On 23 May, JPFP held a meeting to debrief the ICPD-related conferences and activities of IPPF Palestine, under Hon. Aisawa Ichiro, Acting Chair of JPFP, with Hon. Kikawada Hitoshi, Secretary General of JPFP, serving as a moderator.

・ICPD30 Global Dialogue on Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development, 15-16 May, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Hon. Hosaka Yasushi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, who represented the Japanese government and JPFP at this conference, said that through his participation, he felt the need to keep a close eye on the diversifying demographic trends to formulate necessary policies, and to involve more stakeholders in these discussions. He then stated that the outcomes of the Global Dialogue would lead to the UN Future Summit this September and that JPFP would keep track of the progress being made throughout the process.

・The 8th International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (IPCI/ICPD), 10-12 April, Oslo, Norway

The IPCI/ICPD was initiated in 2002 to forge a global political consensus for the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action and translate it into concrete national outcomes on policy, funding and accountability. Hon. Terata Shizuka, who participated in the event, said that looking at the issue of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) on a global scale, it has made significant progress including increased access to contraceptives, reduced maternal mortality, and a decrease in child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). On the other hand, she reported that with these advances, there is a backlash in many countries, and these concerns were shared at the IPCI/ICPD. She expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to have meaningful dialogue on SRHR with parliamentarians from different parts of the world and said she hopes to continue working on these issues.

・Crisis in Palestine and PFPPA’s Response

Dr. Ammal Abdallah, Executive Director of the Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA), which is a Member Association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), first expressed her gratitude to the Government of Japan for its generous support. She then reported that between March 2022 and August 2023, Japan’s support enabled PFPPA to provide SRHR and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) response services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, from which 78,644 people benefitted.

However, she stated that since 7 October 2023, amidst the continuous bombardment, without electricity, clean water, food, shelter, or medical supplies/facilities, 15% of the 73,000 women currently pregnant could face complications and miscarriages, and one in three children under the age of two could suffer acute malnutrition. PFPPA‘s service delivery point in Gaza was also destroyed in the bombing, and PFPPA staffers, even though they have also been displaced from their homes, continue to provide services in shelters and remotely. With the amount of humanitarian aid less than half of what it used to be, Dr. Abdallah called for assistance in the form of supplies, medical services, and psychological and social support for all, including service providers.