On 21st January, Valerie DeFillipo, Director, External Affairs, IPPF participated in two meetings in Tokyo to urge for support of reproductive health and rights (RH/R).

In a meeting entitled "Understanding religious and political opposition to RH/R," DeFillipo told experts and activists that what had started as a disparate movement of scattered groups opposing sexuality and RH/R had been transformed into a well-funded and disciplined system across the world. She emphasized that this system offered no services; it only worked to stop those promoting sexuality and RH/R.

DeFillipo said that the EU was increasingly the focus of opposition groups as it stepped in to fill the gap created by the US government. She explained how IPPF has been organizing strategy and information sharing for NGOs across Europe, and that IPPF was "reclaiming the language" and using mass media technologies to deliver a unified message.

Ms. DeFillipo talks with exparts and activists

DeFillipo finished by saying that IPPF and its counterparts now needed to be more than brave and angry, being smart and strategic as well, and if this were not the case, in Japan for example, opposition to sexuality and RH/R would rapidly grow. As part of this, IPPF is reissuing a public response guide and is preparing a guide for use by volunteers and service providers on the ground, as well as staff at regional and national levels.

In 2004, IPPF, in conjunction with Siecus and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, issued a booklet entitled Understanding religious and political opposition to RH/R. A Japanese translation of this booklet prepared by JOICFP was distributed to all participants at the meeting.

ICPD + 10 seminar

In the evening of 21st January, the fourth and final JOICFP traveling seminar, designed to raise awareness of the goals of ICPD among the public, was held in Tokyo. Over 90 members of the public attended to hear representatives of IPPF and UNFPA, and experts in the field of longevity and gerontology discuss "World, Women Health - Women's Health and RH/R."

DeFillipo reiterated her points from the earlier meeting, and panelist Keiko Higuchi, Japan's Network for Women and Health revisited the Beijing World Conference on Women with the following quote from the then director of UNFPA Nafis Sadik.

" We must be courageous in speaking out on the issues that concern us: we must not bend under the weight of spurious arguments invoking culture or traditional values. No value worth the name supports the oppression and enslavement of women. The function of culture and tradition is to provide a framework for human wellbeing. If they are used against us, we will reject them, and move on. We will not allow ourselves to be silenced"

Outcome of seminars

As well as reaching the public, the four seminars were designed to revitalize local NGOs and women's groups, especially outside Tokyo, to reconfirm the importance of the ICPD Program of Action (PoA) and work to advance it.

JOICFP found that supporting local NGOs and women's groups was the most effective way of reaching the public, as these groups have the local knowledge and networks needed.

Furthermore, JOICFP was able to build bridges "from Cairo to Beijing," linking and showing the importance of the ICPD PoA to the Beijing Platform of Action.

JOICFP would like to have further opportunities to accelerate advocacy in Japan for securing universal access to RH/R and services worldwide, thereby strengthening solidarity among women everywhere.