Member Associations

Established in 1985, IPPF’s Member Association in Guinea-Conakry faces many stark sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges including some of the highest fertility and child mortality rates in the world, coupled with very low levels of contraceptive use.   The Association Guinéenne pour le Bien-être Familial (AGBEF) has mounted a vigorous response to these challenges. Through its services points (static clinics, mobile clinics, associated clinics, community-based distributors (CBDs) and community-based services (CBSs) the organization reaches out to poor and marginalized groups with a particular emphasis on young women and men, and displaced persons and refugees. The Member Association’s services include disseminating information, education and communication around sexual and reproductive health (SRH); youth-friendly SRH services; prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV through interventions such as voluntary counselling and testing (VCT); improving access to contraceptives at community level; and advocating and mobilizing the public to demand  their SRH rights. AGBEF’s team includes volunteers, peer educators and thousand of CBDs. Its youth action movement has a membership of over 100. The Member Association partners with government departments and large international NGOs to promote and develop its work.  

One of IPPF’s central beliefs is that processes and approaches need to be adapted to meet the specific needs of a country. In Lesotho, a country with one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, LPPA is very active in finding new ways to address neglected needs. LPPA provides a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health including: family planning, the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), screening for cancers of the reproductive system, the distribution of contraceptives and emergency contraceptives, pregnancy testing, post-abortion care, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and the management of infections. Clients are referred to other centres for CD4 tests and ARV treatment.  LPPA reaches out to the communities it serves through 47 service points: 10 permanent clinics, 9 private providers, 30 associated agencies, 90 peer educators and 14 community-based distributors (CBDs). There are 54 permanent staff who are supported by over 200 volunteers. An estimated 75% of LPPA's clients are poor, marginalized, socially excluded and/or under-served. Target groups include cattle herders, prisoners, rural populations, factory workers, university students, police trainees and people living with HIV and AIDS.  LPPA targets out-of-school children, and disseminates SRH information through drama, puppetry, sports for life, and facilitated discussions. Other education programmes include health talks, workshops, performances and radio and TV shows. In advocacy, LPPA reaches out to teachers, religious leaders and government leaders to promote favourable approaches to, and legislation on, SRH.  LPPA has influential partnerships with government health and population departments, and it partners with major non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Donors include Irish Aid, UNDP, the Japan Trust Fund, and IPPF’s Korea Africa Fund. The Member Association has strong linkages with other organizations across the country, particularly in relation to HIV and AIDS.

Relative to much of Africa, Madagascar has high levels of contraceptive use, but high birth rates coupled with endemic poverty and limited government-led sexual and reproductive health (SRH) provision mean that child mortality and maternal death figures are high. Fianakaviana Sambatra (FISA) has been fighting since 1967 to improve the nation’s SRH through advocacy, education and direct service provision. Currently, it runs 67 service points, including: 11 permanent clinics, 3 mobile units and 12 community-based services (CBSs), across 6 of the country’s regions. FISA works with 5 associated clinics and 29 private practitioners. FISA has 70 full-time staff, 184 peer educators, and a youth action movement made up of 42 members. FISA delivers a wide range of services: family planning, prevention and management of HIV and the provision and dissemination of comprehensive SRH materials. FISA has used its on-the-ground experience to advise government on national SRH policy. It has partnered with the Ministry of Health, Family Planning and Social Protection, and the Ministry of Youth to advocate for a concerted approach to resolving the critical SRH issues currently facing the country. At the same time, it works with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Marie Stopes International, and the ASSONG coalition of NGOs. FISA receives financial support from UNFPA, the Big Lottery Fund, Amélioration de la Qualité De Services, the EU and IPPF’s Japan Trust Fund. It’s also closely connected to other organizations promoting SRH rights across the country and the region. 

The Association Malienne pour la Protection et la Promotion de la Famille (AMPPF) was established in 1972 to tackle the family planning challenges facing the Malian people. It rapidly expanded its activity and remit to embrace sexual and reproductive health (SRH) counselling; neonatal, gynaecological, post-natal and post-abortion care; and prevention and management of HIV and AIDS, particularly voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). These figures were achieved through the strategic and focused management of a strong team which has the capacity to reach out to diverse communities across the country. AMPPF has hundreds of volunteers, a strong youth action movement and hundreds of peer educators and community-based distributors.   AMPPF is actively engaged with the planning, health, youth and family departments of the Malian government. It has strong ties with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including Population Service International (PSI), the Conseil de Concertation et d'Appui aux ONGs, the Federation Nationale des Associations de Santé Communautaire au Mali (FENASCOM), the Association de Recherche, de Communication et d'Accompagnement à Domicile des Personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA (ARCAD), and SIDA. Major donors include WHO, USAID and UNFPA.

Established in 1957 as a grass-root movement, the Mauritius Family Planning & Welfare Association (MFPWA) was one of the earliest organizations in Africa focusing on family planning issues. As the nation struggled to find a way to address pressing population issues, a group of advocates formed MFPWA and started to provide contraceptive services directly to women. In 2018 the MFPWA is governed by an Act of Parliament 2018 as a body corporate.  Today, the organization caters for the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of the whole community. It also has particular strands of activity relating to specific groups including sexually abused children, elderly people, men and marginalized populations on Rodrigues and Agalega Islands.   MFPWA has 30 staff and 50 volunteers and offers services through 2 permanent facilities and several service points.  It also runs a day care centre for infants and children as a social enterprise initiative. The Association delivers services that include family planning, the prevention and management of HIV through voluntary counselling and testing, infertility management, antenatal and post-natal care, post-abortion care, the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and screening for cancers of the reproductive systems in particular breast, cervical and prostate.  The Association began its first rehabilitation of sexually abused children in 2003 and has built a solid reputation in the domain. Services for the rehabilitation of victims of gender based violence had been extended to Rodrigues Island on a pilot basis in 2019. The Member Association also operates peer-educator-led outreach programmes targeting work places, namely: hotels, manufacturing industries, call centres, male-dominated sectors such as transport, police, agriculture and fisheries.   MFPWA has played a critical role in promoting the integration of comprehensive sexuality education into the national school curriculum and its powerful, informed advocacy has been influential in shaping government’s agenda and policies on SRH and population issues. MFPWA partners with and advises government departments which address health, quality of life, women’s rights, child development, family welfare, social security and youth and sports.  MFPWA works with a large number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), para-statal and government institutions and international partners like UNFPA, Help Age International and the European Union.   

The Mozambican Association for Family Development (AMODEFA) was formed in 1989. Like most IPPF Member Associations, the initial focus of the organization was family planning, but over the years it has diversified to cover a broader range of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) requirements, including emergency obstetric care, pre- and post-natal care, and services dedicated to the prevention, treatment and management of HIV and AIDS.  As the high HIV prevalence rates demonstrate, there is a desperate need for sustained efforts on this front. AMODEFA has responded to the challenges of HIV and AIDS with a community-based, clinic-based approach linked to home-based care. With private sector sites, mobile and community-based service points, the Member Association raises awareness and combats HIV and AIDS stigma and discrimination, and provides referrals. AMODEFA uses the HIV, Gender and Sexuality link through comprehensive sex education in schools and outside schools to drive HIV prevention.  AMODEFA staff, is supported by hundreds of volunteers, a youth action movement, peer educators and community-based distributors (CBDs).  In its advocacy role, AMODEFA has provided advice and influenced the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Human Development, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action, Ministry of Justice, Secretary for Youth and Employment and Parliament to adopt supportive national legislation and practices, particularly with regard to adolescents and youth.  The Member Association works with governmental and non-governmental organisations, such as the National HIV and AIDS Council, PLASOC, the Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and with private sector such as ECOSIDA.  AMODEFA's donors include UNFPA, OIM, Global Fund, AFRIKAGRUPPERNA, DIAKONIA and JFT. The Organization is a member of PLASOC - Platform of Civil Society Organizations for Health, RDSR - Sexual and Reproductive Rights Network, CECAP - Coalition for the Elimination of Premature Unions.