Marie Stopes International


Marie Stopes International is an international non-governmental organisation providing contraception and safe abortion services in 37 countries around the world. Marie Stopes International as an organisation lobbies in favour of access to abortion, and provides a variety of sexual and reproductive healthcare services including advice, vasectomies, and abortions in the UK and other countries where it is legal to do so.
In 2015 there were an estimated 21 million women around the world using a method of contraception provided by Marie Stopes International. The contraception and safe abortion services that the organisation provided in 2015 averted 6.3 million unintended pregnancies, 4 million unsafe abortions and 18,100 maternal deaths.
The organisation's core services include family planning; safe abortion and post-abortion care; maternal and child health care, including safe delivery and obstetrics; diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections; and HIV/AIDS prevention.

History

In 1975, the Marie Stopes Foundation was bankrupt and entered voluntary administration. It was taken over by Tim Black who re-founded the organisation as a social business named Marie Stopes International in 1976.
In 1992, it setup Options Consultancy Services a wholly owned subsidiary headquartered in the United Kingdom. It provides technical expertise, programme design monitoring and evaluation.
In 2000, Marie Stopes opened in Australia, trading under Marie Stopes Australia. It is the only national, independently accredited safe abortion, vasectomy and contraception provider in the country.
In 2008, Marie Stopes International opened in Mexico City state, where legislative change enabled improved access to abortion services.

Contraception

Marie Stopes International estimated that the services they provided in 2013 prevented approximately 6.1 million unintended pregnancies, 14,300 maternal deaths and 3.1 million unsafe abortions. In 2013 there were 15.6 million women using a method of contraception provided by Marie Stopes International.

Social marketing

Marie Stopes International runs contraceptive social marketing programmes in 17 countries, such as the Kushi contraceptive pill and injectable in India, Raha condom and Smart Lady emergency contraceptive pill in Kenya,Jodi Condom in Nepal, Lifeguard condom in Uganda and Snake condom in Australia aimed at the Aboriginal population market.