Introduction & Background
The introduction of Family Planning activities in Ghana started in 1966 when Mrs. Betty Hull, the Regional Liaison Officer of the International Planned Parenthood Federation [IPPF] visited Ghana to explore the possibilities for the formation of a Family Planning Association.
After a series of meetings with interested individuals in the promotion of family planning in Ghana the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana [PPAG] was established in March 1967 and became a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation in 1969.
The Association has since then worked to complement the efforts of government in providing healthcare and development for the nation. Thus since its inception PPAG has developed expertise in a variety of projects with the welfare of the individual and the family as focal points
Following a three-year transformation process in 1999, the Association has now widened its scope from a narrow family planning focus to cover other Sexual and Reproductive health [SRH] issues including HIV/AIDS with emphasis on the youth aged 10 24 years. This was as a result of the adoption by IPPF of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Charter following the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development [ICPD] held in Cairo.
Vision and Mission
- The vision of PPAG is that Ghana should become a country in which the youth are well informed about Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues and confidently exercise their right of choice of SRH services without fear and or any obstacle from any sector of the society
- The Association's mission is ” to provide the youth with the knowledge and means of exercising their basic rights to decide freely and responsibly on their Sexual and Reproductive Health as a means of improving the quality of life of Ghanaians.”
Aims and Objectives
The Association's aim and objectives falls in line with the parent body IPPF. These objectives follow the belief that knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and a balance between the population of the world and its natural resources and productivity is a necessary condition of human happiness, prosperity and peace. Specifically the Association seeks to:
- To assist national efforts aimed at improving the socio-economic and political life of the population.
- To promote the physical and mental health of families, especially the youth through positive sexual behaviours.
- To promote better health and nutrition of families, especially children and women.
- To initiate and promote educational and other programmes aimed at responsible family life for the youth.
Facility based services are delivered through Youth Centres and youth-friendly clinics where young people have access to SRH information, education, recreation, skills training as well as clinical services. Clinical services include management of minor ailments, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) screening and VCT services.
Outreach activities include, Advocacy, Behaviour Change Communication (BCC), Mobile Clinics, Peer Education, Franchising, Competitions, Social Marketing of non-clinical contraceptives etc.
The Association also builds institutional leadership and capacity to implement program activities.
Volunteer Achievements
Since the appointment of the first full time staff in August 1967, the Association has managed to recruit highly qualified staff. The current staff strength of 102 is made up of professionals from various disciplines who are committed and dedicated to their work. Staff work with volunteers to implement programme activities and run the Association.
Working from an arranged office in Korle-Bu in the early years of its establishment, the Association now owns its own head office in Latebiorkorshie and a number of Young & Wise centres and clinics across the country.
Following the opening of the first family planning clicic opened in 1968, the Association now operates 17 Young and Wise Centres and 5 youth friendly clinics all over the country. The Association also introduced the first male SRH clinic in the country.
The PPAG Council and Volunteers have from the very beginning been very conscious of their responsibilities as trustees of the cash grants and commodities donated by IPPF and other donors. They had equally been conscious of the need for PPAG to be self-reliant by generating local funds in addition to the grants
Who is a PPAG Volunteer?
A PPAG Volunteer is any individual whose time, talents and specialised knowledge and other resources are given freely for the achievement of PPAG's objectives without expectation of financial reward. The volunteer also identifies himself or herself specifically with Sexual and Reproductive Health as a basic human right.
PPAG Volunteer MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to:
- Any person, or institution that agrees with and believes in the objectives, policies and activities of the Association
- Any person willing to comply with procedural requirements prescribed by the Association's constitution.
- Individuals 18 years and above and of sound mind.
Members, whether individuals or institutions pay membership dues and have voting rights. Honorary members are long standing distinguished members who have rendered significant services to the Association, and who in the opinion of the members at an Annual General Meeting deserve to be admitted into such membership.
Volunteer Structure
1. The Annual General Meting (AGM): The Annual General Meeting is the highest body that meets annually to:
- Review the Association's activities and roles
- Consider how to further the objectives of the Association and to
- Approve policies formulated by the National Council.
2. The National Council: The Association has a 12 member National Council headed by an elected President and a Treasurer. The Council is made up of knowledgeable individuals in any of the disciplines in the field of Medicine, Accounting, Finance and Banking, Law, Engineering, Building Technology, Social Studies, Education and any other discipline relevant to the objectives of the Association.
National Council Members are elected to represent their zones
The Council appoints an Executive Director, who heads the management team made up of three Directors for Programmes, Finance and Administration, Marketing and Resource Mobilisation. The Executive Director in turn recruits qualified staff to perform various functions in the Association
3. Standing Committees: The National Council is assisted in the performance of its functions by two standing committees and an Honorary Legal Adviser. The committees are Programmes & Resource Mobilisation and Budget & Finance.
4. Volunteer Branches and Zones: PPAG has over 1,000 volunteers formed into local Branches in the 3 administrative zones of the Association. These are:
- Southern Zone made up of Western, Central, Greater Accra, Volta and parts of Eastern Region:
- Middle Zone made up of Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions and two districts of the Eastern Region
- Northern Zone consisting of Northern, Upper West and Upper East Regions.
A local branch is made up of not less than twenty paid-up members in a village, town or city in any of the regions.
5. Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities: PPAG volunteers are committed to the objectives of the Association and are supported by staff to design policies and programmes to further the Association’s objectives and to carry out various SRH assignments. Volunteers receive orientation and training for the activities they are expected to perform. The capacities of volunteers are built and their knowledge upgraded to enable full participation in programmes and other activities of the Association.
Volunteer Activities
PPAG volunteers are responsible for deciding the programme direction of the Association and are supported by staff to plan and implement all programmes. PPAG Programmes are broadly categorised as Youth and Community Based Service and are implemented through facility based and outreach activities.
