Following five years of implementation since January 2015, FIGO’s Postpartum Intrauterine Device (PPIUD) Initiative is now wrapping up project activities and fully handing over responsibility for postpartum family planning (PPFP) services in the country to our partner, the Obstetrical and Gynecological Society of Bangladesh (OGSB). The project ran in six centres, with three outside of the capital and three within Dhaka.

“Choosing a method for myself, I needed a long-acting reversible method because I want to have another child in 5 or 6 years, I did not hesitate to choose PPIUD. It is also non-hormonal so I am able to breastfeed my baby, which is important to me.”

Najbin Akter, PPFP Counsellor at Khulna Medical College Hospital and PPIUD user

We are deeply saddened to receive news of the death of Winnie Naisianoi Shena-Mureithi, CEO of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS).

Winnie was a wonderful and passionate leader, dedicated to serving women and supporting life through her work as a midwife and with KOGS. She successfully led teams in Kenya in their implementation of FIGO’s Advocating Safe Abortion Project (ASAP) and as Deputy Country Coordinator for the Post-partum Intrauterine Device (PPIUD) initiative. 

On 27th August 2020, we held a webinar on women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) during COVID-19. Below is part three of a summary of the points raised and topics discussed during the webinar, written by our Human Rights, Refugees and Violence Against Women Committee.

Statistically COVID-19 has low mortality rates for youths and adolescents. What the Coronavirus is instead putting young girls at risk of, is a lack of Family Planning services, which could increase mortality rates as a result. The World Health Organisation states that, for girls aged 15-19, complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death globally.

Each year ‘World Population Day’ seeks to focus attention and urgency on population issues, including the importance of family planning, maternal health and human rights. The ability to decide if, and when, to have children allows a woman to contribute to society fully and take better care of her family. Yet despite this recognition, millions of women globally do not have access to safe and effective family planning, and its sustained benefits.

Strengthening sexual and reproductive health services has far reaching benefits in terms of the overall health of a nation.