| 31 March 2016
Association Mauritanienne pour la Promotion de la Famille
Since it was founded in 1990, the Association Mauritanienne pour la Promotion de la Famille (AMPF) has focused primarily on sensitizing both the general population and the country’s political and religious leaders to the personal and economic benefits of family planning, and on promoting provision of proper sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. AMPF provides SRH services including family planning (FP), antenatal and post-natal counselling, mother and child immunization, paediatrics, incomplete abortion care and referral, HIV and AIDs protection including PMTCT, and general SRH counselling. Sensitization and awareness creation is indirectly carried out through children’s vaccination clinics, through programmes providing nutritional advice, and through general maternal and child health services (a critical requirement in a country subject to high levels of maternal and child mortality). AMPF is committed to improving women’s status as a fundamental principle if the nation’s demographic circumstances are to change for the better. Spreading awareness of the benefits of birth spacing is an important component in this, as is the promotion of economic opportunities for women. AMPF has been involved in the creation of a number of craft-based co-operatives in pursuit of this aim. Special efforts have been made to reach marginalized and under-served populations. AMPF’s efforts in advocacy and policy dialogue contributed to enacting the Reproductive Health Act, a Religious judgment outlawing female genital mutilation (FGM) and other harmful practices. AMPF enjoys a good reputation and has strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Health, other CSOs, and with the UNFPA. Website: http://maurifemme.org/Ong/ampf.html
| 31 March 2016
Israel Family Planning Association
The Israel Family Planning Association (IFPA) is Israel's leading organization advancing the human right to sexual health. 'Open Door' is a national network consisting of 14 information, counselling and treatment centres. The centres deal with issues of adolescence, such as intimacy, love, prevention of sexual violence, and healthy and responsible sexual behaviour. They serve as open and safe places for young people, in particular at-risk individuals. 'Open Door' serves Jews and Arabs, secular and religious, native Israelis and new immigrants, in a variety of languages and with cultural sensitivity. It provides accessibility to individuals with disabilities. The service providers are mostly volunteers who have completed special training and certification. Their work is monitored and guided appropriately. 'Open Door' centres uniquely adapted for the Arab society are active in Nazareth, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, and Umm Al-Fahem. 'Open Door' is included in the World Health Organization (WHO) list of best preventative practices for youth in the world. For over a decade, IFPA has been operating a unique and comprehensive certification service for professionals from the Arab sector as sex educators. More than a thousand graduates of this certification programme promote and disseminate information and counselling on sexual health to young people, parents and teachers. IFPA runs a national centre which offers a comprehensive, 300-hour certification programme for sex educators. It has so far trained over 2000 professionals. The centre also offers an International Innovation Award for the leading sex educator certification programme for individuals with physical or sensory disabilities. There are additional courses and continuing education activities for different groups of the population, tailored to suit the target audience and its needs. IFPA operates a community outreach centre which organizes workshops, lectures, and seminars for all sectors of the population on topics of education and the promotion of healthy sexuality, in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and Amharic. These take place in schools, schools, universities and the army and in absorption, youth, women’s, community, and welfare centres and centres for individuals with disabilities. A unique project, Empowering Specially-Enlisted Women Soldiers (Hagam), offers workshops for young vulnerable women, preparing them for life and social integration. In the past 5 years, aided by this initiative, 4500 specially-enlisted young women soldiers successfully completed full army service. The Information Center provides access to continuously updated professional information, in topics related to healthy sex, in Hebrew, English, Arabic, and Russian. The information in our extensive database is unparalleled anywhere in Israel, and includes lesson plans, instructional videos, presentations, group activities, and more. Contacts Website: www.opendoor.org.il Facebook (English): https://www.facebook.com/IFPAOpenDoor Facebook (Hebrew): https://www.facebook.com/opendoorIFPA