News

Katy Sorenson reflects on her visit to family planning projects in Peru with Pathfinder International and Population Action International, emphasizing the importance of sexual and reproductive health around the world.

Investments in family planning—whether at home or abroad—just make sense. Women who have access to a full range of effective contraceptive methods and reproductive health services are better able to protect themselves against HIV, more likely to get further education, and better able to earn a good living to support themselves and their families.

+SocialGood talks with Pathfinder International's President and CEO Purnima Mane at Women Deliver 2013 in Kuala Lumpur.

"Our main agenda item (at Women Deliver) is to focus on the countries in which we work. To ensure that the unmet need for family planning is something that's being addressed and learning how we can partner with others working in the same area. And also making sure we're highlighting young people." -Purnima Mane

At Women Deliver 2013, conference attendees discuss the idea that maternal health and other gender-related issues don't only affect the lives of women, girls, and children, but also help shape the economies and societies that they live in.

Pathfinder's President Purnima Mane said while better maternal health is a moral and ethical goal in its own right, a stronger economic argument will perhaps bring more pressure to bear on governments, donors, and the private sector to follow through on their commitments. She cited Pathfinder’s SCIP project in Mozambique as an example of a cross-sectoral intervention that combines health, environment, and economic development efforts and improves accountability through close interaction with community and government leadership.

At Pathfinder International, data is a critical component of our work. Throughout the year, our team tracks the progress of our programs using a set of global indicators. We're pleased to share some of the highlights of the report below.

Pathfinder's Emeritus Advisor Judy Kahrl and Major Gift Officer Leila Percy discuss the importance of family planning in light of the Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights' recent lobbying trip to the Maine state capital.

“So many young women today don't have an idea what struggles our generation fought to secure reproductive rights,” said Judy Kahrl of Arrowsic, the founder of GRR. "Access to family planning is incredibly important. By ensuring that women and men up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level have access to effective and affordable family planning services we can save the state money by lowering the unintended pregnancy rate."

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.

Continuing the Administration’s robust investment in the health and rights of girls and women, President Obama's budget includes increases for family planning and reproductive health programs, as well as maternal and child health.

Girls and women are catalysts for change (#girls4change). When girls and women are educated, healthy, and empowered, they invest back into their families, communities, and nations. We know it’s true – when girls and women survive, the world thrives.

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.

Yesterday, a delegation of The Elders met a group of approximately 20 young people from Jagriti, a new youth-led social change campaign against child marriage, which is supported by Pathfinder International.

The 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark legislation legalizing abortion in the United States, is an opportunity to reflect on global abortion laws and their effects on women.

Various social trends can have an effect on abortion rates, the Lancet report states, though they are difficult to gather local data on, including more women entering the labor force, a rise in the age when women marry, or more sexual activity outside of marriage. The halt in the decline in the rate of global abortions could also be a result of stagnating levels of funding for international family planning, says Cathy Solter, Senior Fellow at Pathfinder International, a nonprofit focused on maternal health and education in developing countries.

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

In sub-Saharan Africa, where 43 percent of people are under 15, and birth rates are still high, experts back contraception and family planning.

"In recent years we as a movement have said let's hang on to what we have achieved." Dan Pellegrom, President of Pathfinder International, said. "That is an argument for retaining the status quo. You don't mobilise people by retaining the status quo."