News

Purnima Mane advocates for increased family planning funding and identifies political will and a focus on community-based work as two of the most important factors in our efforts to advance the status of women and girls around the world.

Asked how best the contraceptive needs could be met, Dr. Purnima Mane, president and chief executive officer of Pathfinder International, told IPS the United Nations and the international community need to continue advocating for increased funding – domestic and international – for access to contraception and for the integration of family planning into universal health coverage in all possible forums and through broader partnerships across sectors.

The International Fellowships Program leaves a legacy as the Ford Foundation closes out the ten year project, including the Nigeria-based program led by Pathfinder International.

According to Farouk Jega, the country representative for Pathfinder International, Nigeria, 175 fellows have been recruited into the Nigeria programme since 2001.

He also said 44 per cent are women, while 56 per cent are men. He said 11 percent of the fellows are “people with special needs”.

On Monday, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in USAID v AOSI, a case that challenges a law requiring recipients of US funds for international HIV and AIDS work to have “a policy explicitly opposing prostitution.”

On April 22, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that could have dramatic consequences for NGOs, faith-based groups, and other civil society members.

Pathfinder is saddened by the senseless tragedy yesterday during the Boston Marathon. Our thoughts are with all of those affected by this horrific act. We are thankful that all staff and family of staff at our headquarters in Watertown, MA are safe.

Throughout the past few years, the international affairs budget, including funding for international family planning, has suffered at the hand of across-the-board budget cuts.

Pathfinder International congratulates John Kerry on his confirmation to serve as the next US Secretary of State and asks for Kerry's continued support of women’s health and rights.

On Wednesday, President Obama took a significant and critical step in ensuring continued support for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls globally.

Pathfinder President Purnima Mane discusses 2012 as a "year for women", applauding the progress made for women's health throughout the world and weighing in on how we make 2013 even more progressive.

In March of this year, on International Women's Day, I asked, "Is 2012 the Year for Women and Girls?" Now, as we enter 2013, I find myself looking back on my call for stronger partnerships, more global coalitions and wondering, Are those enough?

Pathfinder International, as a member of the Pakistan Reproductive Health Network, joins in sharing the grief and outrage of other NGO and civil society organizations over the deaths of health workers in Pakistan.

In light of World AIDS Day on December 1st, Pathfinder congratulates the US Government for developing a bold and clear plan to contribute to the global fight against HIV and AIDS by applying a comprehensive, science-driven approach.

Pathfinder International applauds President Obama in his signing into effect a spending bill that supports women worldwide.

Pathfinder announces a groundbreaking award for an integrated, community-managed population, health and environment project in the Lake Victoria Basin of Uganda and Kenya.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was the latest target for opponents of family planning and reproductive health. The House of Representatives passed a bill to eliminate US funding to this vital organization.

Today, a Federal Appeals court in New York upheld a case brought by Pathfinder International and Alliance for Open Society International, which challenged a government rule commonly referred to as the anti-prostitution loyalty oath.

Pathfinder International has submitted a statement in support of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to the US Senate Judiciary Sub-Committee on Human Rights and Law.

Yesterday, the United Nations released The World's Women 2010: Trends and Statistics, a report published once every five years that documents the advancement of women worldwide in a number of key areas.

The international health and development community, including Pathfinder International, is applauding the introduction of a U.S. development strategy, heralded by President Obama at the Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York City last week.

The World Bank in Washington, DC will host Pathfinder's Bangladesh Representative, Dr. Shabnam Shahnaz, to discuss the potential and challenges that low-cost and low-tech interventions hold for reducing maternal deaths in developing countries.