Member Associations

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

The Society for Health Education (SHE) was established in 1988 by 4 women. It adopts an integrated approach to health education and service delivery and its role includes increasing the accessibility of services and using the media for education and communication. The society runs outreach programmes and mobilizes voluntary support to develop projects and to maintain and enhance service provision. SHE conducts selective research to assess and report on emergent health issues (especially the high incidence of thalassaemia). SHE operates a permanent clinic offering family planning services in the Maldive’s capital, Male. From here it runs counselling services, training courses for medical, paramedical and administrative staff, screening, and genetic counselling and research with a view to reducing the number of children born with thalassaemia. In schools, SHE operates a health programme for young people, providing information on population, thalassaemia, early marriage and pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and smoking and drugs. It also produces an extensive range of health education materials including both publications and radio and television programmes.  Fundraising and income generation is a high priority for SHE which organizes a number of annual events, such as a Children's Festival and a Thalassaemia Dinner. Website: www.she.org.mv