Articles about Antigua

Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) saw a gap in the market and developed its online store to better reach clients like Hilyann, a journalist, with an active lifestyle and work schedule.  FPA’s online store is open to members and non-members where they shop for their favorite FPA product in a worry- and hassle-free environment from the comfort of their own home, office, school or even on the go. Being able to order products online saves time and also supports those clients with limited access to transport.  “As a young professional, one of the challenges I often face is balancing my profession with my active lifestyle and practicing self-care. This is why I couldn’t be happier with FPA’s online store”, Hilyann says. The visually appealing online store is available in the local Aruban language, Papiamento. The site has been designed to provide quick access to various contraceptive methods, with supporting information to help clients make choices based on their needs. “It is so convenient and allows me to manage my time more efficiently, making it so much easier to be conscious of the necessary efforts with regards to my reproductive health. Above all, it allows me to focus on my personal goals, all while making the right choices when it comes to family planning”, she adds. Clients can browse a range of products and add their selections to the cart. At the check-out clients fill in their preferred time, date, and location for delivery. A confirmation email will be sent to the client while FPA starts to prepare the order for delivery.  “Shopping on the FPA online store makes me feel very in control and empowered. I hope that more people of all ages take advantage of this service. I hear far too often that people say they don’t have time, nobody has actually, but FPA is there for you. Take control of your sexual and reproductive health, empower yourself, be the boss of your time and your body”.

During the course of their studies, most students are required to develop projects and presentations about sexual and reproductive health. In the latter years of study, students start to prepare for more career-oriented studies and they are keen to learn more about how an organization like Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) operates.  As an NGO, FPA is a great source of support where students can learn more about the nature of social work including counseling, management, and get hands-on experience. The FPA team also support students to learn about its mission and vision, as well as management and structure nationally and internationally. It is an opportunity for them to learn that FPA is a of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).  Students, Zavannah and Xian, are currently studying social work as one of their majors at the EPI vocational school. “FPA is one of our favorite organizations to work with, they are very accommodating to our deadlines and provide tailored information. We have already done various projects with them and we still choose FPA every chance we get”, Zavannah says. FPA offers internship opportunities for both vocational and university students. This experience can have a huge impact on a student, and some often go on to become part of the team.  “When we do school projects with FPA we can really get a view of what our futures as social workers can look like. We always receive answers to all our questions, they have always have their mission and vision statements at hand which for our projects are very important”, Zavannah adds. “We can always count on FPA to provide visual materials as well. We sometimes have to finalize our projects with different presentations and we can always ask for pictures, videos and graphs to make our project wonderful”, Xian comments. FPA places great value on its ability to inspire and support young people with their studies and future careers such as social work where they, in the future, can help and support others.

The inspiration for delivering comprehensive sexuality education to young people digitally was propelled by the COVID-19 lockdown. Like other frontline healthcare providers, Famia Planea Aruba (FPA) was faced with unforeseen challenges about how to continue reaching their communities. Undeterred, the small team of four embraced the challenge to create, develop, and launch FPA’s first Online Puberty Educational News Program (OPEN).  With a background in marketing and extensive management experience, FPA’s Executive Director Evelyn Yarzagaray, led the project and team to successfully bring the digital platform to life.  “In the last few years, FPA’s in-school Comprehensive Sexuality Education program was growing rapidly, and then all of a sudden we hit a wall; our Island was in complete lockdown and all schools were closed. At first, we were very sad, since we were fully booked for the upcoming few months, and would lose the opportunity to reach thousands of young people”, Evelyn remembers.  Typically, during April and May FPA usually focuses on students between the ages of 11 and 13 and supporting with the transition from elementary school to secondary school. At this age young people are starting to experience changes to their bodies and hormones.  “We were all of a sudden bombarded with parents who started requesting one-on-one counseling sessions for their kids, but due to safety regulations, this was not an easy option. That was when we started looking for a way to reach both parent and child in the safety of their own homes. By converting materials used during our in-person CSE’s we developed an educational video that can be viewed by both parent and child”, says Evelyn The OPEN platform has been designed with a colorful background, emojis, and animation to appeal to its target audience. Users can access valuable information through the FAQ section, international news, and video content such as an interview with a Family Physician.  “The filming and editing were the longest and most difficult part of the entire process, but once it was launched, we immediately saw that is was completely worth it, reaching over 42,000 people on social media”, Evelyn says.   

Dr. Stewart McKoy has dedicated his life to ensuring the needs of both men and women are equally represented in the provision of healthcare at the Jamaica Family Planning Association (JFPA). When Dr. McKoy returned to Jamaica from overseas medical studies in the 1980s, the frustration at the failure of many Jamaican males to use contraception was a continuing concern. This led to him making a strong case for vasectomies to be offered as part of JFPA’s contraceptive options. Whilst the initial response from local males was disheartening, Dr. McKoy took the grassroots approach to get the buy-in of males to consider contraception use. Getting men on board “Someone once said it’s only by varied reiteration that unfamiliar truths can be introduced to reluctant minds. We used to go out into the countryside and give talks. In those times, I came down heavily on men. I remember after one talk, when I was finished, the driver of the JFPA van said they [men] didn’t like what I was saying. I saw a bar outside and went, carried them in, and said drinks on me. By the second round they opened up and were receptive,” he said. The reception would form the catalyst he needed to ensure that men, too, benefitted from sexual and reproductive healthcare. Men were choosing vasectomies if they already had children and didn’t plan to have any more. In addition, Dr. McKoy was an instrumental voice in the Men’s Clinic that was formerly operated by JFPA and also encouraged the inclusion of women at the meetings, in order to increase male participation and uptake of healthcare. “When we as men get sick with our prostate it is women who are going to look after us. But we have to put interest in our own self to offset it before it puts us in that situation where we can’t help yourself. It came down to that and the males eventually started coming. The health education got out and men started confiding more in health services,” he said.   It could be a matter of life or death McKoy said it is important that women use contraception and take their sexual and reproductive health seriously. If neglected, Dr McKoy said it could be a matter of life or death. He refers to a case of a young mother who was complacent towards having pap smears and ended up dying a preventable death as a result of cervical cancer. “Over the years I saw the opportunity to do pap smears out of the clinic. The mobile unit gave us access to so many patients. We had persons who neglected to do it. One patient in particular - she was not yet 30 years old. She had three children and after every delivery, she was told by the hospital to do a pap smear. She didn’t do it and eventually got cervical cancer. When she was to do the pap smear, she didn’t come. One morning they brought her and had to lift her up out of the car. At that time doctors said they couldn’t do anything for her,” Dr. McKoy said while fighting back tears. “It wasn’t necessary. We had to go out more to meet people, educate them teach them the importance of sexual and reproductive health.” That experience was his driving force to continue the work in sexual and reproductive healthcare. Dr. McKoy said the message about family planning, sexual and reproductive health must be continued through education in community outreach projects.

On this World Day Of Social Justice, we demand that states be proactive in Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice.  In 2022 activists won a major victory with the decriminalization of abortion in Colombia, reminding us that despite the obstacles in much of the region there is hope as the green wave spreads thanks to grassroots activism everywhere. In The Caribbean, physical and sexual violence towards trans people often goes unreported as there are no legal mechanisms to acknowledge a change in gender markers - which in itself is a form of violence. And even with arguably some of the largest activist populations both Brazil and Mexico remained the most violent places for Trans people to live in 2022. The United States is the third most dangerous, a statistic which may well increase given the record number of 300+ anti-LGBTQ+ legislation which has been introduced in the first two months of 2023.       Despite all of these challenges, LGBTQI+ communities across the region continue to be at the forefront of movements and activism across the region. Local Caribbean activists saw their hard work rewarded in the repeal of colonial-era laws banning same-sex intimacy in 3 countries - Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Barbados in 2022.  These activists must be protected in order to continue their fight for rights and justice.  There are solutions that include all of us, and all eyes are on the governments of our region to provide protection from discrimination and violence.  

For immediate release:  Antigua Planned Parenthood Association (APPA) / International Planned Parenthood Federation - Americas and The Caribbean Regional Office (IPPF ACRO) Statement on the government of Antigua and Barbuda re-examining abortion laws.    As the government announces a re-examination of existing abortion laws in Antigua and Barbuda the Antigua Planned Parenthood Association (APPA) is pleased that policymakers have heard the call of millions of women worldwide in the wake of the detrimental ruling of Roe vs. Wade in the U.S.A.   Access to abortion has been criminalized in Antigua and Barbuda since 1895, however, the government has acknowledged that the legal status has not prevented abortions with Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, Lionel Hurst, commenting “We know that it is better to have it done by a doctor than the practice used by some of having non-professionals engaged in this system – because it can cause permanent damage”.  The recognition that the current legislation has caused more harm than good, is certainly an encouraging first step toward the right to bodily autonomy for the women and girls in the country.   “In our local context, the laws which criminalize abortion do not prevent the practice but certainly restrict access to safe and timely medical care. Decriminalizing abortion care would mean access to often life-saving care is a reality for women in Antigua and Barbuda.” - Lyndale Weaver-Greenaway, Executive Director at Antigua Planned Parenthood Association    The mission of the Antigua Planned Parenthood Association (APPA), established in 1970, is “to advance the sexual and reproductive well-being of the Antiguan and Barbudan population by providing safe, efficient, and affordable sexual and reproductive health services including family planning”  Dona Da Cosa Martinez, Deputy Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Americas and The Caribbean Regional Office commends the government's recognition of the need for re-examination of restrictive laws that do more harm than good for its citizens., “Antigua and Barbuda are now at the height of making the changes which are necessary to ensure the protection and fulfillment of the human rights of all its citizens to have full access to reproductive care, and in doing so, establishing a precedent for the rest of the Caribbean to follow. Now is the time for regional leaders to ensure free and full access to safe abortion care in all their countries.”    The Antigua Planned Parenthood Association (APPA) is an Associate Member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), a movement of 120 autonomous members with a presence in over 146 countries. Member Associations provide non-profit family planning services, sexual health, and abuse prevention training and education. IPPF’s goals include giving clients the information necessary to make informed sexual health decisions, promoting continuous sexual health, and making high-quality sexual health services available.  

The IPPF ACRO Team is excited to Welcome Two New Member Associations in Antigua and Dominica!  The Antigua and Barbuda Planned Parenthood Association and Dominica Planned Parenthood Association join our growing family, which spans 28 countries across the Americas and Caribbean region, together we are united in the fight towards Reproductive Justice for ALL.  The mission of the Antigua Planned Parenthood Association (APPA) is “to ensure that the community is afforded good sexual reproductive health through education, counseling, and affordable family planning services.” Lyndale Weaver-Greenaway, Executive Director  The Dominica Planned Parenthood Association (DPPA) was founded in 1976 and provides a wide range of SRHR services as well as an established community outreach program that provides family planning through volunteers and shop owners, and an extensive program of information and education activities. 

Re-imagining accountability through a feminist and youth lens. Available in Español, English, and French

The Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) of St. Lucia Planned Parenthood Association (SLPPA) was recently recognised by the St. Lucia Government - Ministry of Youth Development and Sport, they received an award for Outstanding Youth Organization, which is given to an outstanding organization/group which has for the past 2 years achieved community, national or regional recognition in promoting youth development through its programmes and or policies. Currently, the organization is conducting exciting grassroots initiatives in Saint Lucia, such as youth training programmes within under-served communities island-wide and tackling a wide range of issues such as parenting, self-awareness, and gender-based violence. Now more than ever we support and encourage our young leaders as they educate and innovate in their communities, making sexual and reproductive education and health more accessible.  Follow them at www.instagram.com/yam_slu SLPPA aims to promote family welfare and reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancies, particularly among adolescents, through a strengthened family life education programme and quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services that complement government provision.