Spotlight
A selection of stories from across the Federation
SRHR after Cartagena: the Pending Agenda for Population and Development
Our key highlights of the Conference on Population and Development 2024
Most Popular This Week
Brazil
The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. The High-Level Political Foru
SRHR after Cartagena: the Pending Agenda for Population and Development
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en espa
Americas & the Caribbean
Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, St Lucia
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
Jamaica
I’ve seen people become more aware and more careful.
Candice Taylor, 18, joined the Jamaica Family Planning Association (JFPA) Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) at age 15 after youth officer Fiona Francis introduced her to the group.
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| 30 July 2024
SRHR after Cartagena: the Pending Agenda for Population and Development
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. From June 30th to July 4th, fifteen Member Associations and Collaborative partners joined IPPF ACRO secretariat as a delegation to attend the 5th Regional Conference on Population and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (RCPD). The RCPD brought together regional UN Member States, representatives of the UN system and civil society organizations to evaluate achievements and challenges in the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus, a regional roadmap essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In our region, IPPF has been following up the Population and Development agenda through Cairo +30 as well as the Montevideo Consensus +10, advocating for more concrete progress at national, regional and international levels, including demanding adequate financing and accountability processes. For IPPF ACRO, following up on the Population and Development agenda means also advocating for legislative changes that support sexual and reproductive rights. This goes hand in hand with monitoring public policies to ensure that national and subnational governments provide sexual and reproductive health services that are available, accessible, acceptable, and of high quality. This year, the IPPF ACRO delegation was comprised of representatives of Member Associations and Collaborative Partners in Antigua, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as a regional office team with Eugenia López Uribe, our regional director, Kamilah Morain, MA Support and Development Director, Ela Urquijo, Youth Networker and Gabriela García, Architect of Cooperation for the Americas. Together we organized three side events and for the first time, we endeavored in an Advocacy School for Youth, in collaboration with Profamilia and FP2030, aiming to strengthen their advocacy skills. Besides, since historically, the Caribbean region has been left aside from high-level spaces in our region, IPPF ACRO showed in Cartegena its commitment to changing the landscape “Because of the dynamic nature of the Caribbean, it is extremely important to have the Caribbean represented in forums like the RCPD,” says Natasha Jervier-Carbon, Executive Director of the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association (DPPA), IPPF Member. “The only way the Caribbean can be truly reflected is by having the actual presence of the Caribbean in the spaces and allowing individuals who live the life, and who understand the nature of the Caribbean to speak on behalf of the Caribbean.”
| 15 July 2024
SRHR after Cartagena: the Pending Agenda for Population and Development
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. From June 30th to July 4th, fifteen Member Associations and Collaborative partners joined IPPF ACRO secretariat as a delegation to attend the 5th Regional Conference on Population and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (RCPD). The RCPD brought together regional UN Member States, representatives of the UN system and civil society organizations to evaluate achievements and challenges in the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus, a regional roadmap essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In our region, IPPF has been following up the Population and Development agenda through Cairo +30 as well as the Montevideo Consensus +10, advocating for more concrete progress at national, regional and international levels, including demanding adequate financing and accountability processes. For IPPF ACRO, following up on the Population and Development agenda means also advocating for legislative changes that support sexual and reproductive rights. This goes hand in hand with monitoring public policies to ensure that national and subnational governments provide sexual and reproductive health services that are available, accessible, acceptable, and of high quality. This year, the IPPF ACRO delegation was comprised of representatives of Member Associations and Collaborative Partners in Antigua, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as a regional office team with Eugenia López Uribe, our regional director, Kamilah Morain, MA Support and Development Director, Ela Urquijo, Youth Networker and Gabriela García, Architect of Cooperation for the Americas. Together we organized three side events and for the first time, we endeavored in an Advocacy School for Youth, in collaboration with Profamilia and FP2030, aiming to strengthen their advocacy skills. Besides, since historically, the Caribbean region has been left aside from high-level spaces in our region, IPPF ACRO showed in Cartegena its commitment to changing the landscape “Because of the dynamic nature of the Caribbean, it is extremely important to have the Caribbean represented in forums like the RCPD,” says Natasha Jervier-Carbon, Executive Director of the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association (DPPA), IPPF Member. “The only way the Caribbean can be truly reflected is by having the actual presence of the Caribbean in the spaces and allowing individuals who live the life, and who understand the nature of the Caribbean to speak on behalf of the Caribbean.”
| 18 July 2024
The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules From Monday, July 8th, to Wednesday, July 17th, IPPF ACRO, in collaboration with Gestos, our partner organization in Brazil, participated in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, to continue advocating for increased investment by governments in initiatives that are centered on and led by marginalized communities. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) serves as a critical platform for member-states, UN agencies, and civil society to evaluate progress, address challenges, exchange best practices, and promote policies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year it represents a significant advocacy opportunity to engage with the roadmap leading to the Summit of the Future, a pivotal United Nations debate scheduled for September, and offers a chance to enhance collaboration on essential issues around women and youth’s rights, in their diversity, and address gaps in global governance. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are deeply intertwined with the mission and objectives of IPPF as a Federation. Achieving reproductive justice globally requires that women, girls, and all individuals have control over their sexuality, gender, and reproduction. However, for this to become a reality, the basic human rights of all must be guaranteed and protected, including the right to a healthy environment. And only by making progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs, we can move closer to realizing this vision. As a monitoring body for the SDGs, during the High-Level Political Forums, governments present their National Volunteer Reports (VNRs). This facilitates the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2024, eight countries from our region—Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru—presented their VNRs. These reviews enable civil society, including IPPF ACRO, to closely monitor how governments have progressed in advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly in relation to the populations we work with, such as women, youth, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, and other marginalized communities. Gestos- HIV, Communication and Gender, IPPF Collaborative Partner in Brazil, is the Latin America and the Caribbean Operative Partner of the Women’s Major Group and has been following the Agenda 2030 roadmap closely, as part of their country’s official delegation. For Germana Aciolly, journalist and policy adviser at Gestos, this is a special year. Brazil is presenting their VNR for the second time and it responds directly to the reports that the Civil Society Working Group for the 2030 Agenda in Brazil has been publishing since 2017. “There is no VNR presented here with such a level of democratic dialogue between civil society and government. This is an important example because, at the same time, we are here to launch our own CSO Spotlight Report that monitors all SDG targets and, unfortunately, it shows that in Brazil only around 7% of the goals are making satisfactory progress. It opens the opportunity, for instance, to debate with the government the immense challenges for women and youth, in all their diversity, in our country that particularly increased by the actions from the previous government.”
| 18 July 2024
The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules From Monday, July 8th, to Wednesday, July 17th, IPPF ACRO, in collaboration with Gestos, our partner organization in Brazil, participated in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, to continue advocating for increased investment by governments in initiatives that are centered on and led by marginalized communities. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) serves as a critical platform for member-states, UN agencies, and civil society to evaluate progress, address challenges, exchange best practices, and promote policies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year it represents a significant advocacy opportunity to engage with the roadmap leading to the Summit of the Future, a pivotal United Nations debate scheduled for September, and offers a chance to enhance collaboration on essential issues around women and youth’s rights, in their diversity, and address gaps in global governance. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are deeply intertwined with the mission and objectives of IPPF as a Federation. Achieving reproductive justice globally requires that women, girls, and all individuals have control over their sexuality, gender, and reproduction. However, for this to become a reality, the basic human rights of all must be guaranteed and protected, including the right to a healthy environment. And only by making progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs, we can move closer to realizing this vision. As a monitoring body for the SDGs, during the High-Level Political Forums, governments present their National Volunteer Reports (VNRs). This facilitates the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2024, eight countries from our region—Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru—presented their VNRs. These reviews enable civil society, including IPPF ACRO, to closely monitor how governments have progressed in advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly in relation to the populations we work with, such as women, youth, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, and other marginalized communities. Gestos- HIV, Communication and Gender, IPPF Collaborative Partner in Brazil, is the Latin America and the Caribbean Operative Partner of the Women’s Major Group and has been following the Agenda 2030 roadmap closely, as part of their country’s official delegation. For Germana Aciolly, journalist and policy adviser at Gestos, this is a special year. Brazil is presenting their VNR for the second time and it responds directly to the reports that the Civil Society Working Group for the 2030 Agenda in Brazil has been publishing since 2017. “There is no VNR presented here with such a level of democratic dialogue between civil society and government. This is an important example because, at the same time, we are here to launch our own CSO Spotlight Report that monitors all SDG targets and, unfortunately, it shows that in Brazil only around 7% of the goals are making satisfactory progress. It opens the opportunity, for instance, to debate with the government the immense challenges for women and youth, in all their diversity, in our country that particularly increased by the actions from the previous government.”
| 15 April 2024
Bridging the Gap through Community
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. International Women's Day is one of the most relevant Human Rights mobilizations worldwide. In 2024, it marks over 100 years of marches, strikes, worker stoppages, and silent resistances, all of which continue to emphasize the urgency of ensuring equal conditions for women in society. This year, the UN invited the international community to reflect on "Investing in women: accelerating progress," to reaffirm that investing in and guaranteeing women's rights, in all their diversity, benefits all people and society as a whole. To eradicate poverty, transition to clean energy, address hunger and, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality must be a priority for all countries and institutions, whether public or private. And universal access and coverage in health, decent work, quality education, digital inclusion, and the construction of comprehensive and shared care systems are rights that cannot be denied to women and girls. IPPF ACRO – A diverse, community-centered 8M In IPPF Americas and the Caribbean, our main advocacy on March 8th and every day of the year is to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health for all people. On this International Women's Day, Member Associations, Collaborative Partners, and Secretariat conducted commemorative activities in their services and shared with communities and groups to advocate for health and rights needs. Here are some of their actions: Argentina In an unfavorable context following the election of an anti-rights president, Fundheg and allies took to the streets to join a social call against the government's extremist measures that endanger the laws and well-being of its people. Marching among feminist groups was, in this case, a powerful reminder that the Green Tide will strive to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all people.
| 15 April 2024
Bridging the Gap through Community
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. International Women's Day is one of the most relevant Human Rights mobilizations worldwide. In 2024, it marks over 100 years of marches, strikes, worker stoppages, and silent resistances, all of which continue to emphasize the urgency of ensuring equal conditions for women in society. This year, the UN invited the international community to reflect on "Investing in women: accelerating progress," to reaffirm that investing in and guaranteeing women's rights, in all their diversity, benefits all people and society as a whole. To eradicate poverty, transition to clean energy, address hunger and, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality must be a priority for all countries and institutions, whether public or private. And universal access and coverage in health, decent work, quality education, digital inclusion, and the construction of comprehensive and shared care systems are rights that cannot be denied to women and girls. IPPF ACRO – A diverse, community-centered 8M In IPPF Americas and the Caribbean, our main advocacy on March 8th and every day of the year is to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health for all people. On this International Women's Day, Member Associations, Collaborative Partners, and Secretariat conducted commemorative activities in their services and shared with communities and groups to advocate for health and rights needs. Here are some of their actions: Argentina In an unfavorable context following the election of an anti-rights president, Fundheg and allies took to the streets to join a social call against the government's extremist measures that endanger the laws and well-being of its people. Marching among feminist groups was, in this case, a powerful reminder that the Green Tide will strive to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all people.
| 24 January 2024
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
| 24 January 2024
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
| 11 August 2021
“At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”
Keriann Hurley has worked at the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) for 15 years. She is a social worker and the Manager of Youth Programming, but art is another passion of hers. A link between art and social work may not seem evident but Keriann explains that combining her passions “helps to fuel the type of interventions I do with the clients.” Keriann is proud that “here at BFPA, our niche and the thing that we do amazingly well, above anyone else I dare say, is how we deal with Sexual and Reproductive Health issues, but that’s not all we do”. “Sexuality and sexual health is only one aspect of your existence”, she says. She is clear that BFPA’s services must consider gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, mental health, family circumstances and relationships in its service delivery if it is to truly serve the community. There is a real need to provide unhindered access to young people who require services In Barbados, the age of consent is 16 but “there is still the issue of the age of access versus the age of consent.” Keriann explained that there’s no legal framework that prevents young people between 16 and 18 from accessing SRH services; there is the cultural “assumption that they must bring parent/guardian to be seen by a medical professional.” “A young person isn’t just going to show up at a doctor’s office because they think it’s the cool thing to do. There must be a dire reason”, Keriann says, and she adds that many young people do not access services because they fear judgement and punishment. “At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone” A key task of the BFPA is to facilitate young people’s access to SRH services. BFPA established legally compliant protocols which govern their engagement with young people. Social Workers like Keriann comprehensively assess the personal circumstances of each young person to ensure that they are provided with the appropriate care. “Not every young person has a parent or guardian who will come with them, but should they be turned away if they have a dire need? No, it’s unethical to do that. At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”, she says. Sometimes a young person does have an available parent or guardian but fears their reaction to their desire to access SRH services. In these situations, she acts as a mediator to facilitate conversation between the young person and their caretaker. With the years passing, it became clear to Keriann that the challenge is “dealing with age-old issues in new ways. There is nothing new under the sun. However, issues do come back around in new ways”. The significance of certain issues changes with the times. “Just look at social media!” she says, “it also means that information, and misinformation, is easily accessible.” Keriann has seen a shift in societal attitudes towards SRH over the last 5 years. A plus side of the internet, she says, is that the accessibility of information means that society cannot “bury its head in the sand and pretend that young people aren’t sexually exploring.” “The Young Mothers Programme is my baby” In 2011, Keriann started this 10-year programme. The majority of Barbadian households are female-headed and she recognises that empowering young mothers will have a powerful positive impact on society. “These girls come with heavy issues,” Keriann says. Beneficiaries are taught not just parenting skills but life skills. They have access to intensive psychosocial counselling for themselves, partners and family members and vocational training. The Young Mothers Programme has transitioned to online delivery which poses such as lack of devices, electricity or a conducive household environment, and unreliability or absence of internet access. “Suddenly there was a new normal before we could even figure out what that meant”, Keriann says. Online delivery is more tiring, and she admits the difficulty in balancing delivery of a quality programme without an unsustainable psychological cost to herself but is adamant that “it is better to have a meaningful impact on 10 people than surface level engagement with 100”. Keriann believes that “the wealth and health of a society is based on how we take care of the most vulnerable. Working in an organisation whose focus is primarily the most vulnerable is really rewarding”. Keriann shares that social work is one of least financially viable careers in Barbados. “Many months we just try to get by, but the work is really rewarding!” she laughed, “We are here grinding on and doing what we have to do to make sure that we provide quality services to the most vulnerable in our community and not leaving anyone behind”
| 05 November 2024
“At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”
Keriann Hurley has worked at the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) for 15 years. She is a social worker and the Manager of Youth Programming, but art is another passion of hers. A link between art and social work may not seem evident but Keriann explains that combining her passions “helps to fuel the type of interventions I do with the clients.” Keriann is proud that “here at BFPA, our niche and the thing that we do amazingly well, above anyone else I dare say, is how we deal with Sexual and Reproductive Health issues, but that’s not all we do”. “Sexuality and sexual health is only one aspect of your existence”, she says. She is clear that BFPA’s services must consider gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, mental health, family circumstances and relationships in its service delivery if it is to truly serve the community. There is a real need to provide unhindered access to young people who require services In Barbados, the age of consent is 16 but “there is still the issue of the age of access versus the age of consent.” Keriann explained that there’s no legal framework that prevents young people between 16 and 18 from accessing SRH services; there is the cultural “assumption that they must bring parent/guardian to be seen by a medical professional.” “A young person isn’t just going to show up at a doctor’s office because they think it’s the cool thing to do. There must be a dire reason”, Keriann says, and she adds that many young people do not access services because they fear judgement and punishment. “At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone” A key task of the BFPA is to facilitate young people’s access to SRH services. BFPA established legally compliant protocols which govern their engagement with young people. Social Workers like Keriann comprehensively assess the personal circumstances of each young person to ensure that they are provided with the appropriate care. “Not every young person has a parent or guardian who will come with them, but should they be turned away if they have a dire need? No, it’s unethical to do that. At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”, she says. Sometimes a young person does have an available parent or guardian but fears their reaction to their desire to access SRH services. In these situations, she acts as a mediator to facilitate conversation between the young person and their caretaker. With the years passing, it became clear to Keriann that the challenge is “dealing with age-old issues in new ways. There is nothing new under the sun. However, issues do come back around in new ways”. The significance of certain issues changes with the times. “Just look at social media!” she says, “it also means that information, and misinformation, is easily accessible.” Keriann has seen a shift in societal attitudes towards SRH over the last 5 years. A plus side of the internet, she says, is that the accessibility of information means that society cannot “bury its head in the sand and pretend that young people aren’t sexually exploring.” “The Young Mothers Programme is my baby” In 2011, Keriann started this 10-year programme. The majority of Barbadian households are female-headed and she recognises that empowering young mothers will have a powerful positive impact on society. “These girls come with heavy issues,” Keriann says. Beneficiaries are taught not just parenting skills but life skills. They have access to intensive psychosocial counselling for themselves, partners and family members and vocational training. The Young Mothers Programme has transitioned to online delivery which poses such as lack of devices, electricity or a conducive household environment, and unreliability or absence of internet access. “Suddenly there was a new normal before we could even figure out what that meant”, Keriann says. Online delivery is more tiring, and she admits the difficulty in balancing delivery of a quality programme without an unsustainable psychological cost to herself but is adamant that “it is better to have a meaningful impact on 10 people than surface level engagement with 100”. Keriann believes that “the wealth and health of a society is based on how we take care of the most vulnerable. Working in an organisation whose focus is primarily the most vulnerable is really rewarding”. Keriann shares that social work is one of least financially viable careers in Barbados. “Many months we just try to get by, but the work is really rewarding!” she laughed, “We are here grinding on and doing what we have to do to make sure that we provide quality services to the most vulnerable in our community and not leaving anyone behind”
| 15 June 2021
“I have a passion for working with key populations"
Dr. Rashida Daisley is the 31-year-old Clinical Director of the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) and is also the president of the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (BAEP). “I have a passion for working with key populations and that’s what lead me to work at BFPA,” She says and takes pride in BFPA's continued leadership of sexual and reproductive health services in Barbados. Offering a spectrum of gynecological care while also conducting specialized clinics, steadily expanding its practice to include more general services including antenatal care. There is a men’s clinic that addresses both SRH and physical and emotional wellbeing while BFPA’s surgical clinic offers minor surgeries such as hernia repair, lumpectomies, and vasectomies. Despite funding challenges, BFPA has committed to providing critical support to the under-served LGBTQ+ community in Barbados by partnering with NGO - Sexuality, Health and Empowerment (SHE) to provide affordable, high quality and inclusive health services to lesbians, bisexual and queer women, as well as non-binary and transgender persons - an effort spearheaded personally by Dr. Daisley, while also supporting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEp) and STI clinics at Equals Barbados, another LBGTQ+ organization on the island. COVID-19 and filling the gaps Dr. Daisley says she is pleased that clinical services were able to continue throughout the pandemic, unfortunately, COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Barbados’ economy and society. As a tourism-dependent nation, a large proportion of the Barbadian workforce became unemployed in a very short period which in turn negatively affected the ability of marginalized persons to access basic services or even basic hygiene products. BFPA sought funding and donations to fill this gap and was able to secure funding from international organizations such as UNFPA, as well as donations of sanitary items from the Lady Box Project, a local NGO aimed at ending period poverty. With funding from IPPF assisting in the provision of services to key populations such as persons living with HIV, men who have sex with men, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ persons. The allocation of funds to provide services to these groups allowed BFPA the financial space to direct its efforts to their other clients. Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older persons. “The majority of people that BFPA interacts with are pretty open but that is probably because the people who seek out BFPA are already open-minded enough to access services at an organization with the words ‘family planning’”, Dr. Daisley laughed, “we do get a lot of referrals.” Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older people, many of whom started coming to BFPA as young people, while a small number of older persons do still seek out services because they are sexually active. Unfortunately, they grew up in a social climate where sexual and reproductive health education was virtually non-existent and the work to provide them better access is ongoing. Dr. Daisley explains that the older population often do not think that they need to see the doctor about their sexual activity because there is no possibility of pregnancy. They are also not aware of the breadth of STI testing available. “When I ask them when was their last STI test, they usually say a few years ago at a health fair.” When probed, many of them disclose that they have only ever been tested for HIV and are not aware of many of the other STIs. In contrast, younger persons tend to have a healthier and more informed approach to sex and sexuality. Dr. Daisley observes that there is an increase in young people coming to be tested with their partners, and she attributes this in part to the important work that the BFPA’s Youth Advocacy Movement has done over the years, and essential to the progress of comprehensive sexual education.
| 05 November 2024
“I have a passion for working with key populations"
Dr. Rashida Daisley is the 31-year-old Clinical Director of the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) and is also the president of the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (BAEP). “I have a passion for working with key populations and that’s what lead me to work at BFPA,” She says and takes pride in BFPA's continued leadership of sexual and reproductive health services in Barbados. Offering a spectrum of gynecological care while also conducting specialized clinics, steadily expanding its practice to include more general services including antenatal care. There is a men’s clinic that addresses both SRH and physical and emotional wellbeing while BFPA’s surgical clinic offers minor surgeries such as hernia repair, lumpectomies, and vasectomies. Despite funding challenges, BFPA has committed to providing critical support to the under-served LGBTQ+ community in Barbados by partnering with NGO - Sexuality, Health and Empowerment (SHE) to provide affordable, high quality and inclusive health services to lesbians, bisexual and queer women, as well as non-binary and transgender persons - an effort spearheaded personally by Dr. Daisley, while also supporting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEp) and STI clinics at Equals Barbados, another LBGTQ+ organization on the island. COVID-19 and filling the gaps Dr. Daisley says she is pleased that clinical services were able to continue throughout the pandemic, unfortunately, COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Barbados’ economy and society. As a tourism-dependent nation, a large proportion of the Barbadian workforce became unemployed in a very short period which in turn negatively affected the ability of marginalized persons to access basic services or even basic hygiene products. BFPA sought funding and donations to fill this gap and was able to secure funding from international organizations such as UNFPA, as well as donations of sanitary items from the Lady Box Project, a local NGO aimed at ending period poverty. With funding from IPPF assisting in the provision of services to key populations such as persons living with HIV, men who have sex with men, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ persons. The allocation of funds to provide services to these groups allowed BFPA the financial space to direct its efforts to their other clients. Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older persons. “The majority of people that BFPA interacts with are pretty open but that is probably because the people who seek out BFPA are already open-minded enough to access services at an organization with the words ‘family planning’”, Dr. Daisley laughed, “we do get a lot of referrals.” Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older people, many of whom started coming to BFPA as young people, while a small number of older persons do still seek out services because they are sexually active. Unfortunately, they grew up in a social climate where sexual and reproductive health education was virtually non-existent and the work to provide them better access is ongoing. Dr. Daisley explains that the older population often do not think that they need to see the doctor about their sexual activity because there is no possibility of pregnancy. They are also not aware of the breadth of STI testing available. “When I ask them when was their last STI test, they usually say a few years ago at a health fair.” When probed, many of them disclose that they have only ever been tested for HIV and are not aware of many of the other STIs. In contrast, younger persons tend to have a healthier and more informed approach to sex and sexuality. Dr. Daisley observes that there is an increase in young people coming to be tested with their partners, and she attributes this in part to the important work that the BFPA’s Youth Advocacy Movement has done over the years, and essential to the progress of comprehensive sexual education.
| 30 July 2024
SRHR after Cartagena: the Pending Agenda for Population and Development
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. From June 30th to July 4th, fifteen Member Associations and Collaborative partners joined IPPF ACRO secretariat as a delegation to attend the 5th Regional Conference on Population and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (RCPD). The RCPD brought together regional UN Member States, representatives of the UN system and civil society organizations to evaluate achievements and challenges in the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus, a regional roadmap essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In our region, IPPF has been following up the Population and Development agenda through Cairo +30 as well as the Montevideo Consensus +10, advocating for more concrete progress at national, regional and international levels, including demanding adequate financing and accountability processes. For IPPF ACRO, following up on the Population and Development agenda means also advocating for legislative changes that support sexual and reproductive rights. This goes hand in hand with monitoring public policies to ensure that national and subnational governments provide sexual and reproductive health services that are available, accessible, acceptable, and of high quality. This year, the IPPF ACRO delegation was comprised of representatives of Member Associations and Collaborative Partners in Antigua, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as a regional office team with Eugenia López Uribe, our regional director, Kamilah Morain, MA Support and Development Director, Ela Urquijo, Youth Networker and Gabriela García, Architect of Cooperation for the Americas. Together we organized three side events and for the first time, we endeavored in an Advocacy School for Youth, in collaboration with Profamilia and FP2030, aiming to strengthen their advocacy skills. Besides, since historically, the Caribbean region has been left aside from high-level spaces in our region, IPPF ACRO showed in Cartegena its commitment to changing the landscape “Because of the dynamic nature of the Caribbean, it is extremely important to have the Caribbean represented in forums like the RCPD,” says Natasha Jervier-Carbon, Executive Director of the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association (DPPA), IPPF Member. “The only way the Caribbean can be truly reflected is by having the actual presence of the Caribbean in the spaces and allowing individuals who live the life, and who understand the nature of the Caribbean to speak on behalf of the Caribbean.”
| 15 July 2024
SRHR after Cartagena: the Pending Agenda for Population and Development
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. From June 30th to July 4th, fifteen Member Associations and Collaborative partners joined IPPF ACRO secretariat as a delegation to attend the 5th Regional Conference on Population and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (RCPD). The RCPD brought together regional UN Member States, representatives of the UN system and civil society organizations to evaluate achievements and challenges in the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus, a regional roadmap essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In our region, IPPF has been following up the Population and Development agenda through Cairo +30 as well as the Montevideo Consensus +10, advocating for more concrete progress at national, regional and international levels, including demanding adequate financing and accountability processes. For IPPF ACRO, following up on the Population and Development agenda means also advocating for legislative changes that support sexual and reproductive rights. This goes hand in hand with monitoring public policies to ensure that national and subnational governments provide sexual and reproductive health services that are available, accessible, acceptable, and of high quality. This year, the IPPF ACRO delegation was comprised of representatives of Member Associations and Collaborative Partners in Antigua, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as a regional office team with Eugenia López Uribe, our regional director, Kamilah Morain, MA Support and Development Director, Ela Urquijo, Youth Networker and Gabriela García, Architect of Cooperation for the Americas. Together we organized three side events and for the first time, we endeavored in an Advocacy School for Youth, in collaboration with Profamilia and FP2030, aiming to strengthen their advocacy skills. Besides, since historically, the Caribbean region has been left aside from high-level spaces in our region, IPPF ACRO showed in Cartegena its commitment to changing the landscape “Because of the dynamic nature of the Caribbean, it is extremely important to have the Caribbean represented in forums like the RCPD,” says Natasha Jervier-Carbon, Executive Director of the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association (DPPA), IPPF Member. “The only way the Caribbean can be truly reflected is by having the actual presence of the Caribbean in the spaces and allowing individuals who live the life, and who understand the nature of the Caribbean to speak on behalf of the Caribbean.”
| 18 July 2024
The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules From Monday, July 8th, to Wednesday, July 17th, IPPF ACRO, in collaboration with Gestos, our partner organization in Brazil, participated in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, to continue advocating for increased investment by governments in initiatives that are centered on and led by marginalized communities. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) serves as a critical platform for member-states, UN agencies, and civil society to evaluate progress, address challenges, exchange best practices, and promote policies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year it represents a significant advocacy opportunity to engage with the roadmap leading to the Summit of the Future, a pivotal United Nations debate scheduled for September, and offers a chance to enhance collaboration on essential issues around women and youth’s rights, in their diversity, and address gaps in global governance. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are deeply intertwined with the mission and objectives of IPPF as a Federation. Achieving reproductive justice globally requires that women, girls, and all individuals have control over their sexuality, gender, and reproduction. However, for this to become a reality, the basic human rights of all must be guaranteed and protected, including the right to a healthy environment. And only by making progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs, we can move closer to realizing this vision. As a monitoring body for the SDGs, during the High-Level Political Forums, governments present their National Volunteer Reports (VNRs). This facilitates the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2024, eight countries from our region—Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru—presented their VNRs. These reviews enable civil society, including IPPF ACRO, to closely monitor how governments have progressed in advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly in relation to the populations we work with, such as women, youth, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, and other marginalized communities. Gestos- HIV, Communication and Gender, IPPF Collaborative Partner in Brazil, is the Latin America and the Caribbean Operative Partner of the Women’s Major Group and has been following the Agenda 2030 roadmap closely, as part of their country’s official delegation. For Germana Aciolly, journalist and policy adviser at Gestos, this is a special year. Brazil is presenting their VNR for the second time and it responds directly to the reports that the Civil Society Working Group for the 2030 Agenda in Brazil has been publishing since 2017. “There is no VNR presented here with such a level of democratic dialogue between civil society and government. This is an important example because, at the same time, we are here to launch our own CSO Spotlight Report that monitors all SDG targets and, unfortunately, it shows that in Brazil only around 7% of the goals are making satisfactory progress. It opens the opportunity, for instance, to debate with the government the immense challenges for women and youth, in all their diversity, in our country that particularly increased by the actions from the previous government.”
| 18 July 2024
The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules From Monday, July 8th, to Wednesday, July 17th, IPPF ACRO, in collaboration with Gestos, our partner organization in Brazil, participated in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, to continue advocating for increased investment by governments in initiatives that are centered on and led by marginalized communities. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) serves as a critical platform for member-states, UN agencies, and civil society to evaluate progress, address challenges, exchange best practices, and promote policies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year it represents a significant advocacy opportunity to engage with the roadmap leading to the Summit of the Future, a pivotal United Nations debate scheduled for September, and offers a chance to enhance collaboration on essential issues around women and youth’s rights, in their diversity, and address gaps in global governance. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are deeply intertwined with the mission and objectives of IPPF as a Federation. Achieving reproductive justice globally requires that women, girls, and all individuals have control over their sexuality, gender, and reproduction. However, for this to become a reality, the basic human rights of all must be guaranteed and protected, including the right to a healthy environment. And only by making progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs, we can move closer to realizing this vision. As a monitoring body for the SDGs, during the High-Level Political Forums, governments present their National Volunteer Reports (VNRs). This facilitates the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2024, eight countries from our region—Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru—presented their VNRs. These reviews enable civil society, including IPPF ACRO, to closely monitor how governments have progressed in advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly in relation to the populations we work with, such as women, youth, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, and other marginalized communities. Gestos- HIV, Communication and Gender, IPPF Collaborative Partner in Brazil, is the Latin America and the Caribbean Operative Partner of the Women’s Major Group and has been following the Agenda 2030 roadmap closely, as part of their country’s official delegation. For Germana Aciolly, journalist and policy adviser at Gestos, this is a special year. Brazil is presenting their VNR for the second time and it responds directly to the reports that the Civil Society Working Group for the 2030 Agenda in Brazil has been publishing since 2017. “There is no VNR presented here with such a level of democratic dialogue between civil society and government. This is an important example because, at the same time, we are here to launch our own CSO Spotlight Report that monitors all SDG targets and, unfortunately, it shows that in Brazil only around 7% of the goals are making satisfactory progress. It opens the opportunity, for instance, to debate with the government the immense challenges for women and youth, in all their diversity, in our country that particularly increased by the actions from the previous government.”
| 15 April 2024
Bridging the Gap through Community
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. International Women's Day is one of the most relevant Human Rights mobilizations worldwide. In 2024, it marks over 100 years of marches, strikes, worker stoppages, and silent resistances, all of which continue to emphasize the urgency of ensuring equal conditions for women in society. This year, the UN invited the international community to reflect on "Investing in women: accelerating progress," to reaffirm that investing in and guaranteeing women's rights, in all their diversity, benefits all people and society as a whole. To eradicate poverty, transition to clean energy, address hunger and, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality must be a priority for all countries and institutions, whether public or private. And universal access and coverage in health, decent work, quality education, digital inclusion, and the construction of comprehensive and shared care systems are rights that cannot be denied to women and girls. IPPF ACRO – A diverse, community-centered 8M In IPPF Americas and the Caribbean, our main advocacy on March 8th and every day of the year is to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health for all people. On this International Women's Day, Member Associations, Collaborative Partners, and Secretariat conducted commemorative activities in their services and shared with communities and groups to advocate for health and rights needs. Here are some of their actions: Argentina In an unfavorable context following the election of an anti-rights president, Fundheg and allies took to the streets to join a social call against the government's extremist measures that endanger the laws and well-being of its people. Marching among feminist groups was, in this case, a powerful reminder that the Green Tide will strive to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all people.
| 15 April 2024
Bridging the Gap through Community
Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. International Women's Day is one of the most relevant Human Rights mobilizations worldwide. In 2024, it marks over 100 years of marches, strikes, worker stoppages, and silent resistances, all of which continue to emphasize the urgency of ensuring equal conditions for women in society. This year, the UN invited the international community to reflect on "Investing in women: accelerating progress," to reaffirm that investing in and guaranteeing women's rights, in all their diversity, benefits all people and society as a whole. To eradicate poverty, transition to clean energy, address hunger and, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality must be a priority for all countries and institutions, whether public or private. And universal access and coverage in health, decent work, quality education, digital inclusion, and the construction of comprehensive and shared care systems are rights that cannot be denied to women and girls. IPPF ACRO – A diverse, community-centered 8M In IPPF Americas and the Caribbean, our main advocacy on March 8th and every day of the year is to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health for all people. On this International Women's Day, Member Associations, Collaborative Partners, and Secretariat conducted commemorative activities in their services and shared with communities and groups to advocate for health and rights needs. Here are some of their actions: Argentina In an unfavorable context following the election of an anti-rights president, Fundheg and allies took to the streets to join a social call against the government's extremist measures that endanger the laws and well-being of its people. Marching among feminist groups was, in this case, a powerful reminder that the Green Tide will strive to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all people.
| 24 January 2024
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
| 24 January 2024
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
Revolutionizing CSE: Latin American and Caribbean Youth Leading the Charge!
| 11 August 2021
“At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”
Keriann Hurley has worked at the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) for 15 years. She is a social worker and the Manager of Youth Programming, but art is another passion of hers. A link between art and social work may not seem evident but Keriann explains that combining her passions “helps to fuel the type of interventions I do with the clients.” Keriann is proud that “here at BFPA, our niche and the thing that we do amazingly well, above anyone else I dare say, is how we deal with Sexual and Reproductive Health issues, but that’s not all we do”. “Sexuality and sexual health is only one aspect of your existence”, she says. She is clear that BFPA’s services must consider gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, mental health, family circumstances and relationships in its service delivery if it is to truly serve the community. There is a real need to provide unhindered access to young people who require services In Barbados, the age of consent is 16 but “there is still the issue of the age of access versus the age of consent.” Keriann explained that there’s no legal framework that prevents young people between 16 and 18 from accessing SRH services; there is the cultural “assumption that they must bring parent/guardian to be seen by a medical professional.” “A young person isn’t just going to show up at a doctor’s office because they think it’s the cool thing to do. There must be a dire reason”, Keriann says, and she adds that many young people do not access services because they fear judgement and punishment. “At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone” A key task of the BFPA is to facilitate young people’s access to SRH services. BFPA established legally compliant protocols which govern their engagement with young people. Social Workers like Keriann comprehensively assess the personal circumstances of each young person to ensure that they are provided with the appropriate care. “Not every young person has a parent or guardian who will come with them, but should they be turned away if they have a dire need? No, it’s unethical to do that. At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”, she says. Sometimes a young person does have an available parent or guardian but fears their reaction to their desire to access SRH services. In these situations, she acts as a mediator to facilitate conversation between the young person and their caretaker. With the years passing, it became clear to Keriann that the challenge is “dealing with age-old issues in new ways. There is nothing new under the sun. However, issues do come back around in new ways”. The significance of certain issues changes with the times. “Just look at social media!” she says, “it also means that information, and misinformation, is easily accessible.” Keriann has seen a shift in societal attitudes towards SRH over the last 5 years. A plus side of the internet, she says, is that the accessibility of information means that society cannot “bury its head in the sand and pretend that young people aren’t sexually exploring.” “The Young Mothers Programme is my baby” In 2011, Keriann started this 10-year programme. The majority of Barbadian households are female-headed and she recognises that empowering young mothers will have a powerful positive impact on society. “These girls come with heavy issues,” Keriann says. Beneficiaries are taught not just parenting skills but life skills. They have access to intensive psychosocial counselling for themselves, partners and family members and vocational training. The Young Mothers Programme has transitioned to online delivery which poses such as lack of devices, electricity or a conducive household environment, and unreliability or absence of internet access. “Suddenly there was a new normal before we could even figure out what that meant”, Keriann says. Online delivery is more tiring, and she admits the difficulty in balancing delivery of a quality programme without an unsustainable psychological cost to herself but is adamant that “it is better to have a meaningful impact on 10 people than surface level engagement with 100”. Keriann believes that “the wealth and health of a society is based on how we take care of the most vulnerable. Working in an organisation whose focus is primarily the most vulnerable is really rewarding”. Keriann shares that social work is one of least financially viable careers in Barbados. “Many months we just try to get by, but the work is really rewarding!” she laughed, “We are here grinding on and doing what we have to do to make sure that we provide quality services to the most vulnerable in our community and not leaving anyone behind”
| 05 November 2024
“At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”
Keriann Hurley has worked at the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) for 15 years. She is a social worker and the Manager of Youth Programming, but art is another passion of hers. A link between art and social work may not seem evident but Keriann explains that combining her passions “helps to fuel the type of interventions I do with the clients.” Keriann is proud that “here at BFPA, our niche and the thing that we do amazingly well, above anyone else I dare say, is how we deal with Sexual and Reproductive Health issues, but that’s not all we do”. “Sexuality and sexual health is only one aspect of your existence”, she says. She is clear that BFPA’s services must consider gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, mental health, family circumstances and relationships in its service delivery if it is to truly serve the community. There is a real need to provide unhindered access to young people who require services In Barbados, the age of consent is 16 but “there is still the issue of the age of access versus the age of consent.” Keriann explained that there’s no legal framework that prevents young people between 16 and 18 from accessing SRH services; there is the cultural “assumption that they must bring parent/guardian to be seen by a medical professional.” “A young person isn’t just going to show up at a doctor’s office because they think it’s the cool thing to do. There must be a dire reason”, Keriann says, and she adds that many young people do not access services because they fear judgement and punishment. “At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone” A key task of the BFPA is to facilitate young people’s access to SRH services. BFPA established legally compliant protocols which govern their engagement with young people. Social Workers like Keriann comprehensively assess the personal circumstances of each young person to ensure that they are provided with the appropriate care. “Not every young person has a parent or guardian who will come with them, but should they be turned away if they have a dire need? No, it’s unethical to do that. At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”, she says. Sometimes a young person does have an available parent or guardian but fears their reaction to their desire to access SRH services. In these situations, she acts as a mediator to facilitate conversation between the young person and their caretaker. With the years passing, it became clear to Keriann that the challenge is “dealing with age-old issues in new ways. There is nothing new under the sun. However, issues do come back around in new ways”. The significance of certain issues changes with the times. “Just look at social media!” she says, “it also means that information, and misinformation, is easily accessible.” Keriann has seen a shift in societal attitudes towards SRH over the last 5 years. A plus side of the internet, she says, is that the accessibility of information means that society cannot “bury its head in the sand and pretend that young people aren’t sexually exploring.” “The Young Mothers Programme is my baby” In 2011, Keriann started this 10-year programme. The majority of Barbadian households are female-headed and she recognises that empowering young mothers will have a powerful positive impact on society. “These girls come with heavy issues,” Keriann says. Beneficiaries are taught not just parenting skills but life skills. They have access to intensive psychosocial counselling for themselves, partners and family members and vocational training. The Young Mothers Programme has transitioned to online delivery which poses such as lack of devices, electricity or a conducive household environment, and unreliability or absence of internet access. “Suddenly there was a new normal before we could even figure out what that meant”, Keriann says. Online delivery is more tiring, and she admits the difficulty in balancing delivery of a quality programme without an unsustainable psychological cost to herself but is adamant that “it is better to have a meaningful impact on 10 people than surface level engagement with 100”. Keriann believes that “the wealth and health of a society is based on how we take care of the most vulnerable. Working in an organisation whose focus is primarily the most vulnerable is really rewarding”. Keriann shares that social work is one of least financially viable careers in Barbados. “Many months we just try to get by, but the work is really rewarding!” she laughed, “We are here grinding on and doing what we have to do to make sure that we provide quality services to the most vulnerable in our community and not leaving anyone behind”
| 15 June 2021
“I have a passion for working with key populations"
Dr. Rashida Daisley is the 31-year-old Clinical Director of the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) and is also the president of the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (BAEP). “I have a passion for working with key populations and that’s what lead me to work at BFPA,” She says and takes pride in BFPA's continued leadership of sexual and reproductive health services in Barbados. Offering a spectrum of gynecological care while also conducting specialized clinics, steadily expanding its practice to include more general services including antenatal care. There is a men’s clinic that addresses both SRH and physical and emotional wellbeing while BFPA’s surgical clinic offers minor surgeries such as hernia repair, lumpectomies, and vasectomies. Despite funding challenges, BFPA has committed to providing critical support to the under-served LGBTQ+ community in Barbados by partnering with NGO - Sexuality, Health and Empowerment (SHE) to provide affordable, high quality and inclusive health services to lesbians, bisexual and queer women, as well as non-binary and transgender persons - an effort spearheaded personally by Dr. Daisley, while also supporting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEp) and STI clinics at Equals Barbados, another LBGTQ+ organization on the island. COVID-19 and filling the gaps Dr. Daisley says she is pleased that clinical services were able to continue throughout the pandemic, unfortunately, COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Barbados’ economy and society. As a tourism-dependent nation, a large proportion of the Barbadian workforce became unemployed in a very short period which in turn negatively affected the ability of marginalized persons to access basic services or even basic hygiene products. BFPA sought funding and donations to fill this gap and was able to secure funding from international organizations such as UNFPA, as well as donations of sanitary items from the Lady Box Project, a local NGO aimed at ending period poverty. With funding from IPPF assisting in the provision of services to key populations such as persons living with HIV, men who have sex with men, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ persons. The allocation of funds to provide services to these groups allowed BFPA the financial space to direct its efforts to their other clients. Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older persons. “The majority of people that BFPA interacts with are pretty open but that is probably because the people who seek out BFPA are already open-minded enough to access services at an organization with the words ‘family planning’”, Dr. Daisley laughed, “we do get a lot of referrals.” Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older people, many of whom started coming to BFPA as young people, while a small number of older persons do still seek out services because they are sexually active. Unfortunately, they grew up in a social climate where sexual and reproductive health education was virtually non-existent and the work to provide them better access is ongoing. Dr. Daisley explains that the older population often do not think that they need to see the doctor about their sexual activity because there is no possibility of pregnancy. They are also not aware of the breadth of STI testing available. “When I ask them when was their last STI test, they usually say a few years ago at a health fair.” When probed, many of them disclose that they have only ever been tested for HIV and are not aware of many of the other STIs. In contrast, younger persons tend to have a healthier and more informed approach to sex and sexuality. Dr. Daisley observes that there is an increase in young people coming to be tested with their partners, and she attributes this in part to the important work that the BFPA’s Youth Advocacy Movement has done over the years, and essential to the progress of comprehensive sexual education.
| 05 November 2024
“I have a passion for working with key populations"
Dr. Rashida Daisley is the 31-year-old Clinical Director of the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) and is also the president of the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (BAEP). “I have a passion for working with key populations and that’s what lead me to work at BFPA,” She says and takes pride in BFPA's continued leadership of sexual and reproductive health services in Barbados. Offering a spectrum of gynecological care while also conducting specialized clinics, steadily expanding its practice to include more general services including antenatal care. There is a men’s clinic that addresses both SRH and physical and emotional wellbeing while BFPA’s surgical clinic offers minor surgeries such as hernia repair, lumpectomies, and vasectomies. Despite funding challenges, BFPA has committed to providing critical support to the under-served LGBTQ+ community in Barbados by partnering with NGO - Sexuality, Health and Empowerment (SHE) to provide affordable, high quality and inclusive health services to lesbians, bisexual and queer women, as well as non-binary and transgender persons - an effort spearheaded personally by Dr. Daisley, while also supporting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEp) and STI clinics at Equals Barbados, another LBGTQ+ organization on the island. COVID-19 and filling the gaps Dr. Daisley says she is pleased that clinical services were able to continue throughout the pandemic, unfortunately, COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Barbados’ economy and society. As a tourism-dependent nation, a large proportion of the Barbadian workforce became unemployed in a very short period which in turn negatively affected the ability of marginalized persons to access basic services or even basic hygiene products. BFPA sought funding and donations to fill this gap and was able to secure funding from international organizations such as UNFPA, as well as donations of sanitary items from the Lady Box Project, a local NGO aimed at ending period poverty. With funding from IPPF assisting in the provision of services to key populations such as persons living with HIV, men who have sex with men, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ persons. The allocation of funds to provide services to these groups allowed BFPA the financial space to direct its efforts to their other clients. Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older persons. “The majority of people that BFPA interacts with are pretty open but that is probably because the people who seek out BFPA are already open-minded enough to access services at an organization with the words ‘family planning’”, Dr. Daisley laughed, “we do get a lot of referrals.” Perhaps surprisingly, a relatively large subset of BFPA’s clients are older people, many of whom started coming to BFPA as young people, while a small number of older persons do still seek out services because they are sexually active. Unfortunately, they grew up in a social climate where sexual and reproductive health education was virtually non-existent and the work to provide them better access is ongoing. Dr. Daisley explains that the older population often do not think that they need to see the doctor about their sexual activity because there is no possibility of pregnancy. They are also not aware of the breadth of STI testing available. “When I ask them when was their last STI test, they usually say a few years ago at a health fair.” When probed, many of them disclose that they have only ever been tested for HIV and are not aware of many of the other STIs. In contrast, younger persons tend to have a healthier and more informed approach to sex and sexuality. Dr. Daisley observes that there is an increase in young people coming to be tested with their partners, and she attributes this in part to the important work that the BFPA’s Youth Advocacy Movement has done over the years, and essential to the progress of comprehensive sexual education.