Member Associations

Sexual and reproductive health (SHR) statistics for the Central African Republic are some of the poorest on the continent. The need for proper, informed, accessible, safe, stigma-free sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is paramount. The Association Centrafricaine pour le Bien-Etre Familial (ACABEF) came into being in 1987, expressly to address the urgent need for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Working intensively within communities, the organization has grown rapidly over the years and now provides sexuality education and SRH services including family planning, gynaecological counselling and care, post-abortion care, antenatal care and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV. ACABEF operates permanent and  mobile clinics with community-based distribution sites (CBDs). In addition to full-time health personnel and administrative staff, the organization relies on the dedicated support of hundreds of volunteers, a Youth Action Movement and over a hundred trained peer educators. And ACABEF's outcomes are impressive. The majority of all services were provided to poor, marginalized, socially excluded and/or under-served people.  ACABEF works in partnership with the government ministries in charge of planning, health and family and social affairs. It benefits from the support of CISJEU and its donors include UNFPA and Population Services International. ACABEF has close working relationships include CIONGCA (which coordinates the response of all NGOs working at national level), the Central African Network of People living with HIV (RECAPEV), the Réseau des Organisations Nationales de Lutte contre le SIDA (RONALSI) and Amis d’Afrique.  

Founded in 1990, at an early stage in the country’s transition to democracy, the Societatea de Educatie Contraceptiva si Sexuala (SECS) is a true pioneer in the promotion of family planning and sex education. The organization's energies are focused on developing public awareness of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and in advocating for high quality service delivery. SECS has also been closely involved in training sexual and reproductive health (SRH) personnel. SECS promotes sex education through training seminars for teachers, and produces material for schools and for marginalized young people in informal settings. The majority of SECS’ members are under 26 years old. It is now recognized as a national youth organization by the Ministry of Youth and Sport. SECS has worked closely with other IPPF Member Associations across Europe, and with the Ministry of Health to develop an information, education and communication (IEC) project designed to further increase awareness of the importance of SRH to the overall well-being of individuals and to society as a whole.