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HIV and STIs

The majority of HIV infections are sexually transmitted or are associated with pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.  Our work links prevention with treatment, care and support, reduces HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and responds to unique regional and national characteristics of the epidemic.

Articles by HIV and STIs

IPPF Japan Trust Fund
30 March 2017

Japan Trust Fund

The Japan Trust Fund (JTF) represents a visionary partnership that began in 2000 between the Government of Japan and IPPF. Together, we invest in programmes that prioritize health equity, gender equality, and human security for all. Traditionally a driving force behind IPPF's efforts to support the integrated HIV prevention programmes of our Member Associations in Africa and Asia, JTF has adjusted to reflect changing global health priorities. We attach importance to universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights - an essential contributor to universal health coverage and the global development goals.     These projects have transformed the lives of people most vulnerable to HIV and high risk of maternal and child mortality. Equally, it ensures that as a donor, the GOJ’s response to HIV remains people-centred and contributes to human security.      

Girls Decide landing image
30 June 2016

Girls Decide

This programme addresses critical challenges faced by young women around sexual health and sexuality. It has produced a range of advocacy, education and informational materials to support research, awareness-raising, advocacy and service delivery.    Girls Decide is about the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women. Around the world, girls aged 10 to 19 account for 23% of all disease associated with pregnancy and childbirth. An estimated 2.5 million have unsafe abortions every year. Worldwide, young women account for 60% of the 5.5 million young people living with HIV and/or AIDS. Girls Decide has produced a range of advocacy, education and informational materials to support work to improve sexual health and rights for girls and young women. These include a series of films on sexual and reproductive health decisions faced by 6 young women in 6 different countries. The films won the prestigious International Video and Communications Award (IVCA). When girls and young women have access to critical lifesaving services and information, and when they are able to make meaningful choices about their life path, they are empowered. Their quality of life improves, as does the well-being of their families and the communities in which they live. Their collective ability to achieve internationally agreed development goals is strengthened. Almost all IPPF Member Associations provide services to young people and 1 in every 3 clients is a young person below the age of 25. All young women and girls are rights-holders and are entitled to sexual and reproductive rights. As a matter of principle, the IPPF Secretariat and Member Associations stand by girls by respecting and fulfilling their right to high quality services; they stand up for girls by supporting them in making their own decisions related to sexuality and pregnancy; they stand for sexual and reproductive rights by addressing the challenges faced by young women and girls at local, national and international levels.

HIV Stigma Index puts the principle of the greater involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA) into practice
01 June 2016

People Living with HIV Stigma Index

The People Living with PLHIV Stigma Index documents how people have experienced HIV-related stigma and how they have been able to challenge and overcome stigma and discrimination relating to HIV. People living with HIV receive training in quantitative data collection, and implement the survey using a standard questionnaire which covers the following 10 areas: Experiences of stigma and discrimination and their causes Access to work and services Internal stigma Rights, laws and policies Effecting change HIV testing Disclosure and confidentiality Treatment Having children Problems and challenges for people living with HIV The People Living with HIV Stigma Index puts the principle of the greater involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA) into practice, the research is driven by people living with HIV and their networks and provides them with evidence and opportunity to address challenges in their communities and catalyze change. The findings are instrumental in increasing collective understandings of stigma and discrimination, and detecting changes and trends over time. The evidence has shaped future programmatic interventions by revealing areas of need and gaps in existing programming. The People Living with HIV Stigma Index is a powerful advocacy tool which will influence policy and support the collective goal of governments, NGOs and activists to reduce stigma and discrimination related to HIV.   The People Living with HIV Stigma Index has been rolled out in more than 40 countries, where it has been a catalyst for fostering change. Each country is different, from the number of people interviewed to the composition of responses from different group (such as men who have sex with men, sex workers, injecting drug users and other key populations).  The People Living with HIV Stigma Index was developed and pioneered by a partnership between the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the Global Network of People Living with HIV(GNP+), the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Integra is a 5-year research initiative in Kenya, Malawi and Swaziland.
30 May 2016

Integra Initiative

Integra is a 5-year research initiative in Kenya, Malawi and Swaziland. It aims to reduce HIV infection, HIV-related stigma and unintended pregnancy. IPPF implements the Integra Initiative with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Population Council.  

Photo of ACT!2030 young activists
07 February 2017

ACT!2030

IPPF collaborates with UNAIDS and The PACT to implement ACT!2030 (formerly ACT!2015), a youth-led social action initiative which engages young people in 12 countries with advocacy and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other SRHR agreements/frameworks. ACT!2030 was initiated in 2013 as a way to increase youth participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and for two years focused on establishing alliances of youth-led and youth-serving organisations in 12 countries across the world. The project is currently in Phase 4, which runs until the end of 2017, and aims to establish youth-led, data-driven accountability mechanisms to ensure youth engagement with the implementation of the SDGs and build an evidence base for advocacy. Ultimately, Phase 4 of ACT!2030 seeks to identify, assess and address key policy barriers to young people’s sexual and reproductive data by using existing data, supplemented by youth-collected data, to advocate and lobby for policy change. This phase involves four main activities: indicator advocacy (persuading decision makers to adopt youth-friendly SRHR and HIV indicators, including on things like comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and access to youth-friendly services, into national/global reporting mechanisms); evidence gathering (creating national databases on quality of and access to youth-friendly services and CSE); communications (transforming this data and evidence into communications pieces that can be used to advocacy and lobby at national and international level); and global exchange (facilitating global visibility to share advocacy and engagement learnings and increase youth-led accountability in global and regional processes). ACT!2030 is implemented by national alliances of youth organisations in 12 countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

Hayathe Ayeva
11 March 2021

Hayathe Ayeva, a Leader at Heart, a Fighter for Young People's Sexual Reproductive Health Rights

20-year-old Hayathe Ayeva is the President of the Youth Action Movement (YAM) of the Togolese Association for Family Welfare (ATBEF) -the Member Association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in the country. A college student who is passionate about communication and writing, Hayathe has won several public speaking competitions. She identifies herself as ‘a proud social activist, woman defender of Human Rights, committed to the Sexual and Reproductive Health of adolescents and young people’. Hayathe is passionate about leadership, and has held various leadership roles in her community since the age of 10. Before joining the YAM at the age of 12 years, she was a member of several associations including the Light Club of Plan International Togo, the German Club, the theatre group and the UNESCO Club at her school, where she was also the founding president of the Anti-AIDS Club. As part of YAM’s activities, Hayathe works with her peers to support ATBEF's advocacy work on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues, especially among the youth. According to Hayathe, the main health SRHR challenges facing young people in Togo include prohibitive traditions that consider sexuality issues as taboo, the lack of spaces dedicated to youth activities, long distances to youth-friendly service centers, and difficult access to SRHR information including family planning. To address some of these challenges, ATBEF supports young people by availing their premises for YAM  activities. In these youth-friendly centers, they can access various documents and services. Hayathe is very active in ATBEF's activities. "I have participated in several ATBEF campaigns and projects where I have raised SRHR awareness targeting young people on social media platforms through my pages. I was also involved in the development of the novel mobile application ‘InfoAdoJeune’, a platform that helps young people access credible information on Sexual and Reproductive Health during the COVID-19 period. Hayathe is also part of the implementation team for the project on "Effective youth involvement in the mid-term review, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of TOGO's 2017-2022 National Budgeted Action Plan for Reproductive Health/Family Planning (PANB)”. As a young female leader and SRHR champion, Hayathe faces various challenges, more so those related to social and financial support. "To address these challenges, I try to increase everyone's understanding of the value of my involvement.  For activities that require costs, I try to manage with my own money and those of my relatives because I am committed to serving my community without expecting anything in return.” Despite women's involvement in all sectors around the world, Hayathe notes several obstacles to women's access to leadership positions. “They include society’s view that tends to place men above women -and the resultant women's lack of self-confidence, forced marriages and early pregnancies, family and marital responsibilities that impede them from fully pursuing their ambitions.“ To overcome these obstacles, Hayathe believes that "governments must promote gender equality and appoint more women to positions of responsibility. This will ensure they are represented at all levels and in organizational structures. More honor should be accorded to women in order to encourage others to cultivate the culture of excellence.” Hayathe's primary motivation for women's leadership is to uplift the voice of voiceless youth, to reach out to vulnerable and marginalized populations, and to share quality sexual and reproductive health information. "I am proud of the positive impact of my actions on young people in my community, which I note through their encouragement and suggestions,” she concludes. Read this article in French here. Hayathe on social networks: Facebook: Hayathe AYEVA Facebook page (personal blog): Hayathe AYEVA Twitter: @AHayathe

Hayathe AYEVA
11 March 2021

Hayathe Ayeva, un leader dans l’âme, une combattante pour la santé sexuelle et reproductive des jeunes

Hayathe AYEVA a 20 ans. C’est une étudiante togolaise très engagée dans la vie associative. Passionnée de communication et d'écriture, elle a été lauréate de plusieurs concours d'art oratoire. Activiste sociale, femme défenseur des Droits Humains, engagée pour  la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive des adolescents et jeunes, elle préside le Mouvement d’Action des Jeunes (MAJ) de l’Association Togolaise pour le Bien-Être Familial (ATBEF), Association Membre de la Fédération Internationale pour le Planning Familial (IPPF) dans le pays. Hayathe occupe des rôles de leader communautaire depuis l'âge de 10 ans. Avant de rejoindre le MAJ à l'âge de 12 ans, elle a été membre de plusieurs associations dont le Club Lumière de Plan International TOGO, le Club Allemand, le groupe théâtral et le Club UNESCO de son école et même présidente fondatrice du Club Anti SIDA. Dans le cadre des activités du MAJ, Hayathe travaille d’arrache-pied avec ses pairs à appuyer les actions de sensibilisation de l’ATBEF sur les questions de Santé et Droits Sexuels et Reproductifs (SDSR). Selon Hayathe « les principaux défis sanitaires liés à la SDSR au Togo sont essentiellement le poids de la tradition, qui engendre des tabous liés à la sexualité, le manque d'espaces dédiés aux activités des jeunes, l’éloignement des centres de services pour jeunes, la difficulté d’accès aux informations liées à la santé reproductive (SR) et la planification familiale (PF) ». L'ATBEF appuie les actions des jeunes du MAJ en mettant à leur disposition leurs locaux et de la documentation pour certaines de leurs activités. Hayathe est personnellement très active dans les activités de l’ATBEF. « J'ai été associée à plusieurs campagnes et projets de l’ATBEF pour lesquels j’ai fait des sensibilisations sur les réseaux sociaux à travers mes comptes et pages personnels. Nous avons développé avec les jeunes du MAJ, en collaboration avec l'ATBEF, une application mobile nommée ‘InfoAdoJeune’, qui aide les jeunes à accéder à des informations crédibles sur la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive pendant cette période de COVID-19 ». Hayathe fait également partie de l'équipe de mise en œuvre du projet portant sur « l'implication effective des jeunes dans la revue à mi-parcours, la mise en œuvre, le suivi et l'évaluation du Plan d’Action National Budgétisé (PANB) en Santé Reproductive/Planification Familiale 2017 -2022 du Togo. En sa qualité de femme leader, Hayathe se retrouve malheureusement confrontée à des défis sociaux et financiers. « Pour relever ces défis, j'essaie de faire mieux comprendre à tout le monde le bien fondé de mon engagement. Pour les activités qui requièrent des coûts, j’essaie de gérer avec mes moyens personnels et ceux de mes proches car je me suis engagée à servir ma communauté sans rien attendre en retour » Malgré l’engagement des femmes dans tous les secteurs d’activités dans le monde, Hayath note plusieurs obstacles à l'accès des femmes à des postes de direction : « le regard de la société ayant tendance à  mettre l’homme au dessus de la femme, le manque de confiance en soi des femmes en lien avec la sous-estimation dont elles font l’objet, les mariages forcés et grossesses précoces, la vie familiale et conjugale ne permettant pas aux jeunes femmes de pouvoir assouvir pleinement leurs ambitions. » Pour parer à ces obstacles, elle estime que « les gouvernements doivent prôner l'égalité de genre en nommant plus de femmes à des postes de responsabilité, afin qu’elles soient représentées à tous les niveaux hiérarchiques et à tous les niveaux dans le secteur privé. Attribuer davantage de distinctions honorifiques aux femmes afin de les stimuler à cultiver l'excellence. La principale motivation de Hayathe est de porter la voix des jeunes sans voix, de côtoyer des populations vulnérables et marginalisées afin de partager des informations de qualité sur la santé sexuelle et reproductive: « Je suis fière des impacts positifs de mes actions sur les jeunes de ma communauté que je note par les encouragements et suggestions que je reçois de leur part». Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Hayath sur les reseaux sociaux : Compte Facebook :  Hayathe AYEVA Page Facebook (blog personnel) : Hayathe AYEVA Compte twitter: @AHayathe

Angola decriminalizes same sex relations
19 February 2021

Angola descriminaliza as relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo

A Federação Internacional Para o Planeamento Familiar (IPPF) acolhe as notícias sobre a descriminalização das relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo em Angola.  A IPPF reconhece e congratula os activistas, defensores e organizações que ajudaram a tornar possível esta alteração histórica na lei. Na Quinta-feira, 10 de Fevereiro, entrou em vigor o novo código penal de Angola, o qual descriminaliza as relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo. Também introduz protecções relativas à orientação sexual em algumas das cláusulas não-discriminatórias de Angola, e menciona a orientação sexual nas cláusulas do discurso do código penal. Os Angolanos de todas as orientações sexuais podem finalmente viver com maior liberdade e desfrutar do mesmo direito constitucional relativo ao amor e à autonomia corporal. Estas alterações representam a primeira reformulação das leis da era colonial desde que Angola conquistou a independência em 1975, abolindo cláusulas dessa era que estavam em vigor desde que o código penal introduziu a proibição em 1886. A Directora do Escritório Regional de África da IPPF, Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry declarou: “As notícias que chegam de Angola dão nova vida e esperança renovada não apenas para a comunidade LGBTI em Angola, mas para África como um todo. As leis anti-LGBTI da era colonial são uma mancha na nossa consciência colectiva, e esta decisão assinala uma nova era de inclusividade, esperança e amor. Ninguém deve ser tratado como criminoso por escolher quem amar, e esperamos que esta alteração legislativa inspire outros países que tenham um vestígio colonial semelhante a reverem as suas próprias leis.” O primeiro passo para alterar o código penal foi dado em 2019 quando o Parlamento aprovou as alterações propostas. No entanto, apenas em Novembro de 2020 é que estas foram ratificadas pelo Presidente João Lourenço, com um prazo de 90 dias até à sua entrada em vigor na última semana. O novo código penal aboliu a linguagem de “vício contra natura”, a qual era percebida como uma proibição às relações com pessoas do mesmo sexo. A nova lei inclui vários artigos que protegem contra a discriminação com base na orientação sexual, em relação ao trabalho ou locais públicos e eventos, e inclui a pena de prisão até dois anos por discriminação baseada na orientação sexual. Após a descriminalização em Angola, o número de países onde a homossexualidade é descriminalizada é agora 72. Esta é uma base sólida para o que aí vem, para permitir um mundo onde todas as pessoas possam tomar decisões sobre a sua sexualidade e bem-estar, livres de discriminação, uma luta na qual a IPPF será uma participante activa. Leia esta declaração em inglês.

International Day of the Girl
11 October 2020

L'IPPRA soutient le plaidoyer et le leadership exercés par les filles

Aujourd'hui, la Fédération internationale pour la planification familiale - Région Afrique (IPPFRA) se joint au reste du monde pour célébrer la Journée internationale de la fille sous le thème : "Ma voix, l’égalité pour notre avenir". L’IPPF Région Afrique œuvre à sensibiliser sur la nécessité d'éliminer toutes les formes de discrimination en matière de droits des filles africaines. Avec le mouvement d'action des jeunes (MAJ), l'organe de jeunes volontaires de l'IPPFRA, nous continuons à manifester notre engagement en faveur de la défense des droits et du leadership des filles en veillant à ce que les filles africaines participent aux principales activités liées à la prise de décision aux niveaux national, régional et international. Diverses campagnes d'autonomisation du MAJ et programmes axés sur les filles ont permis à celles-ci de bâtir l'avenir qu'elles souhaitent, en leur offrant des plates-formes pour faire entendre leur voix et accélérer le changement au sein de leurs communautés. L'IPPFRA et ses associations membres ont le devoir de faciliter et d'améliorer l'accès des filles aux informations et aux services de santé sexuelle et reproductive, car cela leur permettra non seulement de se prendre en charge, mais aussi de prendre des décisions éclairées concernant leur santé. Il convient de noter que les filles qui sont passées par nos programmes pour jeunes occupent maintenant des postes influents dans leurs communautés. La célébration d'aujourd'hui a lieu dans le contexte d’une pandémie sans précédent liée à la COVID-19, qui a touché la fille africaine de diverses manières. Les écoles étant habituellement un lieu sûr pour les filles, leur fermeture les a exposées à divers risques, tels que les grossesses chez les adolescentes, les infections sexuellement transmissibles (dont le VIH), les mutilations génitales féminines, les mauvais traitements infligés aux enfants et la violence sexuelle à caractère sexiste. Les cas de mariage précoce de filles ont également augmenté, les parents - dont beaucoup ont perdu leurs moyens de subsistance à cause de la COVID-19 - le faisant pour des raisons économiques. Les restrictions de mouvement et l'isolement social ont également confiné les filles à la maison, les soumettant à la charge de travaux domestiques pénibles et de dispensation de soins. L'IPPFRA saisit l’occasion de la célébration de cette journée internationale de la fille pour exhorter les dirigeants africains à assurer sans équivoque une éducation sexuelle complète aux jeunes scolarisés et non scolarisés - car c'est l'un des moyens qui permettrait d'autonomiser les filles et de réduire leur vulnérabilité.   Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Pour plus d'informations sur le travail de l'IPPF Région Afrique, suivez-nous sur Facebook et Twitter.

#InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild
11 October 2020

IPPAR Supporting Girl-Led Advocacy and Leadership [International Day of the Girl 2020]

Today, International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) joins the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of the Girl under the theme: ‘My Voice, Our Equal Future’. IPPF Africa Region is committed to raising awareness on the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the rights of African girls. Through the Youth Action Movement (YAM), IPPFAR’s youth volunteer body, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to girl-led advocacy and leadership by ensuring that African girls are involved in key-decision making activities at country, regional and international levels. Various YAM empowerment campaigns and girl-focused programmes have enabled girls to create the future they want by giving them platforms to raise their voices and accelerate change in their communities. IPPFAR and its Member Associations are duty-bound to facilitate and improve girls’ access to sexual reproductive health information and services as this will not only empower them, but help them make informed decisions about their health. It is imperative to observe that girls who have passed through our youth programmes now hold influential positions in their communities. Today’s celebration comes amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the African girl in various ways. With schools often being a safe space for girls, their closures have predisposed them to various risks, such as teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), female genital mutilation, child abuse and sexual gender-based violence. Reports of girls being married off early have also increased, with parents -many of whom have lost their livelihoods because of COVID-19, doing so for economic gain. Movement restrictions and social isolation have also confined girls at home, leaving them with the burden of laborious domestic work and care giving. IPPFAR takes this opportunity to implore on African governments to unequivocally provide Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for in and out of school youth -as this is among the means that would empower girls and reduce their vulnerability. Read the French version of this statement here. For more information about the work of IPPF Africa Region, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

IPPF Japan Trust Fund
30 March 2017

Japan Trust Fund

The Japan Trust Fund (JTF) represents a visionary partnership that began in 2000 between the Government of Japan and IPPF. Together, we invest in programmes that prioritize health equity, gender equality, and human security for all. Traditionally a driving force behind IPPF's efforts to support the integrated HIV prevention programmes of our Member Associations in Africa and Asia, JTF has adjusted to reflect changing global health priorities. We attach importance to universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights - an essential contributor to universal health coverage and the global development goals.     These projects have transformed the lives of people most vulnerable to HIV and high risk of maternal and child mortality. Equally, it ensures that as a donor, the GOJ’s response to HIV remains people-centred and contributes to human security.      

Girls Decide landing image
30 June 2016

Girls Decide

This programme addresses critical challenges faced by young women around sexual health and sexuality. It has produced a range of advocacy, education and informational materials to support research, awareness-raising, advocacy and service delivery.    Girls Decide is about the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women. Around the world, girls aged 10 to 19 account for 23% of all disease associated with pregnancy and childbirth. An estimated 2.5 million have unsafe abortions every year. Worldwide, young women account for 60% of the 5.5 million young people living with HIV and/or AIDS. Girls Decide has produced a range of advocacy, education and informational materials to support work to improve sexual health and rights for girls and young women. These include a series of films on sexual and reproductive health decisions faced by 6 young women in 6 different countries. The films won the prestigious International Video and Communications Award (IVCA). When girls and young women have access to critical lifesaving services and information, and when they are able to make meaningful choices about their life path, they are empowered. Their quality of life improves, as does the well-being of their families and the communities in which they live. Their collective ability to achieve internationally agreed development goals is strengthened. Almost all IPPF Member Associations provide services to young people and 1 in every 3 clients is a young person below the age of 25. All young women and girls are rights-holders and are entitled to sexual and reproductive rights. As a matter of principle, the IPPF Secretariat and Member Associations stand by girls by respecting and fulfilling their right to high quality services; they stand up for girls by supporting them in making their own decisions related to sexuality and pregnancy; they stand for sexual and reproductive rights by addressing the challenges faced by young women and girls at local, national and international levels.

HIV Stigma Index puts the principle of the greater involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA) into practice
01 June 2016

People Living with HIV Stigma Index

The People Living with PLHIV Stigma Index documents how people have experienced HIV-related stigma and how they have been able to challenge and overcome stigma and discrimination relating to HIV. People living with HIV receive training in quantitative data collection, and implement the survey using a standard questionnaire which covers the following 10 areas: Experiences of stigma and discrimination and their causes Access to work and services Internal stigma Rights, laws and policies Effecting change HIV testing Disclosure and confidentiality Treatment Having children Problems and challenges for people living with HIV The People Living with HIV Stigma Index puts the principle of the greater involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA) into practice, the research is driven by people living with HIV and their networks and provides them with evidence and opportunity to address challenges in their communities and catalyze change. The findings are instrumental in increasing collective understandings of stigma and discrimination, and detecting changes and trends over time. The evidence has shaped future programmatic interventions by revealing areas of need and gaps in existing programming. The People Living with HIV Stigma Index is a powerful advocacy tool which will influence policy and support the collective goal of governments, NGOs and activists to reduce stigma and discrimination related to HIV.   The People Living with HIV Stigma Index has been rolled out in more than 40 countries, where it has been a catalyst for fostering change. Each country is different, from the number of people interviewed to the composition of responses from different group (such as men who have sex with men, sex workers, injecting drug users and other key populations).  The People Living with HIV Stigma Index was developed and pioneered by a partnership between the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the Global Network of People Living with HIV(GNP+), the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Integra is a 5-year research initiative in Kenya, Malawi and Swaziland.
30 May 2016

Integra Initiative

Integra is a 5-year research initiative in Kenya, Malawi and Swaziland. It aims to reduce HIV infection, HIV-related stigma and unintended pregnancy. IPPF implements the Integra Initiative with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Population Council.  

Photo of ACT!2030 young activists
07 February 2017

ACT!2030

IPPF collaborates with UNAIDS and The PACT to implement ACT!2030 (formerly ACT!2015), a youth-led social action initiative which engages young people in 12 countries with advocacy and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other SRHR agreements/frameworks. ACT!2030 was initiated in 2013 as a way to increase youth participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and for two years focused on establishing alliances of youth-led and youth-serving organisations in 12 countries across the world. The project is currently in Phase 4, which runs until the end of 2017, and aims to establish youth-led, data-driven accountability mechanisms to ensure youth engagement with the implementation of the SDGs and build an evidence base for advocacy. Ultimately, Phase 4 of ACT!2030 seeks to identify, assess and address key policy barriers to young people’s sexual and reproductive data by using existing data, supplemented by youth-collected data, to advocate and lobby for policy change. This phase involves four main activities: indicator advocacy (persuading decision makers to adopt youth-friendly SRHR and HIV indicators, including on things like comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and access to youth-friendly services, into national/global reporting mechanisms); evidence gathering (creating national databases on quality of and access to youth-friendly services and CSE); communications (transforming this data and evidence into communications pieces that can be used to advocacy and lobby at national and international level); and global exchange (facilitating global visibility to share advocacy and engagement learnings and increase youth-led accountability in global and regional processes). ACT!2030 is implemented by national alliances of youth organisations in 12 countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

Hayathe Ayeva
11 March 2021

Hayathe Ayeva, a Leader at Heart, a Fighter for Young People's Sexual Reproductive Health Rights

20-year-old Hayathe Ayeva is the President of the Youth Action Movement (YAM) of the Togolese Association for Family Welfare (ATBEF) -the Member Association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in the country. A college student who is passionate about communication and writing, Hayathe has won several public speaking competitions. She identifies herself as ‘a proud social activist, woman defender of Human Rights, committed to the Sexual and Reproductive Health of adolescents and young people’. Hayathe is passionate about leadership, and has held various leadership roles in her community since the age of 10. Before joining the YAM at the age of 12 years, she was a member of several associations including the Light Club of Plan International Togo, the German Club, the theatre group and the UNESCO Club at her school, where she was also the founding president of the Anti-AIDS Club. As part of YAM’s activities, Hayathe works with her peers to support ATBEF's advocacy work on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues, especially among the youth. According to Hayathe, the main health SRHR challenges facing young people in Togo include prohibitive traditions that consider sexuality issues as taboo, the lack of spaces dedicated to youth activities, long distances to youth-friendly service centers, and difficult access to SRHR information including family planning. To address some of these challenges, ATBEF supports young people by availing their premises for YAM  activities. In these youth-friendly centers, they can access various documents and services. Hayathe is very active in ATBEF's activities. "I have participated in several ATBEF campaigns and projects where I have raised SRHR awareness targeting young people on social media platforms through my pages. I was also involved in the development of the novel mobile application ‘InfoAdoJeune’, a platform that helps young people access credible information on Sexual and Reproductive Health during the COVID-19 period. Hayathe is also part of the implementation team for the project on "Effective youth involvement in the mid-term review, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of TOGO's 2017-2022 National Budgeted Action Plan for Reproductive Health/Family Planning (PANB)”. As a young female leader and SRHR champion, Hayathe faces various challenges, more so those related to social and financial support. "To address these challenges, I try to increase everyone's understanding of the value of my involvement.  For activities that require costs, I try to manage with my own money and those of my relatives because I am committed to serving my community without expecting anything in return.” Despite women's involvement in all sectors around the world, Hayathe notes several obstacles to women's access to leadership positions. “They include society’s view that tends to place men above women -and the resultant women's lack of self-confidence, forced marriages and early pregnancies, family and marital responsibilities that impede them from fully pursuing their ambitions.“ To overcome these obstacles, Hayathe believes that "governments must promote gender equality and appoint more women to positions of responsibility. This will ensure they are represented at all levels and in organizational structures. More honor should be accorded to women in order to encourage others to cultivate the culture of excellence.” Hayathe's primary motivation for women's leadership is to uplift the voice of voiceless youth, to reach out to vulnerable and marginalized populations, and to share quality sexual and reproductive health information. "I am proud of the positive impact of my actions on young people in my community, which I note through their encouragement and suggestions,” she concludes. Read this article in French here. Hayathe on social networks: Facebook: Hayathe AYEVA Facebook page (personal blog): Hayathe AYEVA Twitter: @AHayathe

Hayathe AYEVA
11 March 2021

Hayathe Ayeva, un leader dans l’âme, une combattante pour la santé sexuelle et reproductive des jeunes

Hayathe AYEVA a 20 ans. C’est une étudiante togolaise très engagée dans la vie associative. Passionnée de communication et d'écriture, elle a été lauréate de plusieurs concours d'art oratoire. Activiste sociale, femme défenseur des Droits Humains, engagée pour  la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive des adolescents et jeunes, elle préside le Mouvement d’Action des Jeunes (MAJ) de l’Association Togolaise pour le Bien-Être Familial (ATBEF), Association Membre de la Fédération Internationale pour le Planning Familial (IPPF) dans le pays. Hayathe occupe des rôles de leader communautaire depuis l'âge de 10 ans. Avant de rejoindre le MAJ à l'âge de 12 ans, elle a été membre de plusieurs associations dont le Club Lumière de Plan International TOGO, le Club Allemand, le groupe théâtral et le Club UNESCO de son école et même présidente fondatrice du Club Anti SIDA. Dans le cadre des activités du MAJ, Hayathe travaille d’arrache-pied avec ses pairs à appuyer les actions de sensibilisation de l’ATBEF sur les questions de Santé et Droits Sexuels et Reproductifs (SDSR). Selon Hayathe « les principaux défis sanitaires liés à la SDSR au Togo sont essentiellement le poids de la tradition, qui engendre des tabous liés à la sexualité, le manque d'espaces dédiés aux activités des jeunes, l’éloignement des centres de services pour jeunes, la difficulté d’accès aux informations liées à la santé reproductive (SR) et la planification familiale (PF) ». L'ATBEF appuie les actions des jeunes du MAJ en mettant à leur disposition leurs locaux et de la documentation pour certaines de leurs activités. Hayathe est personnellement très active dans les activités de l’ATBEF. « J'ai été associée à plusieurs campagnes et projets de l’ATBEF pour lesquels j’ai fait des sensibilisations sur les réseaux sociaux à travers mes comptes et pages personnels. Nous avons développé avec les jeunes du MAJ, en collaboration avec l'ATBEF, une application mobile nommée ‘InfoAdoJeune’, qui aide les jeunes à accéder à des informations crédibles sur la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive pendant cette période de COVID-19 ». Hayathe fait également partie de l'équipe de mise en œuvre du projet portant sur « l'implication effective des jeunes dans la revue à mi-parcours, la mise en œuvre, le suivi et l'évaluation du Plan d’Action National Budgétisé (PANB) en Santé Reproductive/Planification Familiale 2017 -2022 du Togo. En sa qualité de femme leader, Hayathe se retrouve malheureusement confrontée à des défis sociaux et financiers. « Pour relever ces défis, j'essaie de faire mieux comprendre à tout le monde le bien fondé de mon engagement. Pour les activités qui requièrent des coûts, j’essaie de gérer avec mes moyens personnels et ceux de mes proches car je me suis engagée à servir ma communauté sans rien attendre en retour » Malgré l’engagement des femmes dans tous les secteurs d’activités dans le monde, Hayath note plusieurs obstacles à l'accès des femmes à des postes de direction : « le regard de la société ayant tendance à  mettre l’homme au dessus de la femme, le manque de confiance en soi des femmes en lien avec la sous-estimation dont elles font l’objet, les mariages forcés et grossesses précoces, la vie familiale et conjugale ne permettant pas aux jeunes femmes de pouvoir assouvir pleinement leurs ambitions. » Pour parer à ces obstacles, elle estime que « les gouvernements doivent prôner l'égalité de genre en nommant plus de femmes à des postes de responsabilité, afin qu’elles soient représentées à tous les niveaux hiérarchiques et à tous les niveaux dans le secteur privé. Attribuer davantage de distinctions honorifiques aux femmes afin de les stimuler à cultiver l'excellence. La principale motivation de Hayathe est de porter la voix des jeunes sans voix, de côtoyer des populations vulnérables et marginalisées afin de partager des informations de qualité sur la santé sexuelle et reproductive: « Je suis fière des impacts positifs de mes actions sur les jeunes de ma communauté que je note par les encouragements et suggestions que je reçois de leur part». Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Hayath sur les reseaux sociaux : Compte Facebook :  Hayathe AYEVA Page Facebook (blog personnel) : Hayathe AYEVA Compte twitter: @AHayathe

Angola decriminalizes same sex relations
19 February 2021

Angola descriminaliza as relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo

A Federação Internacional Para o Planeamento Familiar (IPPF) acolhe as notícias sobre a descriminalização das relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo em Angola.  A IPPF reconhece e congratula os activistas, defensores e organizações que ajudaram a tornar possível esta alteração histórica na lei. Na Quinta-feira, 10 de Fevereiro, entrou em vigor o novo código penal de Angola, o qual descriminaliza as relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo. Também introduz protecções relativas à orientação sexual em algumas das cláusulas não-discriminatórias de Angola, e menciona a orientação sexual nas cláusulas do discurso do código penal. Os Angolanos de todas as orientações sexuais podem finalmente viver com maior liberdade e desfrutar do mesmo direito constitucional relativo ao amor e à autonomia corporal. Estas alterações representam a primeira reformulação das leis da era colonial desde que Angola conquistou a independência em 1975, abolindo cláusulas dessa era que estavam em vigor desde que o código penal introduziu a proibição em 1886. A Directora do Escritório Regional de África da IPPF, Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry declarou: “As notícias que chegam de Angola dão nova vida e esperança renovada não apenas para a comunidade LGBTI em Angola, mas para África como um todo. As leis anti-LGBTI da era colonial são uma mancha na nossa consciência colectiva, e esta decisão assinala uma nova era de inclusividade, esperança e amor. Ninguém deve ser tratado como criminoso por escolher quem amar, e esperamos que esta alteração legislativa inspire outros países que tenham um vestígio colonial semelhante a reverem as suas próprias leis.” O primeiro passo para alterar o código penal foi dado em 2019 quando o Parlamento aprovou as alterações propostas. No entanto, apenas em Novembro de 2020 é que estas foram ratificadas pelo Presidente João Lourenço, com um prazo de 90 dias até à sua entrada em vigor na última semana. O novo código penal aboliu a linguagem de “vício contra natura”, a qual era percebida como uma proibição às relações com pessoas do mesmo sexo. A nova lei inclui vários artigos que protegem contra a discriminação com base na orientação sexual, em relação ao trabalho ou locais públicos e eventos, e inclui a pena de prisão até dois anos por discriminação baseada na orientação sexual. Após a descriminalização em Angola, o número de países onde a homossexualidade é descriminalizada é agora 72. Esta é uma base sólida para o que aí vem, para permitir um mundo onde todas as pessoas possam tomar decisões sobre a sua sexualidade e bem-estar, livres de discriminação, uma luta na qual a IPPF será uma participante activa. Leia esta declaração em inglês.

International Day of the Girl
11 October 2020

L'IPPRA soutient le plaidoyer et le leadership exercés par les filles

Aujourd'hui, la Fédération internationale pour la planification familiale - Région Afrique (IPPFRA) se joint au reste du monde pour célébrer la Journée internationale de la fille sous le thème : "Ma voix, l’égalité pour notre avenir". L’IPPF Région Afrique œuvre à sensibiliser sur la nécessité d'éliminer toutes les formes de discrimination en matière de droits des filles africaines. Avec le mouvement d'action des jeunes (MAJ), l'organe de jeunes volontaires de l'IPPFRA, nous continuons à manifester notre engagement en faveur de la défense des droits et du leadership des filles en veillant à ce que les filles africaines participent aux principales activités liées à la prise de décision aux niveaux national, régional et international. Diverses campagnes d'autonomisation du MAJ et programmes axés sur les filles ont permis à celles-ci de bâtir l'avenir qu'elles souhaitent, en leur offrant des plates-formes pour faire entendre leur voix et accélérer le changement au sein de leurs communautés. L'IPPFRA et ses associations membres ont le devoir de faciliter et d'améliorer l'accès des filles aux informations et aux services de santé sexuelle et reproductive, car cela leur permettra non seulement de se prendre en charge, mais aussi de prendre des décisions éclairées concernant leur santé. Il convient de noter que les filles qui sont passées par nos programmes pour jeunes occupent maintenant des postes influents dans leurs communautés. La célébration d'aujourd'hui a lieu dans le contexte d’une pandémie sans précédent liée à la COVID-19, qui a touché la fille africaine de diverses manières. Les écoles étant habituellement un lieu sûr pour les filles, leur fermeture les a exposées à divers risques, tels que les grossesses chez les adolescentes, les infections sexuellement transmissibles (dont le VIH), les mutilations génitales féminines, les mauvais traitements infligés aux enfants et la violence sexuelle à caractère sexiste. Les cas de mariage précoce de filles ont également augmenté, les parents - dont beaucoup ont perdu leurs moyens de subsistance à cause de la COVID-19 - le faisant pour des raisons économiques. Les restrictions de mouvement et l'isolement social ont également confiné les filles à la maison, les soumettant à la charge de travaux domestiques pénibles et de dispensation de soins. L'IPPFRA saisit l’occasion de la célébration de cette journée internationale de la fille pour exhorter les dirigeants africains à assurer sans équivoque une éducation sexuelle complète aux jeunes scolarisés et non scolarisés - car c'est l'un des moyens qui permettrait d'autonomiser les filles et de réduire leur vulnérabilité.   Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Pour plus d'informations sur le travail de l'IPPF Région Afrique, suivez-nous sur Facebook et Twitter.

#InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild
11 October 2020

IPPAR Supporting Girl-Led Advocacy and Leadership [International Day of the Girl 2020]

Today, International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) joins the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of the Girl under the theme: ‘My Voice, Our Equal Future’. IPPF Africa Region is committed to raising awareness on the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the rights of African girls. Through the Youth Action Movement (YAM), IPPFAR’s youth volunteer body, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to girl-led advocacy and leadership by ensuring that African girls are involved in key-decision making activities at country, regional and international levels. Various YAM empowerment campaigns and girl-focused programmes have enabled girls to create the future they want by giving them platforms to raise their voices and accelerate change in their communities. IPPFAR and its Member Associations are duty-bound to facilitate and improve girls’ access to sexual reproductive health information and services as this will not only empower them, but help them make informed decisions about their health. It is imperative to observe that girls who have passed through our youth programmes now hold influential positions in their communities. Today’s celebration comes amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the African girl in various ways. With schools often being a safe space for girls, their closures have predisposed them to various risks, such as teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), female genital mutilation, child abuse and sexual gender-based violence. Reports of girls being married off early have also increased, with parents -many of whom have lost their livelihoods because of COVID-19, doing so for economic gain. Movement restrictions and social isolation have also confined girls at home, leaving them with the burden of laborious domestic work and care giving. IPPFAR takes this opportunity to implore on African governments to unequivocally provide Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for in and out of school youth -as this is among the means that would empower girls and reduce their vulnerability. Read the French version of this statement here. For more information about the work of IPPF Africa Region, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.