| 31 March 2016
Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone
The Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL), established in 1959, works on a range of serious sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues to improve people's health and quality of life. A key focus is to improve access to maternal health care, to reduce the risk of maternal and infant death. PPASL accesses the community through 5 service points, 12 workplace outreach projects, and 3 youth centres, via a 40-strong permanent staff team, backed by nearly 300 volunteers, 9 community-based distributors (CBDs) and a Youth Action Movement membership of 150. There is a 90% prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country, and finding ways to handle the attendant psychological and physical trauma is one of the organization’s major challenges. Much of PPASL’s work is directed towards behaviour change communication (BCC) among community leaders, police and army personnel and Muslim and Christian groups. Safe motherhood, family planning, and the sensitisation of young people to SRH concerns are also central to the direct services which PPASL provides. The Member Association works in partnership with government health and development ministries and the Sierra Leone Armed Forces Hospitals. Non-governmental organization (NGO) partners include the Reproductive Health Service, CHASL, MSSL, National AIDS Secretariat/SHARP and the Marie Stopes Society. PPASL receives financial support from UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Plan International, MOHS & RH UNIT, Marie Stopes Society, SL Red Cross Society and Action Aid.
| 31 March 2016
Eesti Seksuaaltervise Liit / Estonian Sexual Health Association
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).