Our advocacy results
At a glance 47
policy and/or legislative changes in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights to which Member Associations contributed in 2010
2010 –11
mongolia Kazakhstan
Mongolian Family Welfare Association (MFWA)
ukraine
Kazakhstan Association on Sexual and Reproductive Health (KMPA)
Through its active membership and coordination role on the Safe Abortion Working Group in Ukraine, the Member Association worked for three years to bring about a significant and positive change in the country’s abortion law. In 2010, the Ministry of Health approved the working group’s rights-based clinical protocol and guidelines on comprehensive care for unintended pregnancies, which focus on improved access to and quality of safe abortion – both of which were lacking in the previous legislation.
For the past five years, the Member Association in Kazakhstan has been working with other non-governmental organizations to convince the Ministry of Health to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and information for women with disabilities. This involved convincing the Ministry of Health of the importance of improving communication skills and attitudes of medical staff. In 2010, their work paid off: the Ministry of Health approved an action plan to increase access for women with disabilities, with funding for specialist equipment (exam tables).
In 2010, the State Health Agency Disaster Protection Plan in Mongolia was revised to include a provision for implementing the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health in emergency situations. Women and girls will now receive important obstetric and reproductive care services during disasters, and clean delivery kits will be provided to pregnant women. The revised plan was a result of the Member Association’s advocacy activities, which included establishing an MISP task force and working with other organizations and government agencies. The Association also conducted training for government officials and medical doctors on the MISP.
Women Health and Family Planning (WHFP)
IPPF’s advocacy initiatives create an enabling environment to increase access to services, promote sexual rights and gender equality, and reduce stigma and discrimination. Member Associations make a significant difference to the lives of millions by contributing to policy and legislation in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and blocking changes that would be harmful.
united states
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) In the United States, Planned Parenthood Federation of America advocated for and helped shape some of the key women’s health components of the new health care reform bill. Millions of low-income women now have public insurance for preventative reproductive health care, including contraception, as well as access to free or very low-cost lifesaving screenings for breast and cervical cancer. The Member Association campaigned successfully for the inclusion of the Women’s Health Amendment in the final bill.
mali
Association Malienne pour la Protection et la Promotion de la Famille (AMPPF) The Member Association in Mali successfully advocated for the introduction of a national health strategy for young people. The strategy promotes reproductive health among young people and addresses issues that can negatively impact on their reproductive health.
new zealand
New Zealand Family Planning (NZFP)
Member Associations contributed to 330 policy and/or legal changes in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights from 2005 to 2010. Number of policy and/or legal changes on key themes: 37 Access to contraception and services 29 Preventing gender-based violence 59 Access to safe and legal abortion 28 Support to people living with HIV
mauritania mexico
Association Mauritanienne pour la Promotion de la Famille (AMPF)
Federal legislators in Mexico allocated more than US$16 million to the 2011 budget for the national programme on adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The money will be spent on contraceptives for young people and other youth-related issues. The budget allocation followed Mexfam’s advocacy work in partnership with other civil society organizations to put adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights on the national agenda.
Religious leaders in Mauritania issued a national level fatwa forbidding female genital mutilation following advocacy efforts of the Member Association. The Association worked with ulemas (religious leaders) in the country to raise their awareness about the harmful effects of female genital mutilation, which resulted in a reversal of their tolerance of the practice and led to them issuing a fatwa. The Association has also worked with parliamentarians, journalists and community leaders on this issue.
Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar (Mexfam)
46 Education and services to young people 21 National budget allocations for sexual and reproductive health
Africa
European Network
Arab World
South Asia
East & South East Asia and Oceania
Western Hemisphere
Other Member Associations who have contributed to positive legal and/or policy changes or blocked negative ones in 2010:
International Planned Parenthood Federation, 4 Newhams Row, London, SE1 3UZ, United Kingdom tel fax
+44 (0)20 7939 8200 +44 (0)20 7939 8300
UK Registered charity number 229476
web email
www.ippf.org info@ippf.org
As a result of the Member Association’s successful advocacy work, women in New Zealand now have access to free long-acting reversible contraceptives. With young women in mind, the Member Association met with the government agency that manages medicine (PHARMAC), government ministers and Members of Parliament to convince them of the importance of providing free implants. PHARMAC responded by adding Jadelle to its list of fully subsidized medicines.
Armenia
Austria
uganda
Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) In 2010, a law on female genital mutilation was passed in Uganda that allows for the conviction of people who carry out and/or promote the practice. Previously, there was no law in place to convict perpetrators, which made eradication of the practice difficult. Reproductive Health Uganda played a vital role in supporting this important piece of legislation through three years of intensive community advocacy. The Association worked in partnership with the Network of Women Ministers and Parliamentarians, mobilizing local leadership in districts where female genital mutilation was practised.
nepal
Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) The Member Association in Nepal advocated for government endorsement of a reference manual on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). This manual was developed in partnership with other expert agencies and is designed for school teachers to be able to teach the progressive CSE component of the newly revised curriculum. The CSE component includes controversial topics such as sexual rights, diversity, gender, violence and pleasure. The Member Association is currently training school teachers to use the manual.
BANGLADESH
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Kenya
Nicaragua
Rwanda
Belize
El Salvador
Kyrgyzstan
Norway
Senegal
Guatemala
Malawi
Paraguay
Sweden
Bulgaria
Cuba Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Denmark
Indonesia
Malaysia
philippines
Tajikistan
Burkina Faso
Dominican Republic
Japan
Mauritius
Portugal
Tunisia
bosnia and herzegovina
IMAGES IPPF/Jane Mingay – Georgia, 2009 | Family Planning Association of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Iran, 2010 | IPPF/Neil Thomas – Cameroon, 2008 | Artshare.ru | Gloomus.com | All-silhouettes | All-free-download. The photographs used in this publication are for illustrative purposes only; they do not imply any particular attitudes, behaviour or actions on the part of any person depicted.