Voluntary Contraception
Access to voluntary contraception (VC) is often limited during humanitarian settings, when the risk of unintended pregnancy and desire to prevent pregnancy often increases.
Providing access to and information about quality contraceptive services.
Identifying and engaging local health workers who can support the provision of contraceptive services.
Empowering patients with appropriate information to provide informed consent regarding a contraceptive method.
Why it matters
Access to contraception often decreases in humanitarian settings as health systems are compromised. New barriers to access come at a time when many people’s desire and need for birth spacing and pregnancy prevention increase. Evidence shows that many recently displaced couples express having no desire to become pregnant for two or more years.
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How We Work
Our work on this issue is led by the Voluntary Contraception Sub-Working Group—a dedicated group of IAWG members who set the priorities and advance research, practice, and advocacy for voluntary contraception in humanitarian settings. Learn about their current objectives, priorities, and latest work.
Voluntary Contraception Resources
Rumors and Myths vs Facts and Realities of LARCs
This resource is used for the Mix and Match activity in Session 10 of the Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives in Crisis Settings S-CORT workshop. The activity discusses common rumors and misconceptions associated with IUDs and implants and how to address them with facts.
Pre-Post IUD and Implant Assessment Checklists
These three modified checklists are designed for facilitators to assess the pre and post IUD and implant insertion and removal skills of participants during the Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives in Crisis Settings S-CORT workshop.
Choices and Challenges: Women’s Decisions About Family Planning Are Complex and Change Over Time. Understanding These Shifts Can Help Us Meet Women’s Needs and Support Their Goals
Over the course of their lives, women may choose to start, stop, or switch family planning methods to meet their reproductive needs and preferences. By understanding the dynamics of contraceptive use, health policy and program decisionmakers can better deliver high-quality, client-centered services that enable women and couples to make the best family planning choices for themselves.
Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use
The World Health Organization (WHO) develops detailed criteria that health care workers can follow to determine which contraceptive methods are medically suitable for their clients. These criteria are based on the most current scientific knowledge about the effectiveness, risks and benefits of various family planning methods, and they can help providers guide their clients in making safe and informed decisions. WHO periodically revises the criteria in response to recommendations made by an expert working group in response to new research findings.
#MyHealthMyPriority
MyHealth MyPriority is a program out to sensitize communities on sexual health with a focus on HIV/AIDS the use of contraceptives and lubricants, encouraging people to feel comfortable talking about their sexual health. Communities in and around Buea, have relatively low knowledge on usage of female condoms. MyHealth MyPriority aims at enlightening the population on the use of female condoms. Though abstinence is the first advice given out to the population, the use of contraceptives for sexually active people is advised.