Strategic Focus > Strategic Framework
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) introduced a strategic framework, founded on the global commitments of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG's).IPPF's Strategic Plan foregrounds five key priorities, which are known as the 5 A's by Member Associations; Adolescents, AIDS/HIV, Advocacy, Abortions and Access.
Adolescents
Adolescence, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), refers to the period of life between 10 – 19 years and youth between ages 15 - 24.The young people as a whole include the age range from 10 – 24 years. The adolescence is a period of transition, growth, exploration, and opportunity. This period of life is considered as one of the most dynamic stages of human development as it is a time of marked physical, emotional and intellectual changes. Also changes in social roles, relationships, and expectations.
The national survey conducted by UNICEF in 2004 on emerging issues among adolescents in Sri Lanka sheds light on the fact that the overall knowledge among school going adolescents between 14 – 19 years on matters related to reproduction was less than 50%. Knowledge on STI/HIV was also found to be poor. The study further revealed the verity that a fair proportion of school going adolescents appear to be sexually active. Six percent of those between 14 – 19 years of age reported having experienced heterosexual intercourse while 10% of the same age group reported having experienced homosexual relations. The prevalence of heterosexual experience was noted to be 14% among adolescent boys and 2% among adolescent girls.
Sexual and reproductive health is a sensitive issue in the Sri Lankan society, making it difficult to provide accurate and timely sexual and reproductive health knowledge to young people and youth. Their vulnerability to health and social hazards such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS stems from a lack of knowledge. Considering the utmost need for easily accessible accurate information FPA Sri Lanka thrives to provide leadership in developing youth friendly and gender sensitive approaches.
AIDS/HIV
Sri Lanka, with a population of approximately 20 million, has a relatively small number of HIV infected people. Looking at the total number of HIV cases reported from 1987 to 2000 of which the mode of transmission was known, 98% of the cases were sexually transmitted. Despite the small number of prevailing HIV cases, the high risk behaviors that contribute to the spread of the infection are prevalent.
FPA Sri Lanka has established strong and effective partnerships with the government and other NGOs to prevent and mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDs through sexual transmission. This programme is done through educational programmes, intensive awareness creation, and aggressive marketing campaigns on the promotion and use of condoms. As a right based organization, FPA Sri Lanka strives hard to protect and promote the rights of the people living with HIV. A pioneer in reproductive health, it is the mission of FPA Sri Lanka to eliminate transmission of HIV to children by strengthening the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) strategies.
Abortion
The increasing trend in unsafe abortion is a major health and social concern in Sri Lanka. The law governing abortion is restrictive, only permitting cases where pregnancy or childbirth is life threatening to the mother. Despite legal restrictions, high risk abortions are performed in large numbers, mostly by untrained persons in secret conditions.
A National survey conducted in 1999 reported an abortion rate of 45 per 1000 women in the 15 – 49 age groups. An alarming factor is the prevalence of induced abortion among married couples being 94%, with an abortion rate of 58 per 1000 among ever married women.
Addressing the pressing issue regarding abortion, FPA Sri Lanka advocates for the amendment of law to include the allowance of abortion in the case of severe fetal abnormalities, rape or incest. FPA Sri Lanka also aims at increasing access to contraceptives, through its well established Service Delivery Points, thereby reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and the need for unwanted pregnancies and abortion.
Access
Lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services and information contributes to high levels of morbidity and mortality for largely preventable sexual and reproductive health problems. A rights-based approach to access draws attention to the inequities in service delivery and the discriminatory practices marginalizing people and denying them the opportunity to seek care. Access to sexual and reproductive health signifies sufficient services and information are available, accessible and acceptable means to meet the different needs of individuals. It also encompasses access to information and services on prevention, diagnosis, counseling, treatment and care.
Compared with other countries in the region Sri Lanka possesses impressive socio-economic, health and demographic indicators but substantial geographical disparities exist. In addition to geographical disparities, there are serious discrepancies in providing SRH services to special vulnerable groups – such as commercial sex workers, MSM (men having sex with men), drug users, persons affected by HIV/AIDS, and displaced & disabled persons. These differences and inequities violate the fundamental sexual and reproductive health rights of vulnerable people. FPA Sri Lanka aims on creating space to ensure that all persons, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups, will have equitable access to sexual and reproductive health services and information without any discrimination, restrictive laws, policies or practices.
Advocacy
To 'advocate' is to actively look for a change at policy level, to an issue that has been long ignored or often the importance of which has been downplayed in the social sphere on an emerging issues. At FPA Sri Lanka, we believe on sexual and reproductive rights to be internationally recognized human rights and would be assured to, and exercised by every individual. We are also committed to gender equity and support elimination of all forms of violence, stigma, and discrimination experienced by adolescents, youth, and women of all ages.
Sri Lanka has strived to achieve its MDG targets during the past 10 years and the results have shown a considerable improvement in the overall sexual and reproductive health sector. Conversely, the gaps still exist in sexual and reproductive health, and its sub areas, that need to be extensively advocated. Maternal mortality ratio does not wholly measure maternal health; for behind every woman who dies from complications during pregnancy or childbirth, 20 women survive, but suffer ill health or disability. Acknowledging that, women need access to broader reproductive health services, especially family planning, skilled assistance at birth, and access to emergency obstetric and neo-natal care for management of complications to reduce maternal mortality further. These aspects need to be seriously looked into and need to be lobbied widely in order to create a society with improved sexual and reproductive health.
In this scenario, FPA Sri Lanka will work towards ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country by engaging communities and policy makers to focus on emerging issues relating to demographic changes through a process that respects the right of individuals
Adolescents
Adolescence, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), refers to the period of life between 10 – 19 years and youth between ages 15 - 24.The young people as a whole include the age range from 10 – 24 years. The adolescence is a period of transition, growth, exploration, and opportunity. This period of life is considered as one of the most dynamic stages of human development as it is a time of marked physical, emotional and intellectual changes. Also changes in social roles, relationships, and expectations.
The national survey conducted by UNICEF in 2004 on emerging issues among adolescents in Sri Lanka sheds light on the fact that the overall knowledge among school going adolescents between 14 – 19 years on matters related to reproduction was less than 50%. Knowledge on STI/HIV was also found to be poor. The study further revealed the verity that a fair proportion of school going adolescents appear to be sexually active. Six percent of those between 14 – 19 years of age reported having experienced heterosexual intercourse while 10% of the same age group reported having experienced homosexual relations. The prevalence of heterosexual experience was noted to be 14% among adolescent boys and 2% among adolescent girls.
Sexual and reproductive health is a sensitive issue in the Sri Lankan society, making it difficult to provide accurate and timely sexual and reproductive health knowledge to young people and youth. Their vulnerability to health and social hazards such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS stems from a lack of knowledge. Considering the utmost need for easily accessible accurate information FPA Sri Lanka thrives to provide leadership in developing youth friendly and gender sensitive approaches.
AIDS/HIV
Sri Lanka, with a population of approximately 20 million, has a relatively small number of HIV infected people. Looking at the total number of HIV cases reported from 1987 to 2000 of which the mode of transmission was known, 98% of the cases were sexually transmitted. Despite the small number of prevailing HIV cases, the high risk behaviors that contribute to the spread of the infection are prevalent.
FPA Sri Lanka has established strong and effective partnerships with the government and other NGOs to prevent and mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDs through sexual transmission. This programme is done through educational programmes, intensive awareness creation, and aggressive marketing campaigns on the promotion and use of condoms. As a right based organization, FPA Sri Lanka strives hard to protect and promote the rights of the people living with HIV. A pioneer in reproductive health, it is the mission of FPA Sri Lanka to eliminate transmission of HIV to children by strengthening the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) strategies.
Abortion
The increasing trend in unsafe abortion is a major health and social concern in Sri Lanka. The law governing abortion is restrictive, only permitting cases where pregnancy or childbirth is life threatening to the mother. Despite legal restrictions, high risk abortions are performed in large numbers, mostly by untrained persons in secret conditions.
A National survey conducted in 1999 reported an abortion rate of 45 per 1000 women in the 15 – 49 age groups. An alarming factor is the prevalence of induced abortion among married couples being 94%, with an abortion rate of 58 per 1000 among ever married women.
Addressing the pressing issue regarding abortion, FPA Sri Lanka advocates for the amendment of law to include the allowance of abortion in the case of severe fetal abnormalities, rape or incest. FPA Sri Lanka also aims at increasing access to contraceptives, through its well established Service Delivery Points, thereby reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and the need for unwanted pregnancies and abortion.
Access
Lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services and information contributes to high levels of morbidity and mortality for largely preventable sexual and reproductive health problems. A rights-based approach to access draws attention to the inequities in service delivery and the discriminatory practices marginalizing people and denying them the opportunity to seek care. Access to sexual and reproductive health signifies sufficient services and information are available, accessible and acceptable means to meet the different needs of individuals. It also encompasses access to information and services on prevention, diagnosis, counseling, treatment and care.
Compared with other countries in the region Sri Lanka possesses impressive socio-economic, health and demographic indicators but substantial geographical disparities exist. In addition to geographical disparities, there are serious discrepancies in providing SRH services to special vulnerable groups – such as commercial sex workers, MSM (men having sex with men), drug users, persons affected by HIV/AIDS, and displaced & disabled persons. These differences and inequities violate the fundamental sexual and reproductive health rights of vulnerable people. FPA Sri Lanka aims on creating space to ensure that all persons, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups, will have equitable access to sexual and reproductive health services and information without any discrimination, restrictive laws, policies or practices.
Advocacy
To 'advocate' is to actively look for a change at policy level, to an issue that has been long ignored or often the importance of which has been downplayed in the social sphere on an emerging issues. At FPA Sri Lanka, we believe on sexual and reproductive rights to be internationally recognized human rights and would be assured to, and exercised by every individual. We are also committed to gender equity and support elimination of all forms of violence, stigma, and discrimination experienced by adolescents, youth, and women of all ages.
Sri Lanka has strived to achieve its MDG targets during the past 10 years and the results have shown a considerable improvement in the overall sexual and reproductive health sector. Conversely, the gaps still exist in sexual and reproductive health, and its sub areas, that need to be extensively advocated. Maternal mortality ratio does not wholly measure maternal health; for behind every woman who dies from complications during pregnancy or childbirth, 20 women survive, but suffer ill health or disability. Acknowledging that, women need access to broader reproductive health services, especially family planning, skilled assistance at birth, and access to emergency obstetric and neo-natal care for management of complications to reduce maternal mortality further. These aspects need to be seriously looked into and need to be lobbied widely in order to create a society with improved sexual and reproductive health.
In this scenario, FPA Sri Lanka will work towards ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country by engaging communities and policy makers to focus on emerging issues relating to demographic changes through a process that respects the right of individuals
