| 31 March 2016
Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Etre Familial
The population of the Ivory Coast suffers from a litany of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems common to many countries on the continent: frighteningly high rates of maternal death, early pregnancies, child mortality and HIV prevalence, coupled with very low rates of contraceptive use. Additionally, instances of female genital mutilation (FGM) are frequent and the SRH and psychological repercussions that the practice presents are severe. The Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Etre Familial (AIBEF) was founded in 1979. It works closely with the National Population Bureau in the planning and implementation of the National Population Policy and the National Youth Policy. The government and legislators have called on the organization for advice and counsel because it is the one of the most experienced organizations in the field and has unparalleled expertise drawn from ground level experience. To complement and expand its scope, AIBEF partners with a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including the Futures Group, Pathfinder International, the Population Council, John Hopkins University, John Snow International, Columbia University and Family Health International. Major donors include the European Union, IPPF’s Japan Trust Fund, The Global Fund Against TB and Malaria, Alliance International and the World Bank. Additionally, it partners with Collectif des ONG de Lutte contre le Sida en Côte d’Ivoire and RIOF – national networks whose primary objective is to increase SRH capacity.
| 31 March 2016
Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association
The Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) is a non-governmental organization founded in 1992, registered in public benefit. Its activities are oriented towards several main areas of work – access to health services, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), health and sexuality education, advocacy, prevention of trafficking of human beings, sustainable development policies and prevention of HIV/AIDS and STI. The target groups of the organization are various and include mainstream young people, state, municipality and school authorities, health professionals, NGO and community leaders, teachers, journalists. BFPA puts special focus on marginalized and socially deprived groups – Roma, other minorities, blind and deaf children, young people with disabilities, rural women, children in institutions, young people with criminal record. BFPA is expert and innovator and introduced for the first time in the country the concept of peer education, youth friendly services, mobile services, Roma health mediators. BFPA staff, Management Board and volunteers have different professional backgrounds. This diversity of professional and social expertise helps to implement successfully over 75 projects, supported by over 50 different donors. These projects assure ongoing health, social and educational activities in Sofia and county-wide with the support of BFPA branches and various partner networks in the country and abroad. The interventions include national-wide campaigns, health services and screenings, wide range of trainings, researches, peer education etc.