Member Associations

The Association Béninoise pour la Promotion de la Famille (ABPF) has been operating for almost 40 years. ABPF offers family planning, ante-natal and post-abortion care, infertility treatment, screening of cancers of the reproductive system, and management of sexually transmitted infections (including HIV and AIDS). Its service points include permanent and mobile clinics. ABPF is focused on reaching marginalized groups such as prisoners, sex workers, refugees and internally displaced persons. The majority of clients are estimated to be poor, marginalized, socially excluded and/or under-served. To reduce the national maternal mortality rate, ABPF operates an effective community-based obstetric and antenatal care service in 16 villages, using traditional birth attendants and volunteer health workers. ABPF also runs a locally-based service for young people which involves hundreds of community-based distributors (CBDs) and peer educators providing young people with sexual and reproductive health information, condoms and counselling services. In acknowledgment of ABPF’s expertise and accomplishments, the Government of Benin invited the organization to become a member of the technical committee (in the Ministry of Planning) that drafts reproductive health policies: the Population Policy, the Family Health Policy, HIV and AIDS policies and the National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy. Whilst ABPF has recorded major advances in sexual and reproductive health, there are still very significant challenges as the figures for lifetime risk of maternal death, child mortality rate and unmet need for contraception of illustrate. Driving the work of ABPF is a large and dedicated team of hundreds of volunteers. There’s a Youth Action Movement which draws on the skills of young people. ABPF works in partnership with a range of government organisations, including parliament, the Ministère de la Famille, the Ministère de la Jeunesse, and the Ministère du Plan. Funders include USAID. Non-goverrnmental organizations working with ABPF include the Country Co-ordinating Mechanism for health and sexual and reproductive health.   

The Haiti Midwives Association was created in 2004 as a local organisation promoting the midwifery profession to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate. They work in collaboration with other entities (such as the Ministry of Health, obstetricians, etc.) to provide and promote health and wellbeing throughout Haiti. To ensure greater visibility and recognition of the midwifery profession in Haiti, the AISFH has officially changed its name to ASFH.ASFH provides ongoing training to its members and offers preventive and treatment services in the field of sexual and reproductive health.ASFH promotes the following values:Midwifery is an essential pillar in the promotion of health and in the fight to reduce infant and maternal mortality and morbidity in Haiti.The care provided by midwives is based on respect for the well-being and dignity of the family.Midwifery provides a favourable environment for the continuity of maternal and neonatal care.Proximity to women, continuity of care, informed choice, choice of delivery site and community services are at the core of the high quality care midwives provide.Midwifery care must be accessible to all Haitian women, regardless of socio-economic status.It is important to highlight and promote the potential of midwifery to improve the well-being of women, families and society.