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IPPF Director General Dr Alvaro Bermejo attended the Parliamentarians’ Meeting on “ICPD30: Leaving No One Behind in an Ageing World”, which was held in Tokyo on 23 April 2024 at the occasion of 50th anniversary of Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP) along with parliamentarians from 20 countries. This meeting provided an excellent opportunity to look back to the 50 years of collaboration between Japan and IPPF as well as the achievements of the ICPD Plan of Action.   Prior to the meeting, Dr Bermejo met the Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa at MOFA on 22 April 2024. At the meeting, Foreign Minister Kamikawa said: “Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and activities to promote gender equality by IPPF and UNFPA are essential for the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC). Japan intends to continue proactive efforts to achieve UHC. We look forward to continuing our cooperation. I hope IPPF will further contribute to the objectives of “reaching the most vulnerable first” and “leaving no one behind.”  The activities of IPPF and UNFPA are of critical importance also from the perspective of women peace and security (WPS). Japan will be promoting WPS even more vigorously and in a cross-cutting manner. And would like to strengthen cooperation in this area.” Dr Bermejo said: “IPPF provides SRH services at the grassroots level, particularly for vulnerable groups that are hard to reach by public services. By doing so we contribute to improving the wellbeing of people, particularly women and promoting gender equality and women’s rights, which are the core issues of WPS. IPPF will collaborate with Japan’s efforts to achieve both WPS and population related global commitments. As sexual and reproductive rights become increasingly threatened on the global stage, we must all stand together to advance and protect SRHR, recognising it as fundamental to all other efforts towards gender equality and human rights.”   Photo credits: Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

We are speechless, angry and profoundly saddened by the news that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was brutally gunned down while delivering a public speech in support of his party’s candidate for the forthcoming Japanese election. The assassination of Mr Abe represents a shocking and cowardly act of violence that threatens the core values of humanity which he spent his entire life defending. Our thoughts go to his wife Akie and the people of Japan at this extraordinarily challenging time. During the Tokyo UHC Summit held in December 2017, IPPF delivered a message to Mr Abe saying, "Just as your grandfather was the father of UHC in Japan, we hope that you will continue to lead global UHC and be the father of global UHC". Mr Abe responded to IPPF’s message with passion and energy. He put UHC promotion at the heart of Japan's Global Health Diplomacy Strategy and became a genuine global leader in UHC, becoming an example for other world leaders. He also held the World Assembly for Women (WAW!) in Tokyo with the aim of building a 'society where women would shine' in Japan and worked tirelessly to promote the empowerment of women. Through the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) 5 to 7, Mr Abe created global momentum for improved development cooperation in Africa. Dr Alvaro Bermeo, IPPF’s Director General, notes: "IPPF will continue to honour the work of former Prime Minister Abe and advance his commitment to universal health coverage that includes comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. May he rest in peace." Ms Tomoko Fukuda, Regional Director of IPPF East, South-East Asia and Oceania Regional Office, recalls: 'I will never forget the way former Prime Minister Abe spoke with enthusiasm about the realisation of a society where women would shine at the WAW! We still have a long way to go to realise women's empowerment in Japan and around the world, but we will continue to build on the foundation of Mr Abe's efforts." Main photo by Roméo A. on Unsplash

The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Director General Designate, Dr Alvaro Bermejo, has welcomed a renewed commitment from the Government of Japan at the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Forum 2017 to sexual and reproductive health services. At the Forum, Japanese Prime Minister Abe announced Japan’s pledge to provide UHC assistance, examples of outcomes of which include provision of 40 million sexual and reproductive health services and prevent 500,000 unintended pregnancies. It forms part of a much wider commitment by Japan to spend $2.9 billion US for health, nutrition, and water and sanitation to promote UHC further. Speaking at the UHC Forum in Tokyo, Dr Bermejo said: “The Tokyo Declaration is welcome news for those that worry that women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy don’t have access to modern methods of contraception. More than 200 million women are in this situation today. I’m optimistic that comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services will be recognised everywhere as a centrepiece of universal health coverage.” Dr Bermejo joined Prime Minister Abe and representatives from other global organisations, including The World Bank, The United Nations, The World Health Organisation and UNICEF in a joint show of support for the commitment made by Japan at the UHC Forum. He added: “With 152 member associations IPPF is the world’s largest network of locally owned, globally connected civil society organisations. We provide reproductive health services in 172 countries. Tokyo is good news, but we need to make it meaningful at country level. That is where, in the end, universal access to sexual and reproductive health services that are stigma-free, good quality and affordable for everyone contributes to universal health coverage.”