Thanks to the opportunities APA has provided, the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) has recently been able to conduct two UN advocacy activities for SRHR. Insights from Hiromi Kusano, JOICFP
Hiromi Kusano from JOICFP participated in the Advocacy for Change training at the Human Rights Council (HRC) organized by APA and RFSU in Geneva, through which they had the opportunity to experience advocacy process for the renewal of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on SOGI (IE SOGI) during the 50th session in Geneva.
The training included learning about the special procedures of the HRC, directly conversing with the IE SOGI as well as the pen holders of the renewal resolution, lobbying to the Japanese mission to the UN, and participating in some of the interactive dialogues with the IE SOGI and the other independent human rights experts, making the statement as a CSO participant during the session, and observing the informal negotiation among the member states on draft resolutions.
“I am very much looking forward to making use of some of the special procedures. As I am coordinating the SRHR Youth Alliance, I would like its members to answer to the call for in-puts from the procedures mandate holders while also participating in the HRC session via video statement etc to make their voice heard globally”, shared Hiromi.
JOICFP has also been engaging in the HRC Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. JOICFP is composing a stakeholders’ report in collaboration with six Japanese CSOs working on SRHR as well as APA and SRI, focusing on priority SRHR topics in Japan such as access to contraceptives including emergency contraception and safe abortion, redress for victims of forced sterilization, discrimination based on SOGIE, law reform of the crimes of sexual violence, and universal access to CSE. This was possible due the APA membership which provided a fantastic platform to gather diverse voices and issues in one place.
JOICFP had previously collaborated with these CSOs before, however by working on the UPR together further enhanced our partnership as well as the understandings on each specialised issue, along with insights provided by SRI and APA.
“Last but not least, I am grateful for APA for providing such inspirational and useful training opportunities. I would also like to add the one-week training in Geneva was made very special also by finally physically meeting and getting to know with the members of APA family.”
