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In pictures: Expanding access to safe abortion in India

Konika* Mother of three, Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) client Konika is 20 years old, and the mother of three girls. Like many local young women, she decided to have an abortion when she became pregnant for the fourth time within five years. Citing financial issues as the driving force behind her decision, despite her mother-in-laws desire for her to have another child, hoping this time it would be a boy. Through a neighbour, she approached the PSK clinic in Bhiwandi for an abortion. In Konika’s community, many young women are married and have kids by the time they are 20. Now with PSK, women like Konika have a choice to be pregnant or not. *Name has been changed Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Rehkha Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) link worker Family Planning Association of India, works with a network of volunteer link workers, who disseminate information about services available in the PSK clinic, make referrals, and often accompany women to the clinic for support. One of these link workers is Rehkha. Rekha says: "I have been involved with PSK for five years. And today I can proudly say that since the first awareness campaigns, there has been not a single death in the village due to an unsafe abortion." She adds: "These women are my flesh and blood. They know I only want the best for them… Within our communities we spread the message of safe sex and safe abortion through songs and skits which are easily understood. And I think the trick is to include mother-in-laws in our work. We have a high success rate in providing safe abortion care.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Shajahan Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) link worker Shajahan is a link worker in the nearby Muslim district, where women pack into a house in the narrow village lanes to wait to speak to her. She says: "I am a Muslim. In my community, abortion is frowned upon, and contraception is considered a sin. Initially, the women thought I was going against our customs, and the men thought I was a bad influence on their wives. Some of the men in our area even approached my husband and asked him to order me to stop these efforts." But her husband was supportive, telling other men that it was also their responsibility to be part of the process. It took several years, but eventually Shajahan won the trust of the women and men of her area. "Today, every woman in my area comes to me when it concerns matters of sexual health." Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Gauri Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) staff Gauri has worked for FPAI for years and remembers hearing about the experiences of women who’d had unsafe abortions. "I had heard first-hand accounts of [unsafe] abortions that left women reeling in pain, suffering permanent infertility. I had also seen the grief in the faces of men whose wives died. So today when I see women leaving us, after an abortion, in perfect health, I feel like I've done something right with my life." Gauri continues: "My work may have started with one area, but I want to reach every corner of the country with FPAI - so that no woman in India becomes a statistic." Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Nisha Mother of two At 23, Nisha Boudh is already a mother to two children and severely anaemic. She feels she is in no position to have a third child, but her in-laws are not supportive. Nisha chose to have an abortion at FPAI’s Gwalior clinic. “I have been weak since childhood and, honestly, motherhood has taken a toll on my health. Doctors in other clinics were not willing help me and I would have died had FPAI not come to my rescue. With their doctors’ advice I have now decided to undergo an operation [tubal ligation] as I do not want to conceive. My mother-in-law was upset with my decision but I want to live to see my other children grow,” said Boudh. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Diti* Sex worker Diti is a sex worker living in Kolkata. She says she, "owes her life to PSK". Diti was forced into an early marriage when she was just 12 years old. "Before my body could even develop, my husband was forcing himself upon me." By the age of 20, Diti had five children. Struggling to cope at such an early age, and married to an abusive husband, Diti ran away. "I don't enjoy having sex with strangers, but I need the money." She makes 300 rupees a day ($4 USD). When Diti became pregnant she didn’t want to continue with the pregnancy. "There's no way I can feed a child. Besides, this is no place to bring a child into the world. Another sex worker recommended the PSK clinic.” Diti was worried about visiting the clinic, fearing stigma and discrimination from staff for working as a sex worker. Her experience was vastly different, finding the clinic team to be welcoming, reassuring and supportive. "They treated me like a human being." Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Mala Medical officer “The big problem in this part of India is early marriage and pregnancy. Both of which need to be handled very delicately,” says medical officer Mala Tiwari. “Slowly, things are changing as women are becoming aware of their rights. Previously when GCACI did not exist there was very little interaction with the link workers, and they [and the community] feared it was illegal to get an abortion. They did not know they did not need the consent of their husbands and in-laws. They now know, women have a right over their body.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Manju Mother of two, Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) client Manju Rana was forced to marry at fifteen. “I have had two children in eight years of marriage,” she says. “My mother-in-law wanted me to keep having children. She does not understand I would not be able to give them a good education if I had more children. My husband is a driver and we cannot afford to have any more. When I learnt I was pregnant, without taking anyone’s permission, I went with the link worker of my area to the clinic and had an abortion.” Manju adds: “In these affordable clinics we can choose about pregnancy. They also made sure I was counselled, as coming to a decision about abortion is not easy.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email

India, GCACI, abortion in India
22 November 2018

Expanding access to safe abortion in India

The Global Comprehensive Abortion Care Initiative (GCACI) improves access to quality abortion care and contraception in IPPF Member Association clinics. Launched in 2008, GCACI is now in its 10th year of supporting IPPF Member Associations through training to build staff skills and expertise, clinic strengthening to ensure quality of care, community awareness raising and education, and abortion stigma reduction. No refusal policy The Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) clinic outside Mumbai sees a wide range of clients from the underserved communities in the district. The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) opened the clinic at the request, and need, of a local fisherwomen’s group. The clinic is supported by IPPF’s Global Comprehensive Abortion Care Initiative  (GCACI), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The clinic is in Bhiwandi, on a busy street surrounded by slums, shops and factories.  Konika* is 20 years old, and mother of three. Like many local young women, she decided to have an abortion when she became pregnant for the fourth time within five years, citing financial issues as the driving force behind her decision. Through a neighbour, Konika approached the PSK clinic in Bhiwandi for an abortion. Because of the clinic, she now feels many young women now have the power to choose to be pregnant or not. The clinic has a “no refusal” policy, ensuring that all women are provided with care in the clinic, irrespective of their ability to pay This has helped to build trust with local women who come long distances to seek an abortion and contraceptive services.  The clinic serves a large population of migrants and a community of sex workers.    “These women are my flesh and blood” FPAI works with a network of volunteer link workers, who disseminate information about services available in the PSK clinic, make referrals, and often accompany women to the clinic for support. One of these link workers is Rekha. Rekha says: "I have been involved with PSK for five years. And today I can proudly say that since the first awareness campaigns, there has been not a single death in the village due to an unsafe abortion." She adds: "These women are my flesh and blood. They know I only want the best for them… Within our communities we spread the message of safe sex and safe abortion through songs and skits which are easily understood. And I think the trick is to include mother-in-laws in our work. We have a high success rate in providing safe abortion care.” Shajahan Khan is a link worker in the nearby Muslim district, where women pack into a house in the narrow village lanes to wait to speak to her.  She says: "I am a Muslim. In my community, abortion is frowned upon, and contraception is considered a sin." "Initially, the women thought I was going against our customs, and the men thought I was a bad influence on their wives. Some of the men in our area even approached my husband and asked him to order me to stop these efforts." But Khan's husband was supportive, telling other men that it was also their responsibility to be part of the process. It took several years, but eventually, Khan won the trust of the women and men of her area. "Today, every woman in my area comes to me when it concerns matters of sexual health." “I want to reach every corner of the country” Gauri has worked for FPAI for years and remembers hearing about the experiences of women who’d had unsafe abortions. "I had heard first-hand accounts of [unsafe] abortions that left women reeling in pain, suffering permanent infertility. I had also seen the grief in the faces of men whose wives died. So today when I see women leaving us, after an abortion, in perfect health, I feel like I've done something right with my life."  Gauri continues: "My work may have started with one area, but I want to reach every corner of the country with FPAI - so that no woman in India becomes a statistic." In the district of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, the summer season has started and the heat in town is already extreme. Here, the FPAI clinic serves many people living in poverty. In the ten years since the GCACI project started there, the clinic has provided 16,301 women with comprehensive abortion care and 202,758 women with contraceptive services. The two-storey clinic is situated in a residential area and, inside, women queue up to see the counsellors and medical staff. Many are accompanied by link workers who have travelled with them from outlying districts.    Neelam Dixit is in charge of the branch. “There is a shift in attitude among women since FPAI started providing services. Presently, there is little stigma attached to abortion. Our aim is to provide quality health services at low cost. We create awareness about the consequences of unsafe abortion and train volunteers to be sure women in villages are aware of our clinic.” The clinic serves around 300,000 people from rural and semi-urban populations with comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, and  provides both first- and second-trimester abortion services. Dixit adds: “Most women are from vulnerable sections of society and are denied the right to make their own decisions.”  “I want to live to see my other children grow” At 23, Nisha Boudh is already a mother to two children and, like many women in India, severely anaemic. She feels she is in no position to have a third child, but her in-laws are not supportive. Nisha chose to have an abortion at FPAI’s Gwalior clinic. “I have been weak since childhood and, honestly, motherhood has taken a toll on my health.  Doctors in other clinics were not willing help me and I would have died had FPAI not come to my rescue. With their doctors’ advice I have now decided to undergo an operation [tubal ligation] as I do not want to conceive.  “My mother-in-law was upset with my decision but I want to live to see my other children grow,” said Boudh. Manju Rana was forced to marry at fifteen. “I have had two children in eight years of marriage,” she says. “My mother-in-law wanted me to keep having children. She does not understand I would not be able to give them a good education if I had more children. My husband is a driver and we cannot afford to have any more. When I learnt I was pregnant, without taking anyone’s permission, I went with the link worker of my area to the clinic and had an abortion.”  Manju adds: “In these affordable clinics we can choose about pregnancy. They also made sure I was counselled, as coming to a decision about abortion is not easy.” “They now know they have a right over their body” “The big problem in this part of India is early marriage and pregnancy. Both of which need to be handled very delicately,” says medical officer Mala Tiwari.  “Slowly, things are changing as women are becoming aware of their rights. Previously when GCACI did not exist there was very little interaction with the link workers, and they [and the community] feared it was illegal to get an abortion. They did not know they did not need the consent of their husbands and in-laws. They now know, women have a right over their body.”   Link worker Rajini agrees, "Due to poverty, many women can’t afford an abortion or many a time they have no right to decide about pregnancy as we belong to a patriarchal society. We all have a right to a life of dignity and it’s my responsibility to see that every woman knows about the clinic. I believe in equality. FPAI has taught me to fight for my rights.”

Courtesy photo - pride flag

IPPF welcomes India’s Supreme Court historic decision to free LGBTI communities from persecution

After generations of oppression under a colonial-era law, today the LGBTI community in India celebrated the scrapping of key provisions in Section 377 from the Indian Penal Code, which had previously outlawed consensual same-sex sexual relations. Following multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court finally recognised that “158 years ago, the law deprived people of love”, and ruled that all people should be free from prejudice and persecution. A historic win for communities that have been pushed into the shadows, Chief Justice Dipak Mishra made it clear that  “any discrimination on basis of sexual orientation amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.” Welcoming this ruling, IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “Today is a historical victory for the LGBTI community in India. No longer will their human right to love, and to show that love, be violated by archaic laws. IPPF hopes that is this the first step of many to ensure that the LGBTI community are guaranteed their full fundamental rights and that social, economical, financial cultural and political inclusion of the LGBTI community becomes woven into the fabric of India’s national identity.   Today's decision will bring new-found hope and energy to those LGBTI communities that are still suffering under repressive laws. I would like to thank the individuals and organizations that have fought tirelessly to make this happen. Without people fighting for change, change cannot happen.” Image by Courtesy Photo

Mobile clinic, India
20 August 2018

Expanding access to cervical cancer screening and treatment in rural India

In India, lack of awareness of cancer as a treatable disease remains low, and women's access to screening and treatment services is limited. When cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage, mortality rates are high. With early detection and treatment, cervical cancer has a much lower morbidity and mortality rates.  The human papillomavirus can be transmitted through sexual contact and, depending on the virus type, can lead to cervical cancer. This highlights the importance of preventing transmission of the virus, as well as early detection and prevention.  The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) has worked hard to raise awareness. Health education sessions are held in static and mobile clinics, and media campaigns help to ensure information reaches as many as possible, including the most vulnerable groups. The Association provides counselling and screening services, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infection tests. A formal referral protocol with other healthcare facilities enables follow up of clients and provision of emotional support. Between 2013 and 2017, the number of cervical cancer screening services using the visual inspection methods also increased significantly from 2,301 to 22,636.

H.E. Ambassador Takashi Shinozuka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Morocco and Dr Latifa Mokhtar JAMAI, President of AMPF, IPPF’s Member Association in Morocco, at the JTF project launch ceremony
30 March 2017

Japan Trust Fund

The Japan Trust Fund (JTF) represents a visionary partnership that began in 2000 between the Government of Japan and IPPF. Together, we invest in programmes that prioritize health equity, gender equality, and human security for all. Traditionally a driving force behind IPPF's efforts to support the integrated HIV prevention programmes of our Member Associations in Africa and Asia, JTF has adjusted to reflect changing global health priorities. We attach importance to universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights - an essential contributor to universal health coverage and the global development goals.     These projects have transformed the lives of people most vulnerable to HIV and high risk of maternal and child mortality. Equally, it ensures that as a donor, the GOJ’s response to HIV remains people-centred and contributes to human security.      

Photo of ACT!2030 young activists
07 February 2017

ACT!2030

IPPF collaborates with UNAIDS and The PACT to implement ACT!2030 (formerly ACT!2015), a youth-led social action initiative which engages young people in 12 countries with advocacy and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other SRHR agreements/frameworks. ACT!2030 was initiated in 2013 as a way to increase youth participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and for two years focused on establishing alliances of youth-led and youth-serving organisations in 12 countries across the world. The project is currently in Phase 4, which runs until the end of 2017, and aims to establish youth-led, data-driven accountability mechanisms to ensure youth engagement with the implementation of the SDGs and build an evidence base for advocacy. Ultimately, Phase 4 of ACT!2030 seeks to identify, assess and address key policy barriers to young people’s sexual and reproductive data by using existing data, supplemented by youth-collected data, to advocate and lobby for policy change. This phase involves four main activities: indicator advocacy (persuading decision makers to adopt youth-friendly SRHR and HIV indicators, including on things like comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and access to youth-friendly services, into national/global reporting mechanisms); evidence gathering (creating national databases on quality of and access to youth-friendly services and CSE); communications (transforming this data and evidence into communications pieces that can be used to advocacy and lobby at national and international level); and global exchange (facilitating global visibility to share advocacy and engagement learnings and increase youth-led accountability in global and regional processes). ACT!2030 is implemented by national alliances of youth organisations in 12 countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

Healthcare worker and client.
16 June 2016

BRICS

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) cover more than 40% of the world’s population. Cooperation between BRICS countries offers opportunities to share national challenges, approaches and learnings around sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.  IPPF has been working with the BRICS governments in support of a seminar series for officials and experts on population and development issues.  For example we worked with the Government of South Africa to produce a report on population issues in BRICS countries. IPPF convened civil society organisations (CSOs) for BRICS CSO fora and to participate in the inter-governmental seminars.  IPPF facilitated advocacy by BRICS CSOs on the text of the BRICS Brasilia Ministerial statement on population matters.  IPPF also organised a study tour for South African officials and allies to learn about SRHR programming and to visit SRHR projects in Brazil.  The next BRICS seminar will be hosted in India towards the end of 2016.

Family Planning Association of India

Established in 1949, Family Planning Association of India is a voluntary non-governmental organization, which pioneered the family planning movement in India. FPA India works on a wide range of SRHR issues encompassing family planning, maternal health, child survival, HIV/AIDS, safe abortion, reproductive tract cancer screening and prevention, gender empowerment and young people, and mitigation of gender-based violence (GBV). Key strategies include ensuring access to high quality SRH services and strengthening health systems; strengthening access to information and services for young people; comprehensive sexuality education; capacity building of health care providers and community volunteers on SRHR issues; engaging with communities and individuals to change gender disparity and promote SRHR; promoting livelihood opportunities for economic empowerment of the poor and vulnerable and advocacy for policy change at the national and state level.

FPA India reaches a population of more than 30 million annually, on an average. Presently, FPA India operates through 45 Branches and Projects across 18 States, supported by more than 3000 community based volunteers and more than 1000 staff. Services are provided through 39 Reproductive Health and Family Planning Centres (RHFPCs), 19 Urban Family Welfare Centres (UFWC) that are government funded, 19 satellite clinics, 229 associated clinics, 56 outreach service units with support from 510 CBDs, 119 private physicians and 33 other agencies.

During the year 2020, SRH services were provided to 4.2 million clients, of which nearly 40% were young people below the age of 24 years. 

Vision: All people empowered to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health choices and rights in an India free from stigma and discrimination

Mission: A voluntary commitment to SRHR to ADVOCATE for and ENABLE gender equality and empowerment for all including poor and vulnerable people, ENSURE information, education and services, POWERED by knowledge, innovation and technology towards sustainable development. 

 

Nurse

In pictures: Expanding access to safe abortion in India

Konika* Mother of three, Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) client Konika is 20 years old, and the mother of three girls. Like many local young women, she decided to have an abortion when she became pregnant for the fourth time within five years. Citing financial issues as the driving force behind her decision, despite her mother-in-laws desire for her to have another child, hoping this time it would be a boy. Through a neighbour, she approached the PSK clinic in Bhiwandi for an abortion. In Konika’s community, many young women are married and have kids by the time they are 20. Now with PSK, women like Konika have a choice to be pregnant or not. *Name has been changed Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Rehkha Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) link worker Family Planning Association of India, works with a network of volunteer link workers, who disseminate information about services available in the PSK clinic, make referrals, and often accompany women to the clinic for support. One of these link workers is Rehkha. Rekha says: "I have been involved with PSK for five years. And today I can proudly say that since the first awareness campaigns, there has been not a single death in the village due to an unsafe abortion." She adds: "These women are my flesh and blood. They know I only want the best for them… Within our communities we spread the message of safe sex and safe abortion through songs and skits which are easily understood. And I think the trick is to include mother-in-laws in our work. We have a high success rate in providing safe abortion care.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Shajahan Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) link worker Shajahan is a link worker in the nearby Muslim district, where women pack into a house in the narrow village lanes to wait to speak to her. She says: "I am a Muslim. In my community, abortion is frowned upon, and contraception is considered a sin. Initially, the women thought I was going against our customs, and the men thought I was a bad influence on their wives. Some of the men in our area even approached my husband and asked him to order me to stop these efforts." But her husband was supportive, telling other men that it was also their responsibility to be part of the process. It took several years, but eventually Shajahan won the trust of the women and men of her area. "Today, every woman in my area comes to me when it concerns matters of sexual health." Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Gauri Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) staff Gauri has worked for FPAI for years and remembers hearing about the experiences of women who’d had unsafe abortions. "I had heard first-hand accounts of [unsafe] abortions that left women reeling in pain, suffering permanent infertility. I had also seen the grief in the faces of men whose wives died. So today when I see women leaving us, after an abortion, in perfect health, I feel like I've done something right with my life." Gauri continues: "My work may have started with one area, but I want to reach every corner of the country with FPAI - so that no woman in India becomes a statistic." Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Nisha Mother of two At 23, Nisha Boudh is already a mother to two children and severely anaemic. She feels she is in no position to have a third child, but her in-laws are not supportive. Nisha chose to have an abortion at FPAI’s Gwalior clinic. “I have been weak since childhood and, honestly, motherhood has taken a toll on my health. Doctors in other clinics were not willing help me and I would have died had FPAI not come to my rescue. With their doctors’ advice I have now decided to undergo an operation [tubal ligation] as I do not want to conceive. My mother-in-law was upset with my decision but I want to live to see my other children grow,” said Boudh. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Diti* Sex worker Diti is a sex worker living in Kolkata. She says she, "owes her life to PSK". Diti was forced into an early marriage when she was just 12 years old. "Before my body could even develop, my husband was forcing himself upon me." By the age of 20, Diti had five children. Struggling to cope at such an early age, and married to an abusive husband, Diti ran away. "I don't enjoy having sex with strangers, but I need the money." She makes 300 rupees a day ($4 USD). When Diti became pregnant she didn’t want to continue with the pregnancy. "There's no way I can feed a child. Besides, this is no place to bring a child into the world. Another sex worker recommended the PSK clinic.” Diti was worried about visiting the clinic, fearing stigma and discrimination from staff for working as a sex worker. Her experience was vastly different, finding the clinic team to be welcoming, reassuring and supportive. "They treated me like a human being." Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Mala Medical officer “The big problem in this part of India is early marriage and pregnancy. Both of which need to be handled very delicately,” says medical officer Mala Tiwari. “Slowly, things are changing as women are becoming aware of their rights. Previously when GCACI did not exist there was very little interaction with the link workers, and they [and the community] feared it was illegal to get an abortion. They did not know they did not need the consent of their husbands and in-laws. They now know, women have a right over their body.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email Manju Mother of two, Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) client Manju Rana was forced to marry at fifteen. “I have had two children in eight years of marriage,” she says. “My mother-in-law wanted me to keep having children. She does not understand I would not be able to give them a good education if I had more children. My husband is a driver and we cannot afford to have any more. When I learnt I was pregnant, without taking anyone’s permission, I went with the link worker of my area to the clinic and had an abortion.” Manju adds: “In these affordable clinics we can choose about pregnancy. They also made sure I was counselled, as coming to a decision about abortion is not easy.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via WhatsApp Share via Email

India, GCACI, abortion in India
22 November 2018

Expanding access to safe abortion in India

The Global Comprehensive Abortion Care Initiative (GCACI) improves access to quality abortion care and contraception in IPPF Member Association clinics. Launched in 2008, GCACI is now in its 10th year of supporting IPPF Member Associations through training to build staff skills and expertise, clinic strengthening to ensure quality of care, community awareness raising and education, and abortion stigma reduction. No refusal policy The Parivar Swasthya Kendra (PSK) clinic outside Mumbai sees a wide range of clients from the underserved communities in the district. The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) opened the clinic at the request, and need, of a local fisherwomen’s group. The clinic is supported by IPPF’s Global Comprehensive Abortion Care Initiative  (GCACI), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The clinic is in Bhiwandi, on a busy street surrounded by slums, shops and factories.  Konika* is 20 years old, and mother of three. Like many local young women, she decided to have an abortion when she became pregnant for the fourth time within five years, citing financial issues as the driving force behind her decision. Through a neighbour, Konika approached the PSK clinic in Bhiwandi for an abortion. Because of the clinic, she now feels many young women now have the power to choose to be pregnant or not. The clinic has a “no refusal” policy, ensuring that all women are provided with care in the clinic, irrespective of their ability to pay This has helped to build trust with local women who come long distances to seek an abortion and contraceptive services.  The clinic serves a large population of migrants and a community of sex workers.    “These women are my flesh and blood” FPAI works with a network of volunteer link workers, who disseminate information about services available in the PSK clinic, make referrals, and often accompany women to the clinic for support. One of these link workers is Rekha. Rekha says: "I have been involved with PSK for five years. And today I can proudly say that since the first awareness campaigns, there has been not a single death in the village due to an unsafe abortion." She adds: "These women are my flesh and blood. They know I only want the best for them… Within our communities we spread the message of safe sex and safe abortion through songs and skits which are easily understood. And I think the trick is to include mother-in-laws in our work. We have a high success rate in providing safe abortion care.” Shajahan Khan is a link worker in the nearby Muslim district, where women pack into a house in the narrow village lanes to wait to speak to her.  She says: "I am a Muslim. In my community, abortion is frowned upon, and contraception is considered a sin." "Initially, the women thought I was going against our customs, and the men thought I was a bad influence on their wives. Some of the men in our area even approached my husband and asked him to order me to stop these efforts." But Khan's husband was supportive, telling other men that it was also their responsibility to be part of the process. It took several years, but eventually, Khan won the trust of the women and men of her area. "Today, every woman in my area comes to me when it concerns matters of sexual health." “I want to reach every corner of the country” Gauri has worked for FPAI for years and remembers hearing about the experiences of women who’d had unsafe abortions. "I had heard first-hand accounts of [unsafe] abortions that left women reeling in pain, suffering permanent infertility. I had also seen the grief in the faces of men whose wives died. So today when I see women leaving us, after an abortion, in perfect health, I feel like I've done something right with my life."  Gauri continues: "My work may have started with one area, but I want to reach every corner of the country with FPAI - so that no woman in India becomes a statistic." In the district of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, the summer season has started and the heat in town is already extreme. Here, the FPAI clinic serves many people living in poverty. In the ten years since the GCACI project started there, the clinic has provided 16,301 women with comprehensive abortion care and 202,758 women with contraceptive services. The two-storey clinic is situated in a residential area and, inside, women queue up to see the counsellors and medical staff. Many are accompanied by link workers who have travelled with them from outlying districts.    Neelam Dixit is in charge of the branch. “There is a shift in attitude among women since FPAI started providing services. Presently, there is little stigma attached to abortion. Our aim is to provide quality health services at low cost. We create awareness about the consequences of unsafe abortion and train volunteers to be sure women in villages are aware of our clinic.” The clinic serves around 300,000 people from rural and semi-urban populations with comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, and  provides both first- and second-trimester abortion services. Dixit adds: “Most women are from vulnerable sections of society and are denied the right to make their own decisions.”  “I want to live to see my other children grow” At 23, Nisha Boudh is already a mother to two children and, like many women in India, severely anaemic. She feels she is in no position to have a third child, but her in-laws are not supportive. Nisha chose to have an abortion at FPAI’s Gwalior clinic. “I have been weak since childhood and, honestly, motherhood has taken a toll on my health.  Doctors in other clinics were not willing help me and I would have died had FPAI not come to my rescue. With their doctors’ advice I have now decided to undergo an operation [tubal ligation] as I do not want to conceive.  “My mother-in-law was upset with my decision but I want to live to see my other children grow,” said Boudh. Manju Rana was forced to marry at fifteen. “I have had two children in eight years of marriage,” she says. “My mother-in-law wanted me to keep having children. She does not understand I would not be able to give them a good education if I had more children. My husband is a driver and we cannot afford to have any more. When I learnt I was pregnant, without taking anyone’s permission, I went with the link worker of my area to the clinic and had an abortion.”  Manju adds: “In these affordable clinics we can choose about pregnancy. They also made sure I was counselled, as coming to a decision about abortion is not easy.” “They now know they have a right over their body” “The big problem in this part of India is early marriage and pregnancy. Both of which need to be handled very delicately,” says medical officer Mala Tiwari.  “Slowly, things are changing as women are becoming aware of their rights. Previously when GCACI did not exist there was very little interaction with the link workers, and they [and the community] feared it was illegal to get an abortion. They did not know they did not need the consent of their husbands and in-laws. They now know, women have a right over their body.”   Link worker Rajini agrees, "Due to poverty, many women can’t afford an abortion or many a time they have no right to decide about pregnancy as we belong to a patriarchal society. We all have a right to a life of dignity and it’s my responsibility to see that every woman knows about the clinic. I believe in equality. FPAI has taught me to fight for my rights.”

Courtesy photo - pride flag

IPPF welcomes India’s Supreme Court historic decision to free LGBTI communities from persecution

After generations of oppression under a colonial-era law, today the LGBTI community in India celebrated the scrapping of key provisions in Section 377 from the Indian Penal Code, which had previously outlawed consensual same-sex sexual relations. Following multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court finally recognised that “158 years ago, the law deprived people of love”, and ruled that all people should be free from prejudice and persecution. A historic win for communities that have been pushed into the shadows, Chief Justice Dipak Mishra made it clear that  “any discrimination on basis of sexual orientation amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.” Welcoming this ruling, IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “Today is a historical victory for the LGBTI community in India. No longer will their human right to love, and to show that love, be violated by archaic laws. IPPF hopes that is this the first step of many to ensure that the LGBTI community are guaranteed their full fundamental rights and that social, economical, financial cultural and political inclusion of the LGBTI community becomes woven into the fabric of India’s national identity.   Today's decision will bring new-found hope and energy to those LGBTI communities that are still suffering under repressive laws. I would like to thank the individuals and organizations that have fought tirelessly to make this happen. Without people fighting for change, change cannot happen.” Image by Courtesy Photo

Mobile clinic, India
20 August 2018

Expanding access to cervical cancer screening and treatment in rural India

In India, lack of awareness of cancer as a treatable disease remains low, and women's access to screening and treatment services is limited. When cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage, mortality rates are high. With early detection and treatment, cervical cancer has a much lower morbidity and mortality rates.  The human papillomavirus can be transmitted through sexual contact and, depending on the virus type, can lead to cervical cancer. This highlights the importance of preventing transmission of the virus, as well as early detection and prevention.  The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) has worked hard to raise awareness. Health education sessions are held in static and mobile clinics, and media campaigns help to ensure information reaches as many as possible, including the most vulnerable groups. The Association provides counselling and screening services, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infection tests. A formal referral protocol with other healthcare facilities enables follow up of clients and provision of emotional support. Between 2013 and 2017, the number of cervical cancer screening services using the visual inspection methods also increased significantly from 2,301 to 22,636.

H.E. Ambassador Takashi Shinozuka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Morocco and Dr Latifa Mokhtar JAMAI, President of AMPF, IPPF’s Member Association in Morocco, at the JTF project launch ceremony
30 March 2017

Japan Trust Fund

The Japan Trust Fund (JTF) represents a visionary partnership that began in 2000 between the Government of Japan and IPPF. Together, we invest in programmes that prioritize health equity, gender equality, and human security for all. Traditionally a driving force behind IPPF's efforts to support the integrated HIV prevention programmes of our Member Associations in Africa and Asia, JTF has adjusted to reflect changing global health priorities. We attach importance to universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights - an essential contributor to universal health coverage and the global development goals.     These projects have transformed the lives of people most vulnerable to HIV and high risk of maternal and child mortality. Equally, it ensures that as a donor, the GOJ’s response to HIV remains people-centred and contributes to human security.      

Photo of ACT!2030 young activists
07 February 2017

ACT!2030

IPPF collaborates with UNAIDS and The PACT to implement ACT!2030 (formerly ACT!2015), a youth-led social action initiative which engages young people in 12 countries with advocacy and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other SRHR agreements/frameworks. ACT!2030 was initiated in 2013 as a way to increase youth participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and for two years focused on establishing alliances of youth-led and youth-serving organisations in 12 countries across the world. The project is currently in Phase 4, which runs until the end of 2017, and aims to establish youth-led, data-driven accountability mechanisms to ensure youth engagement with the implementation of the SDGs and build an evidence base for advocacy. Ultimately, Phase 4 of ACT!2030 seeks to identify, assess and address key policy barriers to young people’s sexual and reproductive data by using existing data, supplemented by youth-collected data, to advocate and lobby for policy change. This phase involves four main activities: indicator advocacy (persuading decision makers to adopt youth-friendly SRHR and HIV indicators, including on things like comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and access to youth-friendly services, into national/global reporting mechanisms); evidence gathering (creating national databases on quality of and access to youth-friendly services and CSE); communications (transforming this data and evidence into communications pieces that can be used to advocacy and lobby at national and international level); and global exchange (facilitating global visibility to share advocacy and engagement learnings and increase youth-led accountability in global and regional processes). ACT!2030 is implemented by national alliances of youth organisations in 12 countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

Healthcare worker and client.
16 June 2016

BRICS

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) cover more than 40% of the world’s population. Cooperation between BRICS countries offers opportunities to share national challenges, approaches and learnings around sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.  IPPF has been working with the BRICS governments in support of a seminar series for officials and experts on population and development issues.  For example we worked with the Government of South Africa to produce a report on population issues in BRICS countries. IPPF convened civil society organisations (CSOs) for BRICS CSO fora and to participate in the inter-governmental seminars.  IPPF facilitated advocacy by BRICS CSOs on the text of the BRICS Brasilia Ministerial statement on population matters.  IPPF also organised a study tour for South African officials and allies to learn about SRHR programming and to visit SRHR projects in Brazil.  The next BRICS seminar will be hosted in India towards the end of 2016.

Family Planning Association of India

Established in 1949, Family Planning Association of India is a voluntary non-governmental organization, which pioneered the family planning movement in India. FPA India works on a wide range of SRHR issues encompassing family planning, maternal health, child survival, HIV/AIDS, safe abortion, reproductive tract cancer screening and prevention, gender empowerment and young people, and mitigation of gender-based violence (GBV). Key strategies include ensuring access to high quality SRH services and strengthening health systems; strengthening access to information and services for young people; comprehensive sexuality education; capacity building of health care providers and community volunteers on SRHR issues; engaging with communities and individuals to change gender disparity and promote SRHR; promoting livelihood opportunities for economic empowerment of the poor and vulnerable and advocacy for policy change at the national and state level.

FPA India reaches a population of more than 30 million annually, on an average. Presently, FPA India operates through 45 Branches and Projects across 18 States, supported by more than 3000 community based volunteers and more than 1000 staff. Services are provided through 39 Reproductive Health and Family Planning Centres (RHFPCs), 19 Urban Family Welfare Centres (UFWC) that are government funded, 19 satellite clinics, 229 associated clinics, 56 outreach service units with support from 510 CBDs, 119 private physicians and 33 other agencies.

During the year 2020, SRH services were provided to 4.2 million clients, of which nearly 40% were young people below the age of 24 years. 

Vision: All people empowered to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health choices and rights in an India free from stigma and discrimination

Mission: A voluntary commitment to SRHR to ADVOCATE for and ENABLE gender equality and empowerment for all including poor and vulnerable people, ENSURE information, education and services, POWERED by knowledge, innovation and technology towards sustainable development.