Member Associations

The Bahrain Family Planning Association (BRHA) was founded in 1975, the organization has played a critical role in promoting reproductive health. Bahrain and in achieving government support to adopt necessary policies on reproductive health (RH) including the incorporation of (RH) into the school curriculum. BRHA receives support from the ministries of health, social development, labour, and education, and it partners closely with the upper and lower government house (the parliament and the Shoura Council). BRHA operates a highly successful telephone hotline service which provides counseling and advise on reproductive health to callers from both Bahrain and neighboring countries. The very particular needs and the constraints in Bahrain mean the BRHA is highly focused on advocacy and is limited in its capacity to deliver direct education (RH) services. However, it does run strong information, education and communication (IEC) programs (targeted towards young people and women) and extensive education and literacy initiatives which are particularly designed to reach out to all community groups.  

Associação Para o Planeamento da Família (APF) is a vibrant and dynamic Member Association which has played a key role in advancing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) agenda in the country. It has 10 regional delegations operated by volunteer staff, and works closely with health and education professionals, and with professionals engaged in community intervention, particularly with reference to the SRH needs of young people. Information, education, training and advocacy are central to APF’s work. APF runs programmes in fields such as sexual orientation, early pregnancy and motherhood, teenage parenthood, abortion, contraception, male SRH, and the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS. The Member Association played a crucial role in a long campaign to legalize abortion in the country. A bill to allow abortions up until the 10thweek of pregnancy finally received parliamentary approval in 2007. APF manages a resource centre, which has an extensive library of information and publications on SRH. It operates a telephone helpline (Sexuality Online) which provides information, support, counselling and referral services for young people, and a second helpline dedicated to assisting individuals in need of advice over unwanted pregnancy. Over the years, the Member Association’s service delivery and advocacy work has made an invaluable contribution to improvements in SRH and maternal and child health and to contraceptive awareness, understanding and use. It has also helped to produce a significant reduction in numbers of teenage pregnancies.     Contacts Website: www.apf.pt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apfamilia