African Reproductive Care Society

African Reproductive Care Society
Name	African Reproductive Care Society
Founded	2003
Location	Nairobi, Kenya
Focus	Reproductive health, Family planning, Maternal health
Website	www.arcs-africa.org

African Reproductive Care Society. It is a pan-African non-governmental organization dedicated to advancing comprehensive reproductive health and rights across the continent. Founded in the early 21st century, the society operates through advocacy, capacity building, and direct service delivery partnerships. Its work is centered on improving access to Family planning, Maternal health, and Sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, with a particular focus on underserved communities and vulnerable populations.

History and formation

The society was formally established in 2003 by a consortium of leading African Public health experts, gynecologists, and rights advocates who identified critical gaps in regional reproductive healthcare systems. Key founding figures included professionals who had previously worked with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund on continental initiatives. The inaugural conference was held in Nairobi, a strategic hub for many international health bodies like the World Bank and the African Union. Its formation was partly a response to the unmet goals of earlier frameworks like the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo.

Mission and objectives

The core mission is to promote and protect sexual and reproductive health as a fundamental human right for all people in Africa. Primary objectives include reducing preventable Maternal mortality and Morbidity by expanding access to quality obstetric care and modern Contraception. Another key aim is to advocate for the integration of comprehensive Sex education into national curricula and health systems, challenging harmful norms and practices. The society also works to strengthen policy frameworks in alignment with the Maputo Protocol and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 and SDG 5.

Key activities and programs

Key initiatives include the "Every Mother Counts" campaign, which trains midwives and community health workers in remote regions of countries like Malawi, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. The society runs a large-scale advocacy program that engages bodies such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and national ministries of health to reform restrictive laws. It implements adolescent health programs, providing youth-friendly services and information to combat HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancies. Furthermore, it conducts operational research in partnership with institutions like the University of Cape Town and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to inform evidence-based practices.

Organizational structure and governance

Governed by an international Board of Trustees comprising experts from fields like Epidemiology, Law, and Bioethics, the society's secretariat is headquartered in Nairobi. Regional offices are strategically located in Accra, Dakar, and Johannesburg to oversee operations in West Africa, Francophone Africa, and Southern Africa respectively. A technical advisory committee, which includes former officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, guides programmatic direction. Member associations from over 40 countries participate in the annual General Assembly to set strategic priorities.

Partnerships and collaborations

The society maintains strategic alliances with major multilateral agencies, including a long-standing collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund on family planning commodity security. It is a key implementing partner for the World Bank's Health in Africa initiative and receives programmatic support from foundations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Academic partnerships are held with the University of the Witwatersrand and Makerere University for training and research. It also collaborates with regional bodies like the East African Community and civil society networks such as IPPF Africa Region.

Impact and recognition

Its programs have contributed to measurable increases in contraceptive prevalence and skilled birth attendance in several focus countries, as documented in national Demographic and Health Surveys. The society's advocacy was instrumental in supporting the passage of progressive reproductive health laws in nations like Zambia and Rwanda. It has received formal recognition from the African Union for its contributions to the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa. In 2018, its executive director was honored with the prestigious UN Population Award for leadership in the field.

Category:Health organizations based in Africa Category:Reproductive health organizations Category:Organizations established in 2003