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.

MEXFAM works in 25 of the 32 Mexican states. It runs 85 service points, including 19 permanent clinics, 63 mobile facilities and through partnerships with 3 associate clinics. MEXFAM covers the full gamut of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs and issues, including contraception, antenatal/post-natal care, maternal and child health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS, and information and education programmes. There is a particular bias towards serving those communities not reached by the government’s programme, including the economically disadvantaged, the rural poor, young people and men.  Of particular importance to the development of MEXFAM’s work has been the training of a network of teachers in priority areas who received 4 years training, and subsequently went on to train 98,000 young people and 16,000 parents in family planning and sexual and reproductive health.    Contacts Website: http://mexfam.org.mx/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mexfam Twitter: https://twitter.com/MexfamAC