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).  

Gestos is a philanthropic organization founded in 1993 by sociologist Acioli Neto, journalist Alessandra Nilo, sociologist Márcia Andrade and social worker Silvia Dantas. The first project developed was supported by MISEREOR and focused on psychological care for people living with AIDS, as well as the training of information multipliers in the poorest communities of the Metropolitan Region of Recife. Since then, they have effectively contributed to guaranteeing the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. About 70% of the people who have sought legal support from the institution have had their rights redressed, through precautionary measures and sentences, which today are even part of the list of jurisprudence on the subject of Law and AIDS. Throughout its history, the organization has considered communication as fundamental in the fight against AIDS and has fought to expand this understanding in Pernambuco, Brazil and Latin America. This vision has consolidated Gestos as an important reference in Communication and AIDS in the country, with special emphasis on discussions on Public Policies on Health Communication. They also help to form new civil society organizations, such as the National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (RNPVHA - 1995), the Positive Work Group - GTP+ (2000), the Group of Positive Actions (2003), the Group of Support to HIV Positive People (GASP) 2003, Acts of Citizenship (2006). From 2007 to 2011, Gestos created and coordinated the UNGASS-AIDS Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health, where it oversaw the implementation of agreements signed at the UN in sixteen developing countries. The UNGASS-AIDS Forum has established itself as a space for political debate on issues related to HIV and AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights. They are also a consultative NGO at the UN, with ECOSOC status since 2017.   Instagram Twitter