

| 31 March 2016
Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone
The Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL), established in 1959, works on a range of serious sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues to improve people's health and quality of life. A key focus is to improve access to maternal health care, to reduce the risk of maternal and infant death. PPASL accesses the community through 5 service points, 12 workplace outreach projects, and 3 youth centres, via a 40-strong permanent staff team, backed by nearly 300 volunteers, 9 community-based distributors (CBDs) and a Youth Action Movement membership of 150. There is a 90% prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country, and finding ways to handle the attendant psychological and physical trauma is one of the organization’s major challenges. Much of PPASL’s work is directed towards behaviour change communication (BCC) among community leaders, police and army personnel and Muslim and Christian groups. Safe motherhood, family planning, and the sensitisation of young people to SRH concerns are also central to the direct services which PPASL provides. The Member Association works in partnership with government health and development ministries and the Sierra Leone Armed Forces Hospitals. Non-governmental organization (NGO) partners include the Reproductive Health Service, CHASL, MSSL, National AIDS Secretariat/SHARP and the Marie Stopes Society. PPASL receives financial support from UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Plan International, MOHS & RH UNIT, Marie Stopes Society, SL Red Cross Society and Action Aid. Contacts Website: www.ppasl.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/454639337890032/

| 31 March 2016
Syrian Family Planning Association
The Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA) is the leading agency promoting awareness of family planning and delivering services to the community in Syria which, as international indices show, faces a number of major sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges ,including GBV in particular . SFPA's priority is to deliver high quality, extensive SRH services via its network of 17 static clinics, 3 mobile unit, and 3 associated agencies. A number of these are run in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the other related government and non government agencies. The Syrian community has historically had limited awareness of family planning, and limited awareness of the personal and economic health benefits achievable through planned spacing of births. Much of SFPA's work to date has involved information, education and communication (IEC) work and advocacy at all levels to create greater understanding and a more favorable environment towards the idea of family planning. With basic knowledge of modern contraception now common (shared by about 94% of women of reproductive age), SFPA is beginning to develop a whole new range of programmes which will enable women and young people (in particular) to make informed (and economically beneficial) choices about their own SRH and fertility. SFPA's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/syrianfamilyplanningassociation