Good quality of care enhances clients' satisfaction and their use of services. It increases job satisfaction and motivation among service providers, and leads to greater sustainability of services.

In IPPF, quality of care is based on the 'Rights of the Client' and 'Needs of Service Providers' framework.

To ensure good quality of care, clients have the right to information, access to services, choice, safety, privacy and confidentiality, dignity and comfort, continuity of services, and opinion.

To fulfil these rights, the needs of service providers must be met as well. These include the needs for: training, information, proper infrastructure and supplies, guidance, backup, respect and encouragement, feedback on their performance, and opportunities for self expression.

Starting from this framework, IPPF launched the 'Strengthening the Quality of Reproductive Health Care' programme in 2001. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the project is moving the quality of care concepts into practice, by:

• Updating essential standards for the provision of reproductive health care
• Establishing systems of quality improvement that include self-assessment and planning with participation of service providers and managers at all levels of the service delivery programme
• Instituting improved medical and technical training for providers of care
• Increasing the availability and quality of medical and technical information
• Instituting a system of recognition for good quality of care by means of a 'Quality of Care' award.

34 Member Associations across all six of IPPF's regions are currently taking part in the programme. In the future, we hope to expand the programme to additional Associations.