Reproductive health advocates in the Philippines faced a tough 14-year long battle to turn the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 into a landmark law in December 2012.
38 family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) workforce members came together for the 2022 East Africa Learning Circles cohort. Through structured group dialogues, they shared and learned from each other’s practical experiences, on what works and what doesn’t in improving FP/RH access and use.
The introduction and scale-up of contraceptive implants have unequivocally increased access to family planning (FP) method choice around the world. Late last year, Jhpiego and Impact for Health (IHI) collaborated to document the experience of contraceptive implant introduction over the last decade (primarily through a desk review and key informant interviews) and identified recommendations to scale up implants in the private sector.
Marie Stopes Uganda’s Gulu Light Outreach provides free mobile clinics that engage Northern Ugandan communities on reproductive health. Using peer-to-peer influence and outreach in markets and community centers, the team educates young people on contraceptives. It aims to spur family planning and support a culture that prioritizes the futures of its youth and the sustainability of its environment.
Supporting young people is crucial. CSE equips and empowers them with knowledge to make informed decisions about their own lives.
The private sector in Nepal is an important source of short-acting reversible contraceptives. It represents a critical opportunity to increase contraceptive access and choice. The Government of Nepal (GON) has emphasized the importance of strengthening social marketing and the private sector (National Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan 2015–2020). Nepal CRS Company (CRS) has introduced contraceptive products and services in the country for almost 50 years. Recent innovations in social marketing, through the use of marketing methods, intend to bring about social and behavioral change to improve citizens' quality of life.
Pharmacies play a critical role in providing access to reproductive health services in low-resource settings in Kenya. Without this private-sector resource, the country would not be able to meet the needs of its young people. Kenya’s National Family Planning Guidelines for Service Providers allow pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists to counsel, dispense, and provide condoms, pills, and injectables. This access is critical to the health and well-being of youths and the overall achievement of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals.