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.

The DFPA works to promote the universal right to decide over your own body and sexuality. DFPA’s goal is that everyone – regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity – has the knowledge and the possibility to choose the life that they want. The right to choose is a prerequisite for all individuals to live their lives to their full potential as well as a prerequisite for achieving sustainable economic and social development. DFPA work to increase gender equality, access to contraceptives, sexuality education and health services including treatment of STIs, and we fight against maternal mortality, unsafe abortions, child marriages, teenage pregnancies and discrimination of LGBT+ people. DFPA has a fundamental focus on strengthening civil society in the Global South in order to drive real and sustainable change for poor, marginalized and vulnerable groups and to push for the realization of the SDGs.