Member Associations

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. 

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.