Global

TICAD

Tokyo International Conference on African Development

JOICFP worked together with Afri-Can (Japan Citizens Network for TICAD) as well as CCfA (Civic Commission for Africa) – the civil society network in Africa for TICAD to strongly advocate for SRHR and increased government support for civil society activities. Before each conference, JOICFP made a joint effort to contribute to the conference outcomes in terms of SRHR, by submitting comments to the Japanese government. At the conference itself, JOICFP organized side events together with IPPF, UNFPA, and the Japanese Government, inviting speakers from high-profile officials from African countries and Japan, private sector, as well as international institutions to highlight the importance of SRHR interventions in African development.

G7

With international and national CSOs, JOICFP continues its advocacy efforts towards the increased policy attention to gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights in the G7 and the G20 Summits. Whenever Japan hosted G7/G20 Summits, JOICFP played a major role in coordinating the civil society voices to push these agenda.

G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit (2008)

At the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in 2008, JOICFP played a leading role in the Poverty and Development Unit, and took on the secretariat role for the Global Health Working Group. JOICFP also conducted a global health campaign. As a result of collaborative advocacy efforts, the importance of sexual and reproductive health was highlighted with HIV/AIDs in the Leaders’ Declaration (Communique).

G7 Ise-Shima Summit (2016)

Towards the G7 Ise-Shima Summit in 2016, again, JOICFP was actively involved in the advocacy efforts, both domestically and internationally. JOICFP was an active member of the Japan Civil Society Platform on the 2016 G7 Ise-Shima Summit as a leader of the health working group. Ms. Sumie Ishii, Chairperson, JOICFP acted as a co-chair for the civil society group having a great influence on the actions of the network. A series of recommendations were presented to the Japanese government, and numerous dialogues were held primarily with MoFA. Internationally, JOICFP joined both the health (focusing on UHC) and SRHR working groups, jointly submitting recommendation letters that were delivered to the Japanese government, beginning from the Prime Minister to MoFA and MoHLW. These efforts were reflected in the increased reference to women and girls’ health, SRHR, and SRH services in official outcome documents such as the G7 Ise-Shima Leaders’ Declaration, “G7 Ise-Shima Vision for Global Health”, and Annex document “G7 Guiding Principles for Capacity Building of Women and Girls”.

G20

At the G20 Osaka Summit (2019), JOICFP coordinated advocacy efforts on gender equality in both domestic and international circles as part of the Civil 20 engagement groups, namely the Gender and Global Health Working Groups. A year-round effort resulted in the reference to elements of gender equality and women’s empowerment, ending all forms of discrimination against women, elimination of gender stereotypes, and eradication of all gender-based violence in the G20 Leaders’ Declaration. Advocacy activities also led to the inclusion of gender equality, women’s empowerment, and gender-responsive interventions in the Health Ministers’ Declaration in late 2019.