With support from donors, collaboration with diverse strategic partners, valuable insight from our experts and staff, and the participation of individuals, communities, and healthcare systems, EngenderHealth brings high-quality, gender-equitable programming to hard-to-reach and historically un- and underserved individuals and communities.
EngenderHealth approaches every program with the belief that sexual and reproductive rights are human rights. Our programming builds on the lessons learned and best practices gained through working in more than 100 countries across 5 continents to support individuals, communities, and healthcare systems in delivering high-quality, gender-equitable programs and services that advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We focus on evidence-based decision making and innovative solutions to ensure the best possible outcome for every program.
We focus on our core impact areas of comprehensive abortion care, contraceptive care, maternal and newborn health, and gender-based violence to make sure our programming aligns with our expertise for the greatest possible impact. To drive sustainability and results that last long beyond our programs, we focus on collaborating across sectors, transforming gender norms, meaningful youth participation, and health systems strengthening. The most important driver of EngenderHealth’s work is recognizing and valuing partnerships at every level—international, regional, country, community, public, and private. Partnerships allow us to maximize coordination, contribute knowledge, and ensure that supported activities are informed by current evidence and priorities.
A hallmark of EngenderHealth’s work is that we integrate key frameworks that safeguard the communities in which we work as well as our staff and partners to ensure that our programs do no harm from start to finish—from project design through implementation and evaluation.
The project expands on its pilot phase successes to empower women and young people to participate equally in society and realize their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights—including the rights to decide if, when, and how many children to have; access accurate SRH information and high-quality services; and live free from violence and coercion.
The Accelerating Progress Towards Making Safe Abortion Care Accessible in Benin program, implemented by EngenderHealth, is a collaborative effort to improve information about and access to safe and high-quality abortion care in Benin. In partnership with the Benin Feminists’ Network (Réseau des Féministes du Bénin), the Ministry of Health (Ministère de la Santé), the National Order of Pharmacists of Benin (Ordre National des pharmaciens du Bénin), the National College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Benin (Collège national des gynécologues obstétriciens du Bénin), and the Beninese Association for Family Welfare Member of IPPF (Association Béninoise de Bien-être Familial) the program works to strengthen access to and support safe abortion services, increase awareness of the legality and availability of medication abortion, and…
EngenderHealth’s Advocacy Solutions to Improve Primary Health Care (PHC) Delivery and Health Outcomes in Nigeria program strengthens primary health care services by driving demand, enhancing quality, and improving health outcomes through strategic advocacy in partnership with government and civil society. The program is funded by the Gates Foundation and implemented in Kano, Kaduna, and Lagos states in a consortium partnership with the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), and Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL). To build a stronger policy and financing environment that upholds health commitments, this program implements five complementary approaches: Building Champions: We engage policymakers and community leaders to prioritize improved health access, fostering strong advocates for…
Making the World’s Most Common Surgery Safer Cesarean section (C-section) is the most common surgery in the world, with more than 30 million performed every year. While medically necessary in many cases, C-sections are associated with a higher risk of death than vaginal births, a risk that is particularly large in low-resource settings where women face maternal death rates up to 50 times higher than in high-income countries. To change that, EngenderHealth, in partnership with Ariadne Labs, is developing and testing an innovative Cesarean Safety Checklist (CSC)—a practical tool designed to improve surgical teamwork, strengthen quality of care, and save the lives of mothers and newborns. From Setback to New Support The checklist was originally developed under the MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics program.…
Together with our partners, EngenderHealth both supports and delivers a holistic package of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and nutrition services, including family planning (FP) support; gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services; adolescent-friendly antenatal, postnatal, and postabortion care; nutrition support and counseling; and life skills training to adolescents in the Tabora region of Tanzania. Currently, there is limited access to these services in this region. By breaking down barriers to access and increasing collaboration across services, we are ensuring adolescents can realize their SRH and nutritional care rights. Tabora is the largest and one of Tanzania’s most remote regions—and adolescents comprise a quarter of its population. According to the World Bank, the fertility rate in Tanzania in 2021 was…
Program Overview EngenderHealth’s Elevate Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights program, funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, is committed to ensuring that all individuals, particularly girls and women can fully exercise their bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The program expands equitable access to high-quality, gender-sensitive, and age-appropriate SRHR information and services, including postabortion care (PAC) and comprehensive abortion care (CAC). Implemented across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the program works in close partnership with the Ministry of Health in Mainland Tanzania, the Zanzibar Ministry of Health (ZMoH), five local organizations, and a network of PAC/CAC champions. Building on decades of expertise in sexual and reproductive health, EngenderHealth addresses the socio-cultural and systemic…
Together with our partners and with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, EngenderHealth is working through our Elevate Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar program to ensure that women and girls in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar have access to high-quality, gender-equitable, and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. According to the Guttmacher Institute, an estimated 99 million unintended pregnancies occur each year globally, and it is estimated that between 2015 and 2019, 46% of all pregnancies in Tanzania were unintended. According to the Tanzania DHS, among sexually active, unmarried women, the use of any modern method has decreased from 46% in 2015–16 to 36% in 2022. The program will…
EngenderHealth is partnering on this project with Renaissance Santé Bouaké and ONG Cavoequiva, two Côte d’Ivoire nongovernmental organizations. According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, the primary school completion rate was at 68 percent in 2022 for girls and 69 percent for boys. However, the completion rates for lower secondary education reveal a drop-off, with 55.5 percent of girls and 60.2 percent of boys. Working in 100 communities deemed vulnerable by the Côte d’Ivoire government, this project will establish designated safe spaces where out-of-school girls and young women can access critical services, including: Comprehensive sexuality education classes to enhance bodily autonomy and healthy decision-making for better futures Workforce readiness, vocational skills training programs, and financial support to set up…
Expanding Access to Hormonal IUD Services in Nigeria Through the Hormonal Intrauterine Device (HIUD) Roll Out and Scale Up program, EngenderHealth provides technical assistance to Nigerian public health facilities across Bauchi and Sokoto states to improve their ability to offer high-quality HIUD services. Funded by the Clinton Health Access Initiative’s Catalytic Opportunity Fund, this program strengthens the capacity of national- and regional-level trainers to provide instruction to healthcare workers on HIUD service provision, and it enhances the readiness of public health facilities to offer those services. In Nigeria, access to modern contraceptive care remains uneven. While many women want to prevent or delay pregnancy, far fewer can choose long-acting family planning (FP) options like HIUDs, and unmet need for modern contraception remains high. EngenderHealth is working with local and national partners…
EngenderHealth is strengthening family planning services in Kenya by providing technical assistance to public health facilities across Embu, Laikipia, Makueni, and Nyamira counties. This program focuses on improving the delivery of hormonal IUD and subcutaneous Depo-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA-SC) self-injection services, increasing access to modern, effective contraceptive options for women and girls. Program Overview Addressing Unmet Need for Family Planning in Kenya According to FP2030, as of 2022: The modern contraceptive prevalence rate for all women in Kenya was 45.4% Only 3.1% of women were using an IUD The unmet need for contraception among all women was 14% EngenderHealth is working to close this gap by strengthening Kenya’s health systems and ensuring equitable access to a full range of contraceptive…
According to FP2030, in 2021 the modern contraceptive prevalence rate for all women in Burkina Faso is 28.2% and an estimated 19.6% of all women in the country have an unmet need for modern methods of contraception. Through the Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) through Health System Strengthening program, EngenderHealth, in partnership with a consortium of local civil society organizations and research institutions, international nongovernmental organizations, and United Nations (UN) agencies, is supporting the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) for SRH services through the development of a robust, responsive, and resilient health system. The program aims to expand access to high-quality comprehensive abortion care (CAC) and family planning (FP) services; improve the…
Burkina Faso’s humanitarian crisis continued to escalate in 2023 with five of the six provinces in the Boucle du Mouhoun region affected by this crisis. Forced displacement and human rights violations have become recurrent and the situation is negatively affecting the health system, which has reached a level of disorganization never before seen in the country. In addition, the need for protection from gender-based violence (GBV), particularly sexual exploitation and abuse, is increasing with the deteriorating security situation, affecting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the host community alike. Women and girls are especially vulnerable to GBV and the humanitarian crisis is exacerbating the challenges of protecting them. This program, funded by UNOCHA and implemented by EngenderHealth in collaboration with SOS…
Expanding hormonal IUD access across Kenya EngenderHealth and our partners are working with Kenya’s Ministry of Health to bring hormonal IUD (HIUD) services closer to where people live, starting in seven counties: Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nakuru, Nyandarua, and Nyeri. By expanding services in busy public facilities and strengthening referrals from the community, we’re helping more women in Kenya prevent unintended pregnancies and choose HIUDs when that’s the method that fits their lives. To achieve this, we will focus on three linked outcomes: Expanding access to HIUDs to diversify the contraceptive method mix and increase treatment options for heavy menstrual bleeding Increasing demand and strengthening linkages that support voluntary, rights-based HIUD and contraceptive method uptake Building an enabling environment…
In Ethiopia, 86% of postpartum women express a desire for family planning—yet only 36% access it. This discrepancy is largely due to gaps in healthcare provider training, service integration, and community awareness. To contribute to reductions in maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, EngenderHealth and partners are supporting the expansion of post-partum family planning (PPFP) and selected RMNCH services across 300 high- and 600 low-caseload health facilities in the regions of Oromia, Amhara, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Addis Ababa. EngenderHealth leads this initiative in partnership with the Ethiopian Pediatrics Society, the Ethiopian Midwives Association, the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. We collaborate with health system actors, including the Ethiopian Ministry…
In 2020, FP2020 found that the modern contraceptive prevalence rate is 16.3% in Mali, with a 24.8% unmet need for family planning (FP). According to the World Bank, less than half of the population in Mali lives within five kilometers (about three miles) of a health facility. Kènèya Nieta aims to reduce community and cultural barriers to health services through faith-based and civil society organizations to increase uptake of FP services. EngenderHealth is supporting the integration of FP and gender, youth, and social inclusion across all program activities to improve community health workers’ ability to provide client-centered care. Our approach includes addressing gender imbalances, responding to the special needs of adolescents and youth, and strengthening community oversight mechanisms to hold…
In Burkina Faso, abortion is only permitted under limited circumstances including to protect the life and health of the pregnant person, severe fetal impairment, or in cases of rape or incest. According to Performance Monitoring for Action, in 2020 the national abortion rate was estimated at 23 pregnancy terminations for every 1,000 women, aged 15-49. Because of the legal restrictions and social stigma, unsafe abortions are common. Through the My Body, My Choices, My Rights program EngenderHealth is working in partnership with the Government of Burkina Faso, Pathfinder International, Communauté d’action pour la Promotion de la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive au Burkina Faso (CAPSSR), and Save our Souls /Jeunesse et Défis (SOS/JD), to improve access to safe, high-quality abortion care…
The Private Sector Intervention to Improve Access to Reversible Contraceptives program is a unique initiative supported by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and distinguished by its collaborative efforts and focus on training private-sector pharmacists and drug store personnel. EngenderHealth works in collaboration with a local partner, Parivar Seva Sanstha (PSS), to make modern reversible contraceptives widely accessible to communities in project-focused geographies. The program works across multiple states in India, including Rajasthan, Haryana, and Karnataka.According to FP2030, 16.6% of currently married women and 12% of all women have an unmet need for family planning in India. In 2022, there were an estimated 8,640,000 unintended pregnancies in India. Private Sector Counts found that 9.5% of women rely on the private sector…
EngenderHealth’s Protecting SRHR in the Context of Fertility Decline pilot project is funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and implemented in partnership with the Population Reference Bureau (PRB). Through this project, we are exploring how concerns about declining fertility at national and sub-national levels influence support for investments in contraception and other reproductive health services. This exploratory effort will gather insights from representatives from global and national spheres to identify and understand fertility anxiety, develop contextualized messages that champion sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) amid shifting fertility trends, and support a range of actors including journalists in communicating about the topic. Why This Project Matters Fertility trends are reshaping national and global SRHR priorities. Concerns about…
Through the Provision of Life-Saving Protection and Gender-Based Violence Assistance project, funded by UNICEF, EngenderHealth is addressing the emergency humanitarian needs of conflict-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities in Abaala and Berhale districts of the Afar region in Ethiopia. In this program, we are strengthening our ongoing efforts to address the high levels of gender inequality, which the secondary effects of the conflict in Ethiopia have exacerbated. EngenderHealth is partnering with UNICEF, the Afar Regional Bureau of Women and Social Affairs, and the Afar Regional Health Bureau. According to the Internal Organization for Migration, 4.3 million people have been internally displaced across Ethiopia as of June 2023. Conflict is the primary cause of displacement and has displaced…
The Reach, Expand, and Access Community Health (REACH) program in Ethiopia’s Jimma and Borena zones is a four-year initiative funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This program aims to ensure access to information and services for integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights, menstrual hygiene management, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) services for women and young people. The REACH project is implemented by EngenderHealth along with its consortium partners: Amref Health Africa and DKT Ethiopia. The project has four objectives: Improve women’s and young people’s agency through comprehensive and inclusive life skills training and engage them in interventions that improve self-efficacy to access and utilize REACH interventions and services Improve schools and surrounding communities’ support…
Tanzania’s National Road Map Strategic Plan to Accelerate Reduction of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Deaths in Tanzania (2008–2015) highlights that increasing the time between pregnancies can prevent 20% to 35% of all maternal deaths. The median age of first marriage for women in Tanzania is 19.2 years and 42% of women reported wanting to wait two years to have their next child. EngenderHealth is working with the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children and the President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government in Tanzania to strengthen the public sector delivery of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services. In partnership with Comprehensive Community-Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania, DKT International, and Pathfinder International the program is focusing on…
The Strengthening Local Youth- and Women-Led Organizations (YWLOs) to Become Key Actors in Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Improving the Management and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in West Africa program is a unique collaborative initiative generously funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. EngenderHealth is supporting an established network of youth- and women- organizations across multiple countries in West Africa, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo, to advocate for expanded access to a full range of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and addressing the root causes of GBV. The program aims to ensure that women, girls, and young people in West Africa can exercise their SRHR and create a world where…
The SSD project’s goal is to reduce maternal, youth, and child/newborn death through improved uptake of FP-MNCH-N at the point of service delivery through healthcare workers’ competency development, last mile supply delivery, and implementation of integrated service delivery of selected high-impact proven interventions. This project is funded by the Gates Foundation and operates at the health facility level in eight regions of Ethiopia (Amhara, Oromia, Sidama, Central Ethiopia, South Ethiopia and Southwest Ethiopia, Afar, and Somali), in close collaboration with John Snow, Inc. (Prime), Ethiopian Midwives Association, Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia, inSupply Health, ThinkPlace, and additional local partners including universities and development associations. Over the past two decades, Ethiopia has achieved tremendous advances in making high-quality essential health services…
Through the Support to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Gender Equality Initiatives in Benin program, EngenderHealth is supporting the efforts of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance in the fight against GBV and to promote gender equality in Benin. Our work focuses on national-level strategies to prevent GBV. We are partnering with organizations in Benin to expand and strengthen the vital work that they are already doing. According to UNFPA data in 2018, 14.6% of ever-partnered women aged 15–49 in Benin experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence in the preceding 12 months. GBV profoundly damages individual lives, societies, and economies. Addressing and preventing GBV is critical to transforming gender norms and advancing gender-equitable communities.
With funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), EngenderHealth supports the expansion of the Government of India’s flagship adolescent health programs by providing technical assistance, developing and implementing innovative strategies, and evidence gathering. The Technical Assistance—School Health and Wellness Program operates across six states in India (Bihar, Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh). The program’s overarching goal is to enhance the responsiveness and effectiveness of existing national adolescent health programs, promote the holistic development of adolescents, and address challenges in adolescent health and well-being. India has the largest adolescent (age 10-19) population in the world, estimated at 253 million, over 20% of the total population, according to the International Center for Research on Women. The Guttmacher Institute estimates…
