Member Associations

Set up in 1991, the Association Burundaise pour le Bien-Etre Familial's (ABUBEF) original mission was to deliver family planning. Over 20 years later, the organization operates a large number of services across a broad range of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs, including prevention and management of HIV and AIDS, youth-friendly counselling and education, pre-marital counselling, and antenatal and post-natal care.  It accomplished this through 18 service points, including static and mobile clinics, and community-based services. An estimated 80% of its clients are poor, marginalized, socially excluded and/or under-served.  Particular beneficiaries of ABUBEF’s services include young people living with HIV and AIDS, internally displaced persons, women of child-bearing age, sex workers, drug users and street children. ABUBEF delivers its service through a dedicated team which includes 81 staff, nearly 500 volunteers, 75 peer educators and well over 1,000 community-based distributors (CBDs). Their commitment to ABUBEF is crucial to the nation’s current and future sexual and reproductive health.   ABUBEF’s partners include donors such as UNFPA, FHI, CARE and CNLS, and it works together with organizations including Réseau National des Jeunes Engagés pour la Lutte Contre le Sida (RENAJES) and the Association pour la Promotion de la Fille Burundaise (APFB). Website: http://www.abubef.org/

Established in 2004 by Her Majesty the Queen of Bhutan, Respect, Educate, Nurture, Empower Women (RENEW) became an Associate Member Association of IPPF in November 2009. It aims to be the leading organization in shaping the future role of women in Bhutanese Society, helping to reduce vulnerabilities while nurturing and empowering them. Their work is focused on reaching poor, disadvantaged and adolescent girls and women. RENEW has a widespread community-based support (CBS) system (established in 20 districts), and a community outreach programme run from the RENEW centre. Work focuses on sensitization with regard to HIV and AIDS, education in family planning approaches and contraceptive methods, and enhancing the safety of pregnancy and childbirth. A clear problem in Bhutan is the unequal position of women. One of the expressions of gender inequality is high levels of gender-based violence (GBV) which is seen as a natural part of married life, and not as an issue. RENEW has a vigorous education programme designed to reverse such attitudes. Bhutan is a unique country: all development is based on promoting Gross National Happiness (GNH), and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, acceptance of every individual’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and the practical realization of those rights are regarded as critical components in increasing GNH. Given this political context, RENEW has ambitious targets. Although it has only been established for 10 years, it is making remarkable strides towards the achievement of better SRH and SRHR outcomes for the nation and its people.