Member Associations

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.  

Established in 1957 as a grass-root movement, the Mauritius Family Planning & Welfare Association (MFPWA) was one of the earliest organizations in Africa focusing on family planning issues. As the nation struggled to find a way to address pressing population issues, a group of advocates formed MFPWA and started to provide contraceptive services directly to women. In 2018 the MFPWA is governed by an Act of Parliament 2018 as a body corporate.  Today, the organization caters for the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of the whole community. It also has particular strands of activity relating to specific groups including sexually abused children, elderly people, men and marginalized populations on Rodrigues and Agalega Islands.   MFPWA has 30 staff and 50 volunteers and offers services through 2 permanent facilities and several service points.  It also runs a day care centre for infants and children as a social enterprise initiative. The Association delivers services that include family planning, the prevention and management of HIV through voluntary counselling and testing, infertility management, antenatal and post-natal care, post-abortion care, the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and screening for cancers of the reproductive systems in particular breast, cervical and prostate.  The Association began its first rehabilitation of sexually abused children in 2003 and has built a solid reputation in the domain. Services for the rehabilitation of victims of gender based violence had been extended to Rodrigues Island on a pilot basis in 2019. The Member Association also operates peer-educator-led outreach programmes targeting work places, namely: hotels, manufacturing industries, call centres, male-dominated sectors such as transport, police, agriculture and fisheries.   MFPWA has played a critical role in promoting the integration of comprehensive sexuality education into the national school curriculum and its powerful, informed advocacy has been influential in shaping government’s agenda and policies on SRH and population issues. MFPWA partners with and advises government departments which address health, quality of life, women’s rights, child development, family welfare, social security and youth and sports.  MFPWA works with a large number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), para-statal and government institutions and international partners like UNFPA, Help Age International and the European Union.