Background & Issues
JOICFP evolved out of the “Humanistic Family Planning”
initiative, which made its international debut officially
in 1974 under JOICFP founder, the late Chojiro Kunii.
A progressive, people-centered approach that focused on
individual wellbeing, JOICFP’s strategy stood in
contrast to the then-popular top-down population policy
based on a “macro” perspective of population
issues. JOICFP’s consistent focus on the individual
developed out of this far-sighted reproductive health
orientation toward population issues.
To smooth promotion of family planning, Kunii integrated
services with parasite control. The immediate and obvious
health benefits of parasite control made it an ideal education
tool and entry point into communities for initiating health-conscious
family planning movements. Expanding upon this model,
JOICFP sought and used other ‘triggers’ to
motivate the community as it applied the “Integrated
Approach” in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
JOICFP’s Strategy & Approach
Family planning was promoted as a community-based movement
in post-war Japan by health personnel and community
volunteers. Its goal was not population control but
rather family health and happiness and it was fuelled
by the need to promote preventive health and also to
avoid unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. Building
on the desire of people to improve their lives, the
movement was implemented alongside stakeholders within
the community. These collaborative endeavours are the
essence of the community participatory approach currently
advanced by JOICFP.
For example, for over 20 years, JOICFP has promoted
the health of individuals and families in China through
the Integrated Approach, which links reproductive health
(RH) interventions with preventive and family health
activities. The activities, which continue to expand
under the "Integrated Project (IP)", have
so far benefited more than 10 million people. The project
not only responds to the RH needs of the community people
but also is an effective force for poverty reduction.
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