MSI-US

Marie Stopes International (MSI), a not-for-profit sexual and reproductive health organization, is committed to the vision of "children by choice-not chance." MSI strives to realize a world with universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, where women and couples can freely exercise their right to decide whether and when to have children. To reach this goal, MSI uses modern business methods to deliver high quality contraception, safe abortion, and post-abortion care to millions of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. Founded in 1976, Marie Stopes International has evolved from the first-ever family planning clinic in the UK, opened by Marie Stopes... read more Marie Stopes International (MSI), a not-for-profit sexual and reproductive health organization, is committed to the vision of "children by choice-not chance." MSI strives to realize a world with universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, where women and couples can freely exercise their right to decide whether and when to have children. To reach this goal, MSI uses modern business methods to deliver high quality contraception, safe abortion, and post-abortion care to millions of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. Founded in 1976, Marie Stopes International has evolved from the first-ever family planning clinic in the UK, opened by Marie Stopes in 1921, to a global network with operations in 40 countries. Today, Marie Stopes International's reach spans Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe. The MSI international partnership has over 11,000 employees, the majority of which are locally hired clinical and administrative staff. MSI United States (MSI-US) is a 501(c)(3) supporting organization to MSI, and a part of the MSI global partnership. MSI US provides vision and leadership for the development of US-based partnerships that leverage technical and financial resources in support of MSI's global mission. Key objectives for MSI US include: providing technical and program resources to MSI partners and managing US-based grants to ensure optimal performance in coordination with the MSI headquarters in London and country programs around the world. MSI US also represents MSI to various institutions, including Congress, US-based multilateral agencies, such as the United Nations, US-based donors, academic institutions, and private and non-profit organizations working to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. The programs supported by MSI are lifesaving and increasingly needed. There is a tremendous and growing unmet need for essential sexual and reproductive health services in developing countries, negatively impacting millions of women and their families. Worldwide, over two hundred million women in developing countries would like to delay or avoid pregnancy but lack access to the necessary family planning services and commodities. The United Nations estimates that this demand for family planning will grow 40% by 2050, as record numbers of young people enter their prime reproductive years. This unmet need for contraception leads to an estimated 80 million unintended pregnancies annually in the developing world, and each year, more than 300,000 women die in delivery and pregnancy-about 830 each day. Additionally, approximately 25 million unsafe abortions occur annually due to unintended and unwanted pregnancies, resulting in more than 22,000 maternal deaths. Five women die every hour in developing countries from complications arising from unsafe abortion. If the vast unmet need for family planning were met, an estimated 94,000 maternal deaths would be averted and $1.5 billion would be saved on maternal and newborn health services. Marie Stopes International recognizes the disparity between the existence of modern contraception and the lack of access faced by hundreds of millions of women, couples and young people throughout the world. MSI also recognizes that the return on investment in family planning is significant: contraception saves lives, reduces incidence of abortion, empowers women, benefits families and communities and contributes to broader economic, environmental and social goals. The organization thus exists to bridge the gap between need and access by providing underserved communities with a range of services including: contraceptive counseling and services; safe abortion (where legally permitted) and lifesaving care after unsafe abortion; maternal and child health care, including safe delivery and obstetrics; diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections; and HIV/AIDS prevention. In 2018, more than 30 million women were using an MSI provided method of contraception, with support from MSI US. Users of MSI contraceptives tended to choose a wider or different variety of methods than the general populations in their countries, indicating that MSI enriched the method mix and provided its clients with an expanded choice of contraceptives. The services provided by MSI in 2018 will avert an estimated 12.3 million unplanned pregnancies, 6.4 million unsafe abortions, and 32,000 maternal deaths. The majority of MSI's health impact occurred in rural areas or urban slums in developing countries where the need for sexual and reproductive health services is greatest. It is projected that the health impact of MSI's reproductive health work alone will save families and healthcare systems in 37 developing countries over $555 million. There is still much to be done in addressing the huge unmet need for family planning and eradicating unsafe abortion in developing countries. MSI has set a bold goal of ending unsafe abortion by 2025. And we will contribute to finally completing the family planning revolution, so that all women and couples in every country can choose: the number of children they desire the spacing of their births the preferred contraceptive method from the preferred provider. Investment in MSI yields substantial and positive impact in reducing unintended pregnancies and increasing contraceptive prevalence in high priority countries, where women are eager to control their fertility but often lack the resources to do so. MSI has a track record of success and over the next five years will build on this platform and further expand to those who are most in need.