
from their villages, the
volunteers deliver services
including FP to women and
promote health care in their
communities.
A JOICFP mission in
Bangladesh from September 5 14 learned that according to a
recent evaluation, the project is
“Disarmament and security toward the next century”
producing effective strategies for
was the theme of the Economists Allied for Arms
empowering women in rural
Reduction (ECAAR) Symposium 1995, held on August
communities in the two years
28 at the UN University in Tokyo. The event, attended
since it was initiated in 1993.
by 200 people, was organized by ECAAR in cooperation
The success of the project has
with JOICFP. First keynote speaker was Robert
encouraged people of
McNamara, former president, World Bank, and former
surrounding villages to begin
U.S. secretary of defense, who spoke on “A vision of
similar activities.
global security in the 21st century.” Lawrence Klein,
Funds allocated under the
professor emeritus, University of Pennsylvania, and
Postal Savings for International
Nobel laureate, spoke on “Peace keepings and some
Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) scheme
related economic aspects.”
have bolstered community
An international NGO, ECAAR supports economists
efforts to improve the way of
who work to find ways to reduce global military
life. With the funds supplied
spending; redirect economic resources to meet human
under the scheme, which is
needs and protect the environment; provide research that
administered by the Japanese
empowers grass-roots activists; influence public policy
Ministry of Posts and
in favor of deeper military spending cuts; end the
Telecommunications, the project
international arms trade; stop nuclear proliferation; and
has received medical equipment,
encourage greater reliance on the UN.
IEC supplies and equipment and
7
VOICE OF VOICES
By Chojiro Kunii
Care and Respect
Twenty-seven years have -nW
since
JOICTj3 was funded'm^968. Looking back,
the time seepis to have^ss^so quicklyr
These 27^years have.bcppght meJn contact with
people frt^jStiver the world whohave
become our counterparts and^olleagues in the
promotion
of the Irifegrated Project (IP), an
‘•2^
approach that I have advocated since the early
4
days of our organization.
1 (jan seediauhe concept of humanistic
•*’ > ^4aR^5^&#fl£^FP) has now taken root
throughout the world thanks to the efforts of
committed individuals to promote projects at
the community level. I am confident that
DIARY
- JOICFP Senior Program Officer Sumie Ishii
was in Vietnam from Aug. 20 -27 to attend the
national IP workshop for creation of implemen
tation plans for the second phase of the project.
- Ingar Brueggeman, secretary general, IPPF,
was in Japan from Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 to attend the
IMPGPD. She was accompanied by IPPF
assistant secretary general. Mark Laskin.
- Ella Bargai, executive director, Israel Family
Planning Association, visited JOICFP on Sept. 11
to exchange information.
-First lady of Panama Dora Maria Boyd de
Perez Balladares visited JOICFP and JFPA to
exchange information on Sept. 12.
- Mo Im Kim, vice president, Planned
humanistic FP is now accepted internationally
as a valid approach.
I pursued humanistic FP because it was
something I believed in. Naturally, I had
doubts sometimes as to whether the approach
was acceptable to people of different historical,
cultural and religious backgrounds with their
unique customs and ways of thinking. At such
times, I would feel uneasy and worried. I had
to convince myself that since FP stems from
care and respect for people and their wishes, it
would one day be understood and accepted all
over the world.
The 1960s and 1970s saw governments
force population control programs on the
people of many countries. I found myself
getting extremely angry about this inhumane
approach that considered people as mere
numbers. It was totally unacceptable from my
viewpoint of FP since it took no account of the
lives of individuals or the rights of people to
determine their own destinies.
In response, I began persuading people of
different countries to follow a more humanistic
approach to promoting FP — one that embodies
the belief that couples should be able to decide
the number of children they want to have and
the spacing of births. Despite my poor English,
I desperately tried to convince people of the
importance of this philosophy. Fortunately, I
was heard by many people and this approach
has now become accepted worldwide.
History shows us that human beings repeat
mistakes. We must therefore bear in mind that
the promotion of FP based on care and respect
for others cannot be promoted successfully
without genuine commitment and conviction.
ANNOUNCEMENT
C)
()
o Parenthood Federation of Korea, visited JOICFP
on Sept. 13 to learn aspects of JOICFP’s domestic
(> campaign.
o -Hugo Hoogenboom, president, Population
() Action International, visited JOICFP on Sept. 14
C) for information exchange.
o - JOICFP senior program officers Aiko lijima,
O Sumie Ishii. Kiyoko Ikegami and Yukio Honma
O and Program Officer Maho Ishikawa and CouncilO or Michio Ozaki were in China to attend the NGO
O Forum and 4th World Conference on Women, held
O Aug. 30 - Sept. 8 and Sept. 4-15, respectively.
O - JOICFP Senior Program Officer Ryoichi
C) Suzuki was in Bangladesh from Sept. 4 - 15 for
C) project monitoring.
JOICFPMATEML UH I’llILD HEALTH SERIES
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AT
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FOR HAPPY FAMILY
FOR YOUR BELOVED BABY
25min/color English, Thai, Japanese
Evaluation Workshop on IEC
Project “The Development
Production and Distribution of EEC
Materials Aiming at the
Improvement of Women’s Health
and Status” (RAS/92/P12)
Objectives: With reference to the ICPD’s
Program for Action and 4th World Conference
on Women Platform of Action, to review the
UNPFA-supported IEC project (RAS/92/P12) of
the last 4 years; review the relevance and
usefulness of regional/national IEC materials
produced in the last 4 years and actual utilization
at the country level; and exchange experiences,
identify areas for improvement and IEC needs
the 4-year, 1996 - 1999 period.
Date:
December 13 - 15, 1995
Venue:
Tokyo, Japan
Participants: One participant involved in health
education for women, IEC material production
for women’s health or JOICFP’s IEC program
from each of the 11 countries of Bangladesh,
Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Nepal. Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; and
three UNFPA CST members.
Organizers: UNFPA, IPPF and JOICFP
* COMING INTO THIS WORLD
25min/color English, Thai, Japanese
GOLDEN YEARS OF HAPPINESS
I
23min/color English, Thai, Japanese
|
15min/color English, Thai, Spanish
GOOD KASEM AND CLEVER MANEE
1(>mm-VTR (/?eta. V IIS Z NTSC, PAL, SEC A M)
The maternal & child health movement began in
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involving the whole village joined by midwives,
girl volunteers and the religious group.
Distributed by
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8
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, November 1995
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