Policy & Political Updates:
Marie Stopes International (MSI) remains dedicated to its FP2020 commitment and continues to make significant strides in family planning access and advocacy in the world’s 69 poorest countries.
Contraceptive Reach:
MSI’s impact is evident as 11.6 million women in the FP2020 countries now benefit from the contraceptives provided by MSI. Globally, this number stands at 15.6 million users, specifically focusing on Long-Acting and Permanent Methods (LAPM) in the targeted countries.
Breaking Barriers:
MSI’s approach involves removing multiple barriers to access, ensuring affordability, and delivering quality choices to women. Key examples of their advocacy efforts include:
- Advocacy on Task-Sharing: In Uganda, MSI’s influential role led to a policy change enabling clinical officers to perform tubal ligation. This endorsement by the Ministry of Health significantly increased access to tubal ligation services, benefitting numerous women.
- Duty-Free Family Planning Commodities: MSI actively advocated for removing import duties on family planning commodities in Sierra Leone, enhancing accessibility for women in the country.
- Low-Cost, High-Impact FP Technologies: MSI successfully registered Sino II, a two-rod contraceptive implant, in seven countries, with pending applications in Vietnam. Additionally, MSI received permission to distribute Sino II in Papua New Guinea, expanding the reach of this effective contraceptive option.
- Influencing Global Norms: MSI’s collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) resulted in global guidance on task-sharing for long-term and permanent family planning methods. MSI is now working towards ensuring adherence to these guidelines at the country level, promoting utilizing these methods worldwide.
Program & Service Delivery Updates:
- MSI’s programs and services are on track to exceed its FP2020 commitment, demonstrating the organization’s dedication to enhancing family planning services.
- In 2014, MSI provided 915,000 women with improved access to high-quality contraceptive choices compared to previous years. Additionally, MSI sustained the use of contraception for 10 million women, marking a significant milestone in family planning.
- In 2013 alone, MSI reached an additional 934,000 women with its services, contributing to improving family planning and reproductive health globally.
