Member Associations

The Slovak Family Planning Association (Slovak FPA), Spoločnosť pre plánované rodičovstvo, is an organization comprising physicians, nurses, teachers, psychologists, journalists and lawyers who work in sexual and reproductive health. Its mission is to promote awareness of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and to defend the individual’s basic human right to SRH. Slovak FPA has 3 main goals: To support, defend and monitor compliance with the basic human right of all men and women to make free and informed choices with respect to their own SRH To initiate changes in the education system with regard to SRH To establish Slovak FPA as a multi-disciplinary NGO charged with coordinating the delivery of SRH right across the community Cultural and religious constraints on the pursuit of this agenda are substantial. Slovak FPA is therefore very active in organizing conferences, press conferences and high-profile mass media activities to increase awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among both professionals and the public. Slovak FPA organizes the training of teachers for sex education, and the training of volunteer-advisors for a telephone hotline which provides help and support to abused children. It runs lectures for nurses and physicians in postgraduate courses, undertakes targeted work with marginalized Roma communities, publishes a quarterly information bulletin, and works closely with international agencies such as WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNHCR to promote family planning both in Slovakia and abroad.  Some of the past projects of SFPA are: Improving Women’s Health through Sustainable Reproductive Health Care Services Education of nurses in the HIV prevention Roma project VISION 2000 – improving access of marginalized groups to reproductive health services Sexuality education – creation of methodical handbook for comprehensive sexuality education Gender mainstreaming in services of reproductive health Sexuality education in the context of human rights    Website: www.rodicovstvo.sk

In Botswana, HIV prevalence rates are among the highest in the world: over 33% of the total population is living with HIV and AIDS. There’s a severe shortage of skilled health personnel, and very limited resources in the national health system. Formed in 1988, the Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA) is fighting hard to fill the gap, but the challenge is enormous. The organization’s programmes target young people, sex workers, orphans, people with hearing and speech problems, and internally displaced persons. It provides family planning, infertility management, maternity services, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), antenatal care and the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS.   Most of BOFWA's clients are poor, marginalized, socially excluded and/or under-served. BOFWA uses a variety of different methods to reach poor and marginalized groups and communities, and works hard to develop acceptance of, and support for sexual and reproductive health services and programmes among community leaders, politicians and the police. BOFWA is proud of its achievements, but knows that there is an immense amount of work to be done. BOFWA aims to expand its services substantially in years to come. BOFWA works in close partnership with the National Council on Population and Development (NCPD, a government agency), with non-governmental organizations including Botswana Christian Aids Intervention (BOCAIT) and with private sector groups including the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Barclays Bank of Botswana, and Barlow World. BOFWA also partners with the Botswana Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS, the Botswana National Youth Council and the Botswana Network of Ethics and Law for HIV and AIDS. Contacts Website: http://www.bofwa.org.bw/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Botswana-Family-Welfare-Association-275893025804336/