Due to the concern regarding the situation about novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Japan, JOICFP decided to cancel all WRR on-site events (39 events in total including Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima) scheduled from February 29th to March 8th. We apologize for the decision and would like to ask the entrants to join the “virtual run” from February 29th to March 31st, by wearing the official T-shirt and posting photos on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with hashtags such as #whiteribbonrun #empowerwomen #internationalwomensday. The official T-shirt will be shipped in the last week of February.

WHITE RIBBON RUN REPORT 2020 VIDEO

Event Outline

What is WHITE RIBBON?

Many women in the world lose their lives because of pregnancy and delivery.

White Ribbon movement started in order to save lives of these women and babies.

In 1999, White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) was founded. Now, organizations and individuals in about 150 countries gather in the name of White Ribbon to engage in support activities, aiming that all women are able to be pregnant and deliver safely whenever they wish. The White Ribbon is the symbol of action for mourning the death of women, overcoming the griefs, and connecting hopes for tomorrow.

JOICFP, putting up the symbol “White Ribbon” to protect pregnant women globally and aiming for a world where all women could be safely pregnant and deliver babies whenever they wish, continues its support activities mainly in developing countries.

What is WHITE RIBBON RUN?

Some 810 women lose their lives daily because of pregnancy, childbirth, and abortion (as of 2017). 

To inform such situation, “WHITE RIBBON RUN (WRR)” is held as charity fun run, under the slogan “Let’s run, for yourself, and for someone else.” Preceding the International Women’s Day, the run event is organized, and the WRR urges further action of participation throughout Japan and the world.

Anyone can participate in the WRR anywhere by wearing the same official T-shirts, and runners around the world could get connected online through SNS. Part of their entry fee will be donated for assisting women in developing countries.

Why Running?

Running makes our body and mind healthy and enables us to be confident.

WRR aims that by running together, participants could feel the sense of belongingness and powerfulness, which leads to maintain their healthy action. Japan is the world’s top country for longevity, and many Japanese could live safely and receive inexpensive medical services without worries. Thus, the awareness of preventing disease could be often underestimated. However, in order to close the gap between average life expectancy and healthy life expectancy and to spend self-reliant life, WRR offers the opportunity to reflect our own body through “running” and “exercise”.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Aiming at a Sustainable Society where no one is left behind.

International society tackles with SDGs to achieve a sustainable society where no one is left behind by 2030. JOICFP organizes the WRR to realize the following three goals: SDG3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG5 (Gender Equality), and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals) with Registered Sites in Japan, and all parties involved such as runners, corporation and organizations.

What is JOICFP?

JOICFP is a Japan-based international NGO to protect life and health of pregnant women and women in the world. JOICFP was established in 1968 following the requests to internationally transmit successful experiences and know-hows in the field of family planning and maternal and child health that Japan has practiced after the World War II.

JOICFP is engaged in the human resource development in the field of global health, provision of materials and projects that improve quality of life in Asia and Africa, collaborating with United Nations, International Organizations, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and communities.

JOICFP received the first Japan SDGs Special Awards and celebrated the 50 anniversary in 2018.

Details of the WRR Sites

Tokyo Site

①Tokyo-based run, ②Tokyo women’s run, ③volunteer staff
① and ② will be held on the same day.

Time & Date: ①10:00~13:00 ②11:00~16:00 Sunday, March 1, 2020
Distance: 5km
Qualification: ①anyone, ②women 18 or over
Capacity:①②500 each ③100

Venue: Toyosu Park(TBA)
Address: 2 Chome-3-6 Toyosu, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0061
Two-minute walk from Toyosu Station (Yurikamome line) and three-minute walk from Toyosu Station (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho line)

 Registration Fee: ①3300 JPY (13 or older), 1500 JPY (under 13)
②5500 JPY (13 or older)
③Free of charge

Osaka Site

①Osaka-based run, ②Osaka Women’s run, ③volunteers
① and ② will be held on the same day.

Time & Date: ①10:00~13:00 ②11:00~16:00 Saturday, March 7, 2020
Distance: ①② 5km
Qualification: ①anyone, ②women 18 or older
Capacity: ①②500 each, ③100

Venue: Taiyo-no-Hiroba, Osaka Castle Park(TBA)
Address: 3-11 Osakajo, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0002
Five-minute walk from Osakajokoen Station (JR Osaka Loop Line)
10-minute walk from Exit #1 or #4, Osaka Business Park Station (Subway Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line)
5 to 6 minute-walk from Morinomiya Station (JR Morinomiya Station, Subway Chuo Line, Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line)

 Registration Fee:
① 3300 JPY (13 or older), 1500 JPY (under 13)
② 4800 JPY (13 or older)
③ Free of charge

Hiroshima Site

Any runner (irrespective of age and gender) can choose either of two courses: 1.5km (running a lap around the Hiroshima Castle) and 4.5km (3 laps around the Castle). Please inform which course to take on site.

Time & Date:  9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Sunday, March 8, 2020
Course: 1.5km (one lap) or 4.5km (three laps)
Capacity: 200 runners for both courses
Venue:  Satellite Campus Hiroshima, Prefectural University of Hiroshima

Address: 1 Chome-5-3 Otemachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima, 730-0051
5-minute walk from Hiroshima Bus Center
3-minute walk from Hondori Station (Astram Line)

Course: Running course at the Hiroshima Castle

Registration Fee:  3500 JPY (13 or older), 1500 JPY (under 13)

Registered Sites in Japan

26 Sites as of October 2, 2019

Sendai, Miyagi・Semboku, Akita・Chiba, Chiba・Tokyo・Yokohama and Yokosuka, Kanagawa・Niigata, Niigata・Kosai (2), Shizuoka, Fuji, Mishima, and Hamamatsu, Shizuoka (6 sites)・ Nagoya, Aichi・Kouga, Shiga・Shiga・Tenri, Nara・Kobe, and Himeji, Hyogo・Okayama・Takamatsu, Kagawa・Takeo, Saga・Unzen, Nagasaki・Kumamoto, Kumamoto・Miyazaki, Miyazaki・Kagoshima, Kagoshima

 Run will be held on Sat. February 29, Sun. March 1, Sat. March 7, or Sun. March 8, 2020. 

*Dates, times and venues vary for each site.

Anywhere, for Anyone

During the International Women’s Week (February 29 – March 8, 2020), you can participate by wearing the official charity T-shirt, running wherever you like at your own pace and uploading your running photos on SNS with hashtag #whiteribbonrun and # empowerwomen.

Course and Time: run/walk at your own pace
Place: wherever you wish (your neighborhood, regular running spot, etc.)
Date: Anytime between Saturday, February 29 and Sunday, March 8, 2020
Entry Fee: 3300 JPY (13 or older), 1500 JPY (under 13)

Capacity/Entry fees

Runner

LocationCategoryRunnerAgeCapacityCourseEntry Fee (JPY)Donation allocated from the Entry FeesEarly Bird
※1 (300yen discount)
Youth (13~24)
※2
JOICFP Friends
※3
TOKYO
March 1
Women’s Runwomen18 or older5005㎞5,5001,5005,200×4,000
Tokyo Based run
(5㎞)
anyone13 or older5005㎞3,3001,5003,0002,5001,800
Under 131,500500××1,000
OSAKA
March 7
Women’s Runwomen18 or older5005㎞4,8001,5004,500×3,300
Osaka Based run
(5㎞)
anyone13 or older5005㎞3,3001,5003,0002,5001,800
Under 131,500500××1,000
HIROSHIMA
March 8
Hiroshima Based runanyone13 or older2001.5㎞
4.5㎞
(choose either course on site)
3,5001,5003,2002,5002,000
Under 131,500500××1,000
Other areas of JapanRegistered Sites in Japananyone13 or olderContact each siteContact each site3,3001,5003,0002,5001,800
Under 131,500500××1,000
Anywhere, for anyoneIndividual participationanyone13 or olderN/AAt his/her own pace3,0001,500×2,5001,500
Under 131,500500××1,000

Volunteer Staff ※4

VolunteerAgeCapacityfee
Tokyo Sitesanyone18 or older100free
Osaka Sitesanyone18 or older100free

※1  Early Bird
Early bird runners who register between November 20, 2019, Wed. and December 20, 2019, Fri. will receive 300-yen discount. The categories of the run are: Tokyo-based run, Tokyo Women’s Run, Osaka-based run, Osaka Women’s Run, Hiroshima-based Run, and Registered Sites in Japan, and this applies to those runners who are 13 or older (The discount does not apply to Anywhere for anyone, and other categories for runners under 13 and youth).

※2 Youth
Discount for youth applies to those who are 13 to 24 years old. This discount cannot be used together with Early Bird discount. Tokyo-based run, Osaka-based run, Hiroshima-based run, Registered Sites in Japan, and Anywhere for Anyone apply to this discount.

※3 JOICFP Friends
This is eligible for JOICFP Friends who support JOICFP monthly. Registration is between November 20, 2019 Wed. and January 22, 2020, Wed. for all categories. Discount will be applied to the member of JOICFP Friends only, and her/his family and friends are not applicable. 

※4 Official staff wear will be provided to volunteers on the date of WRR.

Remarks:

※ Insurance fee is included in the entry fee for Tokyo-based run, Tokyo Women’s Run, Osaka-based run, Osaka Women’s Run, Hiroshima-based run, and Registered Sites in Japan.
※ After registration, the original charity T-shirt will be mailed individually as a gift for participation.

Registration Period

General Registration: 10 a.m. November 20, 2019 – 23:59 p.m. January 22, 2020

Early Bird: 10 a.m. November 20 – 23:59 p.m. December 20, 2019 

Discounts for , youth, and JOICFP Friends: 10 a.m. November 20, 2019 – 23:59 p.m. January 22, 2020
(The number of runners is limited. Runners complete the registration process after payment. There is no cancellation waiting) 

Part of the entry fee will be donated for the projects to support women in Afghanistan and Kenya (for details, please see “About WRR 2020 Projects”).

Gift for Participation

“Original Charity T-shirt (for all entries)” 

All participants are asked to wear this T-shirts on the day of the event to send the message. The original charity T-shirts will be mailed to all registered runners prior to the run event.  

Registered runners to Tokyo-based Run, Tokyo Women’s Run, Osaka-based Run, Osaka Women’s Run, Hiroshima-based Run, and Registered Sites in Japan will receive a gift bag at respective venues.

About WRUN 2020 Projects

Afghanistan

Assisting management of maternal, newborn and child health clinics and deliver health and medical services to women, mothers and children

JOICFP will assist management of maternal and child health clinics and deliver health and medical services to women, mothers and children in the suburban area of Jalalabad. In order for Afghan women to receive such services at ease, female medical personnel need to be present because of their cultural and customary circumstance. However, as Afghanistan has still been going through reconstruction, medical facilities and staff are in short. JOICFP assigns female doctors and many female health personnel and promotes awareness-raising activities that women can acquire knowledge to protect their health, in addition to providing maternal and child health services. 

Kenya

Promoting male participation in family planning and supporting young women to raise self-esteem in slum areas where JOICFP implements support activities.

Women in the slum area often accept sexual intercourse for a living and experience gender-based violence (GBV).

Unable to receive adequate education due to poverty, they don’t have knowledge and often go through sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancies. In order to improve such situation, men’s understanding and cooperation are inevitable. JOICFP provides men in the slum area with an opportunity to learn gender equality and reproductive health and rights. At the youth center, JOICFP trains youth to serve as peer educators to deliver the information on adolescent health and offers occupational training and activities such as dance and music clubs. In order to further activate exchange among youth, JOICFP supports to implement additional activities to raise young women’s self-esteem and improve access to the family planning services.

Race Information

Name of EventWHITE RIBBON RUN 2020
HostJapanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP)
Grant from– JKA Foundation
– International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
SponsorsTBA
With the Support of– Osaka Prefectural Government(TBA)
– City of Osaka(TBA)
– Hiroshima Prefectural Government(TBA)
– City of Hiroshima(TBA)
– UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) Tokyo Offic
e(TBA)
– UN Women – Field Office Japan
– Japan Family Planning Association
– Japanese Midwives Association
– Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
– Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
– Japan Society of Maternal Health
– Council for Maternal and Child Health Promotion
– Japanese Nursing Association
CooperationJapan SDGs Association
Event AdministrationRoots Sports Japan Co., Ltd. and Wiseman Inc.
Dates29 February, 1, 7, and 8 March, 2020
CategoriesTokyo-based Run, Tokyo Women’s Run, Osaka-based Run, Osaka Women’s Run, Hiroshima-based Run, Registered Sites in Japan, and Anywhere, for anyone
VolunteerTokyo Venues and Osaka Venues

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