International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International (MSI) announced at their annual Donors meetings this week, a new Organisational Agreement between the two organisations to respond to the challenging environment in delivering sexual and reproductive health services and rights.

IPPF and MSI will commit each of their organisational strengths to maximize the benefit to women and girls from each and every dollar received.

The agreement, signed by IPPF Director General, Tewodros Melesse and Simon Cooke, MSI’s Chief Executive Officer, acknowledges the value of both competition and cooperation. It is will drive quality, efficiency across services, advocacy efforts and data capture at global, regional and national levels.

The agreement also will look at a joint effort to develop national plans in 12 countries.

Tewodros Melesse, IPPF Director General, said on signing the agreement “It is evident that the global environment for sexual and reproductive health and rights services has changed. This means that we have to find new ways to improve how we drive services at country level. This agreement is an opportunity to make sustainable change and also ensure that each and every client will get the best experience and care wherever and whoever they are.”

Simon Cooke, CEO of Marie Stopes International, said: “We look forward to working in greater collaboration with IPPF on specific projects, to ensure that many more women and girls in developing countries are able to receive the contraception and safe abortion services that will help them take control of their futures. The priority for both our organisations is to get the best outcome for the millions of women worldwide who depend on our services.”

The agreement covers three areas of cooperation:

Operations:

• Greater coordination to reduce duplication at national level
• Mobilise joint strengths to address service gaps in national health systems
• Extend geographic coverage for SRHR services
• Increase mix of service delivery channels
• Strengthen systems for cross referral where needed
• Strength supply chains
• Facilitate learning and sharing
• Work within client’s individuals rights frameworks
• Delivers providers’ needs

Advocacy:

• Aligned missions for joint advocacy efforts
• Advocacy that expands access for most underserved
• Mapping and division of labour of policy and advocacy in different spheres
• Key deliverables at national and global level that cover advocacy issues, joint plans and accountability of FP2020 progress and implementation

Data:

• Sharing and supporting use of data tools and processes for effectiveness
• Data sharing for advocacy
• Joint initiatives to improve indicators and reporting
• Improving health outcomes through supporting use of client based data
• Develop a shared research agenda

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