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.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK): Family Health Association of Korea (FHAK) formerly Korean Family Planning & Maternal and Child Health Association (KFP&MCHA) was established in 1990.  Family Health Association of Korea  is actively supported by the government to diversify family planning services and to improve their quality. One of the major challenges is geographic inequality. 80% of the country’s land mass is mountainous, with mining constituting a major industry. Large numbers of people live in this area, working in coal and mineral mines and forest stations. Fertility rates are much higher than in large urban areas, the contraceptive prevalence rate is much lower, and the number of trained family planning advisers is limited. FHAK has targeted these people with reproductive healthcare and information, education and communication (IEC) programmes. Contraceptive prevalence has increased, and the method mix has shifted significantly from IUD to pills, condoms and sterilization. In 2010, FHAKdelivered 538,000 condoms and 138,000 sexual and reproductive health services through 17 service points, including 9 permanent clinics and 8 mobile facilities. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK): Family Health Association of Korea (FHAK) is actively supported by the government to diversify family planning services and to improve their quality. One of the major challenges is geographic inequality. 80% of the country’s land mass is mountainous, with mining constituting a major industry. Large numbers of people live in this area, working in coal and mineral mines and forest stations. Fertility rates are much higher than in large urban areas, the contraceptive prevalence rate is much lower, and the number of trained family planning advisers is limited. FHAK has targeted these people with reproductive healthcare and information, education and communication (IEC) programmes. Contraceptive prevalence has increased, and the method mix has shifted significantly from IUD to pills, condoms and sterilization. In 2010, FHAK delivered 538,000 condoms and 138,000 sexual and reproductive health services through 17 service points, including 9 permanent clinics and 8 mobile facilities.