WHAT WE DO:

Reproductive Health and Family Planning

Unsafe sex is the second most important risk factor for disability and death among people in the world’s poorest communities. That’s one of the many reasons why, for more than 50 years, Pathfinder has placed quality sexual and reproductive health care at the center of all that we do. We believe that access to these services is not only a fundamental human right, but can drastically change opportunities throughout life for women, men, and adolescents. Pathfinder advances women’s opportunities to control their reproductive health in order to prevent unintended pregnancies, space births, and reduce the risk of death and severe illness they may face as a result of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

By partnering with local governments, NGOs, and community- and faith-based organizations, we create programs that are responsive to the reproductive health needs of local populations. Pathfinder brings services to isolated rural areas by training community members to function as volunteer health workers and by creating referral networks. We improve and expand existing services in both urban and rural areas by renovating clinics and training health care providers at all levels to offer a wider range of services and contraceptive choices.

Featured Projects

	Ethiopia: Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services: Partnering with local organizations to support family planning and reproductive health activities in some of Ethiopia's most isolated areas.

	India: PRACHAR: Reaching young couples with knowledge of the dangers of adolescent childbirth and the importance of spacing pregnancies.

	Ghana: Obstetric Fistula Prevention and Treatment: Raising fistula awareness; increasing the availability and accessibility of fistula prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.

	Viet Nam: The Reproductive Health Projects: A network of projects working to improve the quality and range of reproductive health services available through the Vietnamese public sector.

Featured Publication

Reproductive Health and Family Planning in Kenya: The Pathfinder International Experience, October 2008 Pathfinder International has worked in Kenya since 1969, providing extensive training, technical assistance, and support to a vast array of government and nongovernment partners in the provision of quality reproductive health care, family planning services, HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, support, and care.

More Publications: Family Planning and Contraception

More Publications: Maternal and Child Health

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Rep. Lowey Visits Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence: Pathfinder-led APHIA II Nairobi project hosts Congresswoman's visit to Nairobi Women's Hospital during Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Kenya.

Rays of Hope: Young Indian Couple Faces Brighter Future with Help of PRACHAR Project: Veena Kumari, married at 15, decides to delay childbearing and stay in school after support from Pathfinder's PRACHAR project.

IUD Training Empowers Providers in India: Auxiliary nurse midwives and lady health visitors from Primary Health Centers trained on counseling, screening, and insertions.