Member Associations

Guinea-Bissau is one tenth the size of its neighbour Guinea-Conakry, but its people suffer equally distressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems. The Associação Guineense para o Bem Estar Familiar was established in 1993 to address the major issue in family planning: equipping couples to make active, informed choices about the number of children they would have, and when they would have them.   Since then, the Member Association’s work has expanded to embrace a full range of SRH concerns. It provides young people with information, education and communication (IEC) and behaviour change communication (BCC) around sexual and reproductive health; it works on the prevention, diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) includind HIV; it provides post-abortion care and support; it provides care for victims of gender-based violence (GBV); and it advocates strongly at government level for legislation to prevent GBV. Associação Guineense para o Bem Estar Familiar achieved these results through a small but committed team that operate over hundred service points, including static clinics and community-based service points. Despite the relatively small size of the organization, it is growing rapidly with strong central support from IPPF, influential government partnerships, and backing from non-governmental organizations including UNFPA.

SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland (SANTÉ SEXUELLE Suisse)is the umbrella organisation of the Swiss centers for sexual and reproductive health and the professional associations active in the areas education and counselling on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland runs a total of three offices in the French, the German and Italian speaking region of Switzerland.  In its role as umbrella organisation, SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland offers information and guidelines for professionals, develops and coordinates the training for professionals together with the universities of applied sciences and advocates for SRHR on cantonal, national and international level. Moreover, SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland is partner of the Federal office of Public Health for the implementation of the Swiss national programme on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) 2011-2017. SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland has developed a broad variety of materials on different SRHR topics that contribute to reach out to different target groups as for example to persons with disabilities or migrants. SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland has also created the website sex-i that provides up-to-date and high quality information on a wide range of sexual health issues in twelve languages. Another important area of work is the promotion of comprehensive sexuality education in Switzerland. In this context, SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland has established an alliance on sexuality education that includes more than 65 organisations. SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland provides the secretariat of the Swiss parliamentary group CAIRE+. Moreover, SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland is partner of Countdown 2030 Europe, a European consortium under the lead of IPPF Europe that advocates for increased international aid for family planning and sexual and reproductive health. Contacts: Website: www.sante-sexuelle.ch