On her first visit to Japan, newly appointed IPPF Director-General Gill Greer, accompanied by Valerie DeFillipo, Director of External Affairs, and Yuri Nakamura, Resource Mobilization Officer, IPPF, visited JOICFP, on 24th 27th and 28th November 2006.

Greer praised JOICFP for its advocacy activities toward parliamentarians in Japan, and for its activities in the field, and said that future activities should increase the synergy between both organizations.

Yasuo Kon, Chair, JOICFP, and Greer at JOICFP

JOICFP accompanied Greer on her visits to concerned parties in Tokyo. In a meeting with JBIC regarding HIV/AIDS prevention at the Bridge of Hope project, JBIC said that it was pleased with IPPF's and PPAT's input, and that the prevention project was a model that would be applied in future large-scale infrastructure projects in Indonesia and Vietnam.

JBIC indicated that it would like to institutionalize such a model in all major yen loan projects, and share lessons learned with other development bank partners.

Greer also met with staff of JICA, including the vice-president, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) responsible for relations with IPPF. Due to restructuring, MOFA staff are new to this area, and Greer and MOFA discussed future budgetary support for IPPF, which has been declining steadily for many years.

After a presentation to FASID on the MDGs and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRH/R), Greer engaged in a lively Q & A, explaining how its member FPAs are the frontline of IPPF's activities.

(from left) Sumie Ishii, Executive Director,
JOICFP, DeFillipo, Yasuo Fukuda, MP, and Greer
during a visit to the House of Representatives

Parliamentarians

JOICFP has been holding regular study group meetings for female parliamentarians, and Greer made a presentation to a meeting on SRH/R, and women's empowerment.

Greer emphasized that SRH/H and gender equality were key to reducing poverty. She spoke about the feminization of HIV/AIDS, and the burden of violence against women. She thanked the parliamentarians, including one male member, for their support of IPPF and asked them to continue.