From 13th to 17th June, Steven Sinding, Director-General, IPPF, visited Japan. He was accompanied by Valerie DeFillipo, Director of External Affairs, and Yuri Nakamura, IPPF Resource Mobilization Officer.

Media seminar

At JOICFP, Sinding gave a presentation to the Japanese media on "Global Unsafe Abortion: a cause and consequence of poverty."

Sinding told the media representatives that they were important in keeping the issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRH/R) on the political agenda, and explaining them to the public.

He highlighted this by explaining how the new IPPF publication Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty had been picked up by the international media and made an influential document. A Japanese version, translated by JOICFP, was given to the media representatives.

Abortion, Sinding said, is a highly controversial area that most organizations do not wish to publicly address, but it was IPPF's belief that safe and legal abortion services are a woman's right. Furthermore, unsafe abortion is preventable, and it affects development, including the MDGs.

Sinding illustrated this, saying that every year, 19 million women and girls face unsafe abortion, as many as 80% of them will suffer injury, illness or disability as a result, and 70,000 will die. Thirteen percent of all maternal deaths are the result of unsafe abortion, but in some countries this is as high as 50%, and if carried out by trained personnel in proper facilities the risk of death from surgical abortion is 1 in 100,000; the risk from unsafe abortion is as high as 350 in 100,000, he said.

Sinding stressed that unsafe abortion is a cause and consequence of poverty, is linked to gender inequality, and exacts a heavy toll on society and the economy. Furthermore, research has shown that restricting access to abortion does not make it go away, therefore family planning and contraception services have a vital role to play.

He then spoke about the Global Safe Abortion Fund, designed to counter the loss of funding brought about by the Global Gag Rule, and asked the Japanese government to support it. He also mentioned that human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, were now considering campaigning for safe abortion.

Sinding finished by saying that with continued government support, such as from Japan, IPPF and partners could make significant steps in reducing unsafe abortion.

Sinding (right) with DeFillipo at the media seminar in JOICFP.
DeFillipo accompanied Sinding to help facilitate the change
in Director-General at IPPF from September 2006

Meeting with parliamentarians

At a regular RH/R study session with parliamentarians, organized by JOICFP, Sinding thanked them for their continued support and attendance, especially as their schedule was very busy. He said that the support of the Japanese government had been crucial to IPPF over the years.

He explained the devastating impact that unsafe abortion was having around the world, and that although progress had been made, continued support from Japanese parliamentarians and government was needed.

JPFP

Speaking at the General Meeting of the Japan Parliamentarian Federation on Population (JPFP), Sinding thanked them for their support, and highlighted some of IPPF's achievements such as its 50th anniversary declaration in 2002, the Strategic Framework (5 A's) in 2003, and Countdown 2015 in 2004.

Outlining the challenges IPPF faced, Sinding said that reduced funding and competition for funding, political and religious opposition, and increasing numbers of people needing services were the major areas.

Although there have been breakthroughs, he said, Japan's support was still much needed.

At the JPFP General Meeting

Speaking with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with members of parliament, Sinding requested them to continue their support to IPPF under the new leadership of Dr Greer, and would like IPPF's partnership with Japan to flourish for many years to come.