International Planned Parenthood Federation turns 60

Fri, Nov 23, 2012

In the early 1950s, a group of women and men started to campaign vociferously and visibly for women’s rights to control their own fertility.{{more}}

Family planning as a human right challenged many social conventions. Campaigners faced great hostility to gain acceptance for things that we take for granted today. Some were imprisoned, but they emerged determined to work with different cultures, traditions, laws and religious attitudes to improve the lives of women around the world. And so, at the 3rd International Conference on Planned Parenthood in 1952, eight national family planning associations founded the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).

60 years later, the charity is a Federation of 152 member associations, working in 172 countries. It runs 65,000 service points worldwide. In 2011, those facilities delivered over 89 million sexual and reproductive health services.

Vision

“IPPF strives for a world in which all women, men and young people have access to the sexual and reproductive health information and services they need; a world in which sexuality is recognized both as a natural and precious aspect of life and as a fundamental right; a world in which choices are fully respected and where stigma and discrimination have no place.”

IPPF believes that SRHR should be guaranteed for everyone because they are internationally recognized human rights. IPPF is committed to gender equality, and to eliminating the stigma and discrimination which threatens individual well-being and leads to the widespread violation of health and human rights, particularly among women.

In 2009, ‘IPPF+’ was established as a Federation-wide network of people living with HIV. It fosters a culture of respect that welcomes, supports and meaningfully involves staff and volunteers who are living with HIV.

The Federation values diversity and emphasizes the participation of young people and people living with HIV and AIDS in its governance and its programmes. IPPF considers the spirit of volunteerism to be central to achieving its mandate and advancing its cause. IPPF is committed to working in partnership with communities, governments, other organizations and donors.

In ST VINCENT and THE GRENADINES during the 1960s, a small group of women banded themselves together to begin informing local women about the use of contraceptives to control the size of families. This was not without challenges and the objections of many persons in society, but with education and information the change was eventually accepted.

The ST VINCENT PLANNED PARENTHOOD ASSOCIATION is a member of the CFPA – Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation – which is the Regional organisation that links the Caribbean Associations with the IPPF. The SVPPA became a legal entity by an Act of Parliament No. 42 of 1975.

There are 12 affiliates and six associate countries in the Caribbean and their representatives meet annually to review achievements and plan and strategize for the continuation, funding and the way forward for the organisation.

The services offered by the St Vincent Planned Parenthood Association presently include Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, Education of Youth in Secondary Schools, and Out of School Youth, Counselling for clients of any age group, HIV and STI Counselling and Testing, distribution of Contraceptives and Information and Education to inform Behaviour Change.

The St Vincent Planned Parenthood Association joins in celebration with the IPPF in the 60th year of service to persons in 172 countries around the world. We are proud of the many lives that have been saved, improved or changed as a result of our perseverance in providing these services.