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A humanitarian worker in India

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In pictures: World Humanitarian Day 2021

Last year, IPPF reached approximately 5.5m people in humanitarian crises through our local Member Associations

This World Humanitarian Day we reflect on the incredible work undertaken by our humanitarian response teams over the last 12 months. Last year, IPPF reached approximately 5.5 million people in humanitarian crises through our local Member Associations. This achievement would not have been possible without the dedicated and heroic healthcare teams providing vital sexual and reproductive healthcare in the most fragile humanitarian settings.



COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Family Health Association (PNGFHA)

PNGFHA responded to the COVID-19 outbreak in PNG, supported by the Australian government. With access to emergency healthcare facilities now extremely limited, PNGFHA health workers travel to hard-to-reach areas providing sexual and reproductive healthcare to the most marginalized communities.

Clients like Vavine Kila receive a consultation at the PNGFHA mobile clinic.

The humanitarian response teams taking healthcare into people's homes in Gaza

Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA)

On 10 May 2021, Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, killing over 220 people (including women and children) and leaving over 75,000 displaced. At the time, an estimated 87,000 women in the Gaza Strip and nearby areas were pregnant. The PFPPA humanitarian response team visited families in their homes, with each household expected to have four to five women of reproductive age needing healthcare.

Healthcare providers

Offering holistic care to families in Gaza

Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA)

Children account for close to 50% of the population in Gaza. As part of the response, PFPPA youth volunteers entertained the children while their family members received life-saving sexual and reproductive healthcare and psychosocial support by the humanitarian response teams in privacy.

Youth volunteer

Ensuring ante- and post-natal care in the aftermath of an earthquake in West Sulawesi

Indonesia Planned Parenthood Association (IPPA)

On 15 January 2021, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the West Sulawesi province in Indonesia leaving over 15,000 displaced, including many pregnant people and nursing mothers.

As part of its response efforts, the IPPA set up mobile clinics near the shelters to provide vital ante- and post-natal care.

Humanitarian healthcare worker with a client

A super cyclone and a pandemic

Family Planning Association of India (FPAI)

On 20 May 2020, severe Cyclone Amphan hit the Indian state of West Bengal, affecting millions of people in and around the state capital Kolkata. Emergency crises during the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies the impact of the disaster and puts a strain on health systems and access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.

FPAI responded by providing emergency sexual and reproductive healthcare to affected communities, particularly focusing on the most marginalized and vulnerable people including the LGBTI community, sex workers, pregnant women, and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Group of sex workers

Providing healthcare to hardest hit communities after Cyclone Yasa

The Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF)

In mid-December 2020, a category 5 severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa hit the island of Fiji and neighbouring Lau group of Islands.

IPPF’s Member Association, RFHAF, was supported by the Australian government to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive healthcare in the hardest hit communities, including counselling on STI risk reduction, first-line support for survivors of SGBV, and contraceptive and ante-natal care.

Humanitarian healthcare worker with a client

when

country

India

Subject

Emergencies

Related Member Association

Reproductive & Family Health Association of Fiji