From 20th to 22nd November, a "Sukoyaka Family 21" conference was held in Kochi Prefecture, with around 900 medical staff, academics, public health staff, obstetricians, maternal and child health (MCH) promoters, and those concerned with adolescent reproductive health attending. Sukoyaka Family 21 is a national campaign for maternal and child health from 2000 to 2010.

Support for the conference included the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the local government, and JFPA, and the theme of the conference was "Let's talk about youth. Let's spread the message to adolescents,"

During the conference, a symposium was held on current adolescent reproductive health issues. Speakers included a doctor, university professor, high school PTA adviser, high school student, and the director of the community-based youth center in Kochi prefecture, all of whom expressed the importance of including parents in sex education programs for youth.

JOICFP

From a booth, JOICFP promoted its White Ribbon Fund, and sold goods such as T-shirts, pins, postcards, and coffee.

A photo panel displayed pictures of young mothers from JOICFP project areas such as Afghanistan, Tanzania and Vietnam, as well as health staff using MCCOBA-supplied bicycles in Cambodia to assist with safe motherhood.

JOICFP's booth at the conference

JOICFP also showed four home delivery kits, one from each country, that are used by health workers and traditional birth attendants in the field. These extremely simple items contrast greatly with the sophisticated support available in Japan and really bring home to people the realities of delivery in many developing countries.

MCH Promoters

In the second evening of the conference, the annual MCH Promoters conference was held, in which MOHLW made a presentation on the current situation of safe motherhood in Japan and the ministry's activities concerning this.

MCH promoters from Matsuyama City in Ehime Prefecture explained their activities, such as record keeping and data collection, and how three MCH promoter groups had been integrated into one, assisted by activities such as drama and a new group song.

Shirai City in Chiba Prefecture, is a rare place in Japan where childbirths are rising, bucking the national trend. Shirai is within easy access of Tokyo, and many young couples have moved there recently. The MCH promoters spoke about home visits for young mothers, and activities to help mothers and young children, such as teaching reading.

Yasuo Kon, Chair, JOICFP addressed the MCH promoters, telling them about JOICFP's activities, greatly raising their interest in JOICFP. After the conference, over 60 MCH promoters attended a reception where JOICFP spoke about the White Ribbon Fund, and urged the MCH promoters to assist their counterparts overseas, for example, through networking.

Kon tells the packed venue
of the MCH promoter's conference about JOICFP's activities