March 2021, Issue 2
Editorial: International Women’s Day
“My destiny is to fight for a better world for women”
This is how I answered one of my sons when he asked me about my reason for leaving the Moroccan Association for Family Planning to join the International Planned Parenthood Federation in my capacity as IPPF Regional Director for the Arab World Region. Perhaps now, he will not understand my decision, but I have always believed that women make up one half of society and represent its foundations and that the importance of what they have done and are still doing throughout the ages is clear to all. As such, we cannot celebrate the International Women’s Day without mentioning the struggle of women, beginning with their protests against their inhuman working conditions, their right to vote, and ending with their demands for gender equality today. This is what made the United Nations, since 1975, adopt it as an international day for women worldwide. The International Women’s Day is also a moment for honoring women and highlighting their economic, political and social achievements.
Let us all strive towards empowering women, enhancing their capacities to access positions and leadership roles, while ensuring gender equality in all areas.
Fadoua BAKHADDA, Regional Director
IPPF AWRO activities
Arab parliamentarians request the support of the International Planned Parenthood Federation
From Beirut, the representatives of Arab parliaments called on the Federation and its Member Associations to cooperate with the national committees in order to implement the commitments of the International Conference on Population and Development 25. This came within the framework of the recommendations adopted by the regional meeting of Arab and Asian parliamentarians to follow up on ICPD +25 commitments. The meeting was an opportunity for representatives from the Arab region of the Federation to highlight the importance of following- u on the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights and addressing gender-based violence in the Arab world. In her intervention, the Regional Director, Dr. Fadoua Bakhadda, stressed the negative impact of the Corona pandemic on sexual and reproductive health services and the need for concerted efforts between governments, civil society and the private sector to implement Nairobi Summit commitments, in addition to supporting the social and economic empowerment of women.
Celebrating International Women’s Day
“Every year, women get stronger, more successful and inspiring”
The Corona pandemic did not prevent the Arab Regional Office from celebrating women on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. Dr. Fadoua Bakhadda, the Regional Director, gathered all the office’s staff, and reiterated the importance of this day and its relevant struggle circumstances. She also highlighted the importance of this occasion to reflect on the exceptional role that women have played and are still playing for the sake of their countries and their communities. She finally stressed the need to continue supporting and empowering women for a future based on equality and free from any form of discrimination against women.
As a reminder, women represent 79% of AWRO staff, 57% of MA members and 57% and 52% of MA governance and management respectively. As such, the Arab Regional Office is proud of the large number of women at the level of the office and the member associations, and especially of the high efficiency and professionalism of the women of the region, including volunteers and staff.
Partnerships
Visit of IPPF delegation to the National Board for Family and Population
Within the framework of dynamizing the permanent and renewed partnership between the International Planned Parenthood Federation /AWRO and the National Board for Family and Population in Tunisia (ONFPA), a delegation from AWRO Regional Office headed by the Regional Director Dr. Fadoua Bakhadda visited the ONFPA on Friday March 5th, 2021, and met with ONFPA President and Director General, Professor Habib Ghedira.
The meeting focused on structuring the participatory work program between the two institutions, setting priorities for developing the system for handling sexual violence against women and girls, in addition to developing the information system and means of marketing the Tunisian experience in the field of sexual and reproductive health in the rest of the Arab countries. The discussion also focused on what the Federation will provide through the Tunisian Association of Reproductive Health to enable family planning clinics affiliated to the ONFPA to provide sexual and reproductive health services, by providing technical support, long-term contraception methods, as well as medical abortion materials.
The Arab Regional Office support to Member Associations
Tunisian Association for Reproductive Health
Dr. Fadoua Bakhadda, AWRO Regional Director, attended a workshop organized by the Tunisian Association of Reproductive Health, on Saturday, February 20, 2021, for the benefit of the Board members. The Regional Director took this opportunity to present the vision of the Federation, the new funding formula and action plans for IPPF AWR member associations, so as to achieve the set goals and contribute to improving sexual and reproductive health services.
Sudanese Family Planning Association
The Arab World Regional Office works to develop information management systems in order to provide comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information that help in providing better service to the beneficiaries of sexual and reproductive health services, evidence-based decisions and programs, and reliable reports for donors. Accordingly, the Systems and Innovation Advisor at the Regional Office provided technical assistance to the Sudanese Family Planning Association for using the Electronic Clinic Management Information System (e-CMIS). In this context, the (OpenEMR) program was used and developed in Arabic according to the requirements of the Sudanese Family Planning Association, including the demographic, health and social variables required according to the association’s programs, the types of its provided sexual and reproductive health services and other data required to develop the association’s programs and provide the required services.
The Systems and Innovation Advisor at the Regional Office installed the system during the period February 22 and March 8, 2021 at the association’s headquarters and at three of its clinics (Taawidhat, Sennar, and Al-Abyad). He also trained the staff on the use of this system.
Member Associations and International Women’s Day
Honoring the Program Director in the Yemeni Association for Reproductive Health
On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, Professor Jamila Al Shari, Program Director in the Yemeni Association for Reproductive Health, was honored by the Ministry of Public Health in Yemen and the United Nations Population Fund, in a ceremony to honor pioneers in the health field.
The Bazar
On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, a “Bazar” was held to celebrate women who relied on themselves to secure a decent life through their handicrafts thanks to what they have learned from the training courses organized by the Syrian Family Planning Association with UNFPA support – Syria. The “Bazar” is the culmination of the work and efforts of women from Masaken Barzeh, which is considered one of the economic precarious areas in Syria.
In Yemen, all health services are free for three days
The Reproductive Health Center provided all health services free of charge for a period of three days from March 8 to 10, 2021 for the benefit of the Yemenis.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not dissuaded Member Associations from continuing their work.
Webinars
Despite the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the workflow and activities of the region’s associations, most of them managed to overcome this obstacle and continued their work by holding sessions, seminars, and meetings through social media platforms.
Campaigns
#SterilizeIt: a local Syrian initiative to confront the spread of COVID-19
The Syrian Family Planning Association continues its support for the # Syrian_ Medical_ Team, as part of its #sterilize it campaign launched in Damascus, which seeks to raise people awareness and provide medical support through a network of volunteers.
#Protect_her_ against_ FGM: A national campaign to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation
The Egyptian Family Planning Association participated in the national campaign #Protect _ her against_FGM, launched by the National Committee for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on February 6th, of each year. This campaign is considered an important step towards educating society about the dangers of female genital mutilation, advocating for the need to eliminate this crime, and seeking to pass a bill that punishes who performs, calls for, or encourages the practice of female genital mutilation in order to protect Egyptian girls from its dangers.
Despite the difficulties encountered by the Bahrain Reproductive Health Association, like other associations in the region, in relation to the implementation of its programs as usual, nevertheless it was able to carry out its annual campaign on World AIDS Day with media coverage from Bahrain TV. This coverage greatly contributed to the success of the event.
Advocacy
Within the framework of sustaining the advocacy efforts by the Egyptian Family Planning Association in relation to reproductive health issues through legislations and laws, a delegation from the association headed by Dr. Talaat Abdel Qawi visited the Egyptian Parliament, to garner their support in relation to reproductive health issues and move forward towards amending and activating laws and legislations related to reproductive health and rights.
Reproductive health services
Medical caravan
The Tunisian Association for Reproductive Health in Tataouine organized, on Saturday, March 13th, 2021, a multidisciplinary medical caravan at the primary school of the Ksar Ouled Soltane. The caravan was comprised of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric, general surgery, dental, blood pressure and diabetes, female cancer screening and psychiatric clinics. The caravan also relied on awareness-raising and educational activities on parenting and COVID-19 facilitated by a specialized team from the Voice of the Rural Child Association in Medenine.
Easy and convenient access for persons with disabilities to reproductive health services
The access of persons with disabilities to reproductive health services is one of the major concerns for the Sudanese Family Planning Association, which continues its relentless efforts within the framework of its plan for 2021. The association is preparing mechanisms and strategies that enable this category of people with disabilities – with vision, hearing and physical impairments and mental disabilities- to easily access sexual and reproductive health services. To achieve this goal, the association produced a medical glossary for reproductive health in sign language that will be later developed into a comprehensive guide. The association plans as well, to provide a database for associations dealing with persons with disabilities in 8 governorates of Sudan, and to print the comprehensive reproductive curriculum in “Braille” to spread awareness and health education among this segment of population.
Project “Seafarers: Between Gender-Based Violence and Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services”
Within the framework of the project “Seafarers: Between Gender-Based Violence and Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services”, two training workshops on gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health services for women and seafarers were concluded on March 5, 2021, by supplying 22 fishery cooperatives in the Souss-Massa region, with computers and diagnostics equipment, to ensure examination, guidance and follow-up of victims of gender-based violence, in addition to a high-quality ultrasound machine for the medical unit in the port of Agadir to provide specialized medical consultations in urology, gynecology and SRH diseases. The project was implemented by the Moroccan Family Planning Association in partnership with the Agadir Fishery Delegation and with the support of the Embassy of Japan.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation expressed its thanks and gratitude to the Government of Japan for this donation to the Moroccan member association, and stressed that the implementation of the project will promote the sexual and reproductive health of seafarers and reduce gender-based violence.
Delivery of ultrasound machines
The Algerian Family Planning Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Population and the United Nations Population Fund, contributed to the delivery and installation of ultrasound devices with all their accessories at the referral centers for family planning in Algiers, Blida, Setif, Biskra and Adrar. The aim of this action is the use of the devices in the development of medical services and ensuring the continuity of services especially during the outbreak of the Corona pandemic.
“How do you change your behavior and make informed, free and responsible decisions about your sexual and reproductive life?”
A video to introduce comprehensive sexuality education was prepared by the Lebanese Association for Family Health “Salama” within the framework of activating and developing communication strategies within the association.