Reaching Poor People with Services in Sexual and Reproductive Health : An Evaluation of the IPPF

The Project
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), with its 151 member associations, is the world's largest voluntary organisation working in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). From emphasising family planning, the IPPF has since the early 1990s broadened the scope of its activities to include a wider range of SRH services and the advocacy of sexual reproductive rights. Its current Strategic Framework (2005-2015) has prioritised the five areas of adolescents, HIV/AIDS, abortion, advocacy and access. The evaluation focuses on the work of member associations in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda.

Interesting Findings
• The member associations reach poor and vulnerable people to a large extent. The outreach clinics run by volunteers are more effective in reaching these groups than the branch clinics. However, there is a need to gather more and better quality data on poverty and vulnerable groups.
• The member associations offer services that are very relevant to the people they serve. The services are also in line with national and global needs, as well as with donor's policies.
• In most cases activities are well coordinated with those of government administration and other NGOs.
• The services are regarded as being of high quality by both users, partner organisations and other SRH stakeholders.
• All three member associations have the potential to play a significant role in informing national policies, but currently they are all playing a relatively minor role. Thus, there is a need for more advocacy to be undertaken at all levels and on most subjects.
• Volunteer boards need to include more women and more young people, their roles need to be clarified and they often need to be smaller in order to become more effective.