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.  Contacts Website: www.ppasl.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/454639337890032/

Pro Familia is the country’s leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) organization. It delivers a range of SRH services through 182 clinics, including counselling in fertility regulation, interpersonal relationships, sexuality and violence, sexuality and disability, and women’s health issues.  Pro Familia is active in sex education nationwide (particularly for young people and marginalized groups), and it trains SRH professionals. Pro Familia is very active in advocacy, pressing to improve German SRHR law and initiating international petitions to address grave infringements of women’s rights in (for example) Afghanistan. Abortion is a sensitive, divisive, and recurrent SRHR issue in Germany, and Pro Familia has worked hard to lobby for a reasoned approach to, and understanding of, the need for freedom of choice. The organization is also involved in international co-operation. It conducted a programme development workshop with the Member Associations of the Czech and Slovak Republics, and with other Eastern European groups on challenging prescriptive opposition to human rights related to sexual health and family planning.   Contacts Website: www.profamilia.de Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profamilia.deutschland