Printer-friendly version
Send to friendMéxico City, August 12, 2008
PRESS RELEASE:
INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION/WESTERN HEMISPHERE REGION PRESENTED ANNUAL AWARDS
Mexfam, María Consuelo Mejía Piñeros, CIES and Stichting Lobi Recognized
IPPF/WHR Associations provide 19.4 million sexual and reproductive health services each year
Sexual and reproductive health, a basic human right, was the central theme yesterday during an awards ceremony which also recognized advances made in women’s rights and the response to the global HIV epidemic.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR), one the six Regional Offices of International Planned Parenthood Federation, supports 41 Member Associations in program planning, sustainability, monitoring and evaluation, institutional governance, and resource mobilization. Their work is structured around five programmatic areas: Abortion, Access, Adolescents, Advocacy and HIV/AIDS/STIs.
Their Member Associations provide 19.4 million services each year from sexuality education, contraceptive services, prenatal care, HIV testing, safe abortion services and post-abortion care, and the detection of gender-based violence. They also serve as sexual and reproductive rights activists at the local and international levels. Their services aim to guarantee access to high quality health services for all people, women and men, people of all ages, with a particular focus on reaching poor and underserved populations.
ROSA CISNEROS AWARD AND MEDAL OF HONOR
In recognition of those individuals, associations, and institutions that each year work to fulfill IPPF/WHR’s mission, last night the organization gave out the Rosa Cisneros Commemorative Award, named in honor of the women’s rights lawyer and ex-director of the IPPF Member Association in El Salvador, who was murdered in 1981.
This year the Rosa Cisneros Award went to the Patricia Galvao Institute, a media organization that contributes to raising pubic consciousness around sexual and reproductive health and rights.
They also awarded the IPPF/WHR Medial of Honor, for an individual contribution in sexual and reproductive health that honors social and political leaders who have taken decisive steps to promote and defend sexual and reproductive health as a basic human right in Latin America and the Caribbean, to Doctor María Consuelo Mejía Piñeros.
Dr. Mejía Piñeros serves of the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Reproductive Health in Colombia playing an important role in the construction of networks within the feminist movement and sexual and reproductive health specialists in Mexico. In 2004 she coordinated the Safe Abortion project at IPPF/WHR.
Just as they have done for the last 27 years, the IPPF/WHR Regional Council awarded distinctions to those Associations, individuals, and organizations which have made notable contributions to improving sexual and reproductive health and rights in the region and in recognition of their innovative programs.
This year the following awards were given:
* The award for Outstanding Progress in Sustainability and Resource Development went to Mexfam, México – the Member Association that has reached institutional 79 per cent self-sufficiency and whose management structure allows the organization to cover its costs and generates enough resources to subsidize its own social programs.
* An honorable mention, for the provision of sexual and reproductive services went to the Costa Rican Demographic Association, ADC, Costa Rica.
* The Award for Outstanding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services went to the Center for Research, Education and Services, CIES, Bolivia, an organization that has implemented, developed and consolidated its integrated model of medical attention education, as well as a project for attention and referrals for HIV/AIDS/STIs in four regions.
* The honorable mention in this category went to the Honduran Family Planning Association, ASHONPLAFA, Honduras, a pioneer in marketing condoms, and promoting and facilitating access for all socio-economic groups.
* The Award Outstanding Contribution Made in Addressing the Regional Condom Gap went to Stichting Lobi, Surinam, a leader in providing condoms, especially to youth through vending machines.
WESTWIND AWARDS
For the 7th straight year, IPPF/WHR awarded the WestWind Awards for excellence and improvements made in the areas of Access, HIV/AIDS, Safe Abortion, Adolescents, and Advocacy. The recognition included a prize of $15,000 for each winner, awarded by the WestWind Foundation, a private foundation that promotes sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide.
* For Access, the award went to the Dominican Association for Family Wellbeing, Profamilia, Dominican Republic, which has created model programs to work with the poorest populations utilizing mobile health units.
* For HIV/AIDS, the award went to the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association, Dominica, the only organization on the island that offers sexual and reproductive health services.
* For Safe Abortion, the award went to the Costa Rican Demography Association, ADC, Costa Rica, for their research on the relationship between unsafe abortion and maternal mortality and for their work on a technical guide for service provision for therapeutic abortion.
* For Adolescents, the award went to the Belize Family Life Association, Belize, which uses creative youth participation methods to expand services to younger populations.
* For Advocacy, the award went to the Panamanian Family Planning Association, APLAFA, Panama, for its participation in the creation of the country’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Law last year.
The Awards Ceremony took place yesterday, August 11, 2008, at the Hotel Melia México Reforma, Paseo de la Reforma no. 1 PB, Col Tabacalera.
For more information in Mexico contact:
Lisbeth Mejía
Cel. 044 5539833286
