Contraception

CONTRACEPTIVE CHOICES PROGRAM

EVERY WOMAN NEEDS ACCESS TO SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND AFFORDABLE METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION.

However, this is not the case for many women in the Pacific. The Pacific region has some of the poorest contraceptive prevalence rates in the world, and a high unmet need for family planning. Today, approximately 9 out of 10 sexually active adolescent girls are unable to access the contraceptive services they need, putting them at risk of experiencing unintended pregnancy.

Contraception that is effective and widely available leads to a 68% reduction in unintended pregnancies, 35% fewer newborn deaths and a 70% decrease in unsafe abortions.

Addressing the unmet need of family planning and contraception in the Pacific:

• enables women and girls to plan if and when to have children, and the spacing of those children
• decreases women and girls’ risk of unintended pregnancies and associated consequences such as unsafe abortions
• helps to prevent maternal deaths in women who are at high risk of perinatal complications, including women and girls who are too old or young, or have had many pregnancies
• enables women to finish their education and pursue sustainable employment opportunities

Our projects increase access and awareness of contraception and work to overcome unmet needs for contraception and family planning by building partnerships, strengthening clinical services, providing education and training, conducting research and engaging in advocacy.

OUR PROJECTS

Papua New Guinea

With funding through ANCP and in partnership with PNG Family Health Association and Susu Mamas, we are strengthening access to and knowledge of contraception and contraceptive services across 9 provinces in PNG. In 2020, this project reached 4,000 beneficiaries, including providing 800 contraceptive services and training 15 peer educators.

In partnership with UNFPA, we are training clinicians to deliver contraceptive services.

Vanuatu

With funding provided to us through ANCP, we are working with Vanuatu Family Health Association to provide contraceptives and education on the importance of maintaining safe reproductive and sexual health. Since 2014 we have provided contraception to 21,000 women in Vanuatu.

Pacific Regional

In partnership with UNFPA and governments in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga, we are developing and delivering clinical contraception training. We are also supporting health system strengthening through improved quality of care practices for clinicians delivering contraceptive services. In 2020, our training enabled 50 clinicians in Fiji and Kiribati to improve their contraceptive skills including training in long acting reversible contraception.

Previous Projects

We have previously worked in Fiji to implement a reproductive and sexual health education program, developed and delivered reproductive and sexual health courses in PNG, and provided contraceptive implant training for clinicians from family planning clinics in Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa.

Check out our resources, including research reports, journal articles, and strategies.