Sumie Ishii, Executive Director, JOICFP, speaks to JOICFP eNews about JOICFP's plans for 2005.

2004, the year of ICPD + 10, unfortunately ended with the tragedy of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

JOICFP wishes to extend its sincerest condolences to all those affected. Also, JOICFP would like to stress that it is determined to join hands with the people and NGOs in the affected areas to rebuild their lives as soon as possible, focusing on women's and newborn's health.

WHO and UNFPA estimate that over 5 million people have been affected by the disaster, and that out of these people there are 150,000 pregnant women, 50,000 of whom are expected to give birth in the first quarter of 2005.

JOICFP will focus on assistance in Indonesia and Sri Lanka in cooperation with partner organizations; the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association, and the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka, as well as other related organizations.

In addition to raising funds from the public, JOICFP will integrate existing official development assistance programs for NGOs to accelerate reconstruction of small-scale community-based infrastructure such as local clinics, which are essential for protecting lives of mothers and newborns, as well as for providing quality RH services.

JOICFP's mission

JOICFP's mission to advance universal access to quality reproductive health (RH) and services will not change. To help ensure this, JOICFP will continue to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, such as the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 49), or Beijing + 10, and the first review of the progress of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The ultimate target of the MDGs is to reduce poverty, but health, including RH, plays a key part in this. What this actually means is that the goals of ICPD need to be achieved so that the MDGs can be achieved.

To raise awareness among the Japanese public, JOICFP will participate in EXPO 2005 Aichi in May 2005.

The third pillar

JOICFP has traditionally been expert in delivering community-operated solutions in the field, and advocacy and resource mobilization. However, there is another component at which JOICFP excels, and that is human resource development.

Human beings are always at the center of any activity, and by strengthening our capacity to deliver quality training both at home and abroad, JOICFP will enhance the quality of the other two pillars.
Leadership and the future

Perhaps the most important focus of JOICFP's future plans is to identify and nurture future leaders for RH/R, women's and adolescent issues.

Many of the key figures from the era of the Cairo ICPD are retired, and what is needed is reinvigoration and enthusiasm similar to when the movement first started. And it is going to be the young people of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow.

We must address this issue of training young leaders now, while accumulated institutional memory can be transferred.

How we look at the next ten years, either saying "We still have ten years left" or "We only have ten years left" will make a critical impact on the outcome of the health and happiness of every individual on the planet.

Ishii also referred to the vision outlined in the Declaration of the Global Roundtable: Countdown 2015, held in London in September 2004.

We want a world:

o Where poverty has ended and inequalities are reduced
o Where governments guarantee the rights of people irrespective of age, ethnic origin, race, physical and mental ability, gender identity or sexual orientation.
o Where democracy means equal participation of women, and the full involvement of young people.
o Where young people have a supportive environment in which to practice their human rights and engage as active citizens.
o Where all who need them have access to health, education and social services.
o Where health services are well funded and staffed.
o Where all have access to uncensored, medically accurate information, and the means to prevent HIV infection and treat HIV/AIDS.
o Where sexual pleasure is recognized as a part of a full human life.
o Where personal safety is guaranteed, and violence against women and girls does not exist.
o Where women and girls do not die in childbirth and pregnancy; where they have access to safe and legal abortion; and where women and men can decide freely and responsibly whether and when to have children.