International Projects
CFSH recognizes the ongoing urgency to ensure that people have the information they need to make decisions that are good for themselves and their families as well as access to family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services. Worldwide, there are over one billion young people between 10 and 24 years of age, many of them without education, prospects, or even knowledge to make choices that are critical to them and the planet. Consequently, there is a huge unmet need for family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services that will enable these people to choose if, when and how many children to have, to have safe and healthy pregnancies and deliveries, and to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.
CFSH supports rights-based projects to improve the sexual and reproductive health of women, men and youth in developing countries. Up until recently, CFSH had projects in Belize, Brazil, Jamaica and Pakistan to improve young people’s access to accurate and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services, all with the goal of reducing unintended pregnancies and transmission of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. CFSH is not active in any international projects presently, although we are actively exploring opportunities to respond to the ongoing need for these critical programs.
Brazil
CFSH worked with Bem-Estar Familiar no Brasil (BEMFAM) to implement the Integração Proescola project in three cities of the Northeast region of Brazil. The Proescola project aimed to improve the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth in selected communities and schools in Natal, Recife and João Pessoa. Key strategies included capacity building, awareness raising and education, peer training, teacher training and increasing access to youth-friendly services.
Jamaica
CFSH worked with Family Planning Association of Jamaica (FAMPLAN) to implement the Communities Youth at Risk, which aimed to improve the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, youth and women in selected communities in St. Ann by reducing the incidence of unintended pregnancy and STIs/HIV/AIDS among at risk adolescents, youth and women.
Belize
In Belize, CFSH partnered with the Belize Family Planning Association (BFLA) to implement the Youth Empowerment: Taking Charge Project in the communities of Belize City, Dangriga and Orange Walk. The project aimed to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy, STIs and HIV/AIDS, and to improve the personal development potential of young people. The project was piloted in the Belize District for the first year. In the second and the third years, the Project was extended to the northern district of Orange Walk and the southern district of Stann Creek.
International Youth Exchange through IPPF/WHR
In the summer of 2007, CFSH member organizations participated in a youth exchange program sponsored by IPPF/WHR. OPTIONS Sexual Health Association and Planned Parenthood Newfoundland & Labrador Sexual Health Centre each hosted a young person as part of this exchange. In the second phase of the project, it is expected that two Canadian youth will travel to partner organizations to experience the work of IPPF member associations in other countries.
Study Tour
In collaboration with Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD) and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), CFSH conducted a joint Canadian and European Parliamentarian’s study tour to Ghana from July 21 – 28, 2007. The objective of this study tour was to raise awareness and to stimulate new thinking among Parliamentarians about efforts they could undertake in support of SRH in the development policies of their own countries. The Canadian delegation was made up of Senator Raynell Andreychuck (Conservative Party of Canada), Dr. Keith Martin (Liberal Party of Canada), Linda Capperauld (Canadian Federation for Sexual Health), and Dina Epale (ACPD). The New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois were unable to send representatives.
