Member Associations

Located off the eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, Comoros is an archipelago of 4 islands at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel between northeaster Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar. At a little over 1,800 square kilometres, it’s the third smallest nation in Africa, but has over 700,000 inhabitants. It is one of the most densely populated countries on the continent. A third of the population are women of reproductive age and the absence of essential health services presents major risks to their health and survival. High fertility levels allied to low contraceptive uptake, and widespread poverty combine to drive high risks related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). In response, the Association Comorienne pour le Bien-Être Famille (ASCOBEF) is delivering a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health programmes and services. These include family planning, gynaecological counselling and services, antenatal care, information, education and communication (IEC) programmes and behaviour change communications (BCC) activities to promote health-seeking behaviour. It is also playing a major advocacy role in the fight against gender-based violence, and has provided extensive victim support. The majority of ASCOBEF's clients are poor, marginalized, socially excluded and/or under-served. ASCOBEF deliver services and programmes supported by volunteers, Youth Action Movement members and peer educators. ASCOBEF works in partnership with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including Réseau Femmes et Développement. It receives financial support from UNFPA, the Global Fund, UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

SECS was founded in 1990 with the help of the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) to meet the needs of information, education and service provision in the fields of sexuality and family planning. Since then, the SECS has continued to militate for reproductive rights and reproductive health in Romania. Over the years, SECS has been an educator, opinion leader and pioneer in providing family planning services. Through its mobilization programmes, the organization has succeded in catalisying governamental organisations and non-governamental organisations from 11 urban communities to create sustainable partnerships (Local Coordination Groups) who have developed and implemented their own local plans for educating disadvantaged population through the local community resources. SECS promotes through its programmes the importance of local partnerships to being the key to identify the existing needs and the sustainable solutions for implementing them. SECS played a major role in the National Family Planning Program and supported the creation of a coherent network of supporters of reproductive health in Romania. Our organization holds the position of national leader in family planning programs, and for seven years has been a partner for Head of the Ministry of Health in initiation, implementation and monitoring of The National Family Planning Program in the health reform process. Through this program SECS has provided technical assistance for the Public Health Authorities of all the counties of the country and in collaboration with them has contributed to the medical continuum education process of 5,300 family doctors and 4,000 medical schools nurses in rural areas. Believing that that the population's access to information and education must be one continuous process, the SECS initiated Community mobilization and training programmes both in rural and urban areas, strategic and sustainable programmes.  Key areas of expertise: Providing technical assistance in initiation, implementation, monitoring and program evaluation, both at the national and international level, training of medical staff in family planning, financial management of medical offices. Adult education (communication,fundraising, growing the level of awareness on some community issues, volunteering, advocacy, respect for sexual and reproductive rights for humans with special needs). Training peer educators both for young people and for adults, community mobilization programs through developing multi-sectoral groups and optimal use of local resources. Logistic system development and implementation for monitoring the distribution of some products within public health programs, communication campaigns who are targeting behaviour change. Advocacy programs. Understanding the reproductive health needs of people living with learning disabilities.