Member Associations

Guinea-Bissau is one tenth the size of its neighbour Guinea-Conakry, but its people suffer equally distressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems. The Associação Guineense para o Bem Estar Familiar was established in 1993 to address the major issue in family planning: equipping couples to make active, informed choices about the number of children they would have, and when they would have them.   Since then, the Member Association’s work has expanded to embrace a full range of SRH concerns. It provides young people with information, education and communication (IEC) and behaviour change communication (BCC) around sexual and reproductive health; it works on the prevention, diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) includind HIV; it provides post-abortion care and support; it provides care for victims of gender-based violence (GBV); and it advocates strongly at government level for legislation to prevent GBV. Associação Guineense para o Bem Estar Familiar achieved these results through a small but committed team that operate over hundred service points, including static clinics and community-based service points. Despite the relatively small size of the organization, it is growing rapidly with strong central support from IPPF, influential government partnerships, and backing from non-governmental organizations including UNFPA.

The Mouvement Français pour le Planning Familial (MFPF) is a feminist confederacy of over 70 member associations covering most of the French territory. They provide comprehensive sexuality education, counseling and information on contraception, abortion, HIV/STI and sexual and affective issues. Furthermore, they listen to, help and work with survivors of gender-based violence. Half of their beneficiaries are under the age of 20. MFPF and its members also run training courses and produce material for medical and educational communities covering a whole range of SRHR issues. A large number of member associations run health clinics where contraception and abortion services are delivered. MFPF advocates for longer delays and improved access to abortion, and it has been highly active in challenging opposition to fertility regulation. At the European and international scales, the organisation invests in three main activities. First, MFPF advocates for SRHR, women's rights and LGBTQI+ rights. Then, it conducts solidarity campaigns with immigrant women, and with sexual and reproductive health organizations in other European countries (such as Poland) where women's sexual and reproductive rights are violated. Finally, the French organization takes part in international programmes in solidarity with organizations in Africa in order to learn from one another, to share practices and to develop a common political agenda to improve access to SRHR.