Member Associations

The Estonian Sexual Health Association (ESHA, formerly the Estonian Family Planning Association) is a non-governmental organization, which was founded in 1994. The goal of the ESHA is to improve and promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of the people living in Estonia. Since 1995 the ESHA is a member of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and adheres to its policies. ESHA promotes sexual and reproductive health and rights as defined on UN Cairo Conference of Population and Development (1994) and is committed among other aims to obtain equal rights for women, and to their empowerment. Main focus of activities is on youth SRHR education and sexual health counselling including HIV/AIDS prevention, but also a number of targeted programs have been carried out (addressing e.g. disabled people or victims of sexual violence). Information and educational materials to different target groups have been created and published as well as training courses in different issues have been carried out. Several media campaigns have been organised all over Estonia to target particular topic like intimate partner violence as an example. A network of youth counselling centres has been established all over Estonia which operates free of charge for young people up to 26 years of age under ESHA coordination. In 2003 ESHA opened Sexual Health Clinic to provide integrated sexual health services besides young people for adult target group as well. In addition, free SRHR Internet counselling for young people is provided through ESHA home page www.seksuaaltervis.ee. ESHA aims to continuously support school sexuality education especially in talking about ”difficult” topics, such as living together with people having HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive rights, sexual diversity, sexual orientation, sexuality in media, pornography, gender and sex, communication skills etc. ESHA has been providing such sex educational training for young people and also for parents and specialists working with youth in Estonia and also in other countries (Kyrgyzstan, Moldova).  

Relative to much of Africa, Madagascar has high levels of contraceptive use, but high birth rates coupled with endemic poverty and limited government-led sexual and reproductive health (SRH) provision mean that child mortality and maternal death figures are high. Fianakaviana Sambatra (FISA) has been fighting since 1967 to improve the nation’s SRH through advocacy, education and direct service provision. Currently, it runs 67 service points, including: 11 permanent clinics, 3 mobile units and 12 community-based services (CBSs), across 6 of the country’s regions. FISA works with 5 associated clinics and 29 private practitioners. FISA has 70 full-time staff, 184 peer educators, and a youth action movement made up of 42 members. FISA delivers a wide range of services: family planning, prevention and management of HIV and the provision and dissemination of comprehensive SRH materials. FISA has used its on-the-ground experience to advise government on national SRH policy. It has partnered with the Ministry of Health, Family Planning and Social Protection, and the Ministry of Youth to advocate for a concerted approach to resolving the critical SRH issues currently facing the country. At the same time, it works with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Marie Stopes International, and the ASSONG coalition of NGOs. FISA receives financial support from UNFPA, the Big Lottery Fund, Amélioration de la Qualité De Services, the EU and IPPF’s Japan Trust Fund. It’s also closely connected to other organizations promoting SRH rights across the country and the region.