Since assuming her duties as Japan's UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, Yuko Arimori, an Olympic medalist, has been energetically working to raise the awareness of the Japanese public on gender and reproductive health issues, especially those of adolescents, around the world. From 8th to 17th June, Arimori visited India with Sumie Ishii, Executive Director, JOICFP and two reporters. Kiyoko Ikegami, Director, UNFPA Tokyo Office, also joined the mission.

Arimori speaks to an enthusiastic crowd
at Muniguda village, Rayagada District, Orissa

In Delhi, Arimori was briefed by Ena Singh, Assistant Representative, UNFPA India, and UNFPA experts about UNFPA activities in India, as well as the situation concerning HIV/AIDS, adolescents, gender issues and NGO activities, before visiting UNFPA project sites in Orissa and Maharashtra.

Orissa

Orissa is one of the poorest states in India, with a large rural population and low literacy rates. In Rayagada, Arimori visited a women's self help group that provides loans to enable pregnant women to reach medical facilities for safe delivery. In Nabarangpur, she went to a family-counseling center that provides advice to couples with marital problems, and she also met with Balika Mandals, a group of out-of-school adolescents that provides reproductive health and life skills education to adolescent girls.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra is the second most populated state in India, with growing slum populations. In Thane, Arimori observed a health education session for pregnant mothers at a reproductive child health center and met with mothers of newborn infants. In addition, at Kaju Wadi, a slum community, she visited an adolescent fair that provides information on topics such as adolescent reproductive health, gender issues and stress management to school dropouts.

Arimori also went to a voluntary counseling and testing center for HIV/AIDS in Kalwa Hospital, and visited the Aarohi legal aid counseling center for female victims of violence.

Advocacy in Japan

On 22nd June, Arimori held a press conference with over 40 journalists at the Japan Press Club, part of which was broadcast on national television and radio. Arimori said that her visit had shown support to people in India from Japan and that her message "Our dream will be realized if we work hard for it" was well received. She went onto say that as a result of her visit she was impressed by the strength and independence that women in India try to show.

Further advocacy activities in Japan by Arimori are being planned to raise awareness among the Japanese public.

Arimori meets a mother with her newborn infant
at Meenatai Thakrey Reproductive Child Health Center,
Thane, Maharashtra