PEPFAR platforms should be optimized to incorporate and integrate essential health services for women, including the integration of HIV and voluntary family planning services. Since 2012, PEPFAR policy guidance has allowed PEPFAR funds to be used to support integrated FP/HIV activities, where it makes sense to do so. Activities that align with PEPFAR guidance and directly serve PEPFAR priority populations across the prevention, care and treatment cascade should be prioritized. PEPFAR funds cannot be used to buy contraceptive commodities; however, male and female condoms can be purchased with PEPFAR funds.
When you are conducting FP/HIV integrated activities, those that apply to HIV/AIDS activities.
PEPFAR's FP/HIV programs are guided by the principles of voluntarism and informed choice. Under these principles:
- People living with HIV should be provided with comprehensive information on and be able to exercise voluntary decisions about their health, including their family planning choices.
- All individuals have a right to choose the number, timing, and spacing of their children, as well as decide on the use of contraceptive methods, regardless of their HIV status.
- Family planning use should always be a choice, made freely and voluntarily, independent of the person's HIV status.
- The decision to use or not to use family planning should be free of any discrimination, stigma, coercion, duress, or deceit and be informed by accurate, comprehensible information and access to a range of contraceptive methods.
- Access to and provision of health services, including antiretroviral treatment, for people living with HIV should never be conditioned on that person's choice to accept or reject any other service, such as family planning (other than what may be medically advisable).
- Women living with HIV who wish to have children should have access to respectful, safe conception and pregnancy counseling, antenatal care, and childbirth services.
Additionally, there are legal and policy requirements that apply specifically to USAID family planning activities, including family planning activities conducted with PEPFAR funds. The legal requirements are implemented through USAID's standard provisions inserted in all grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts that include family planning activities. The current standard provisions for grants and cooperative agreements to NGOs are found in the USAID Automated Directives System (ADS) Chapter 303 mandatory references. The current standard provisions that apply to contracts are found in Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directive 08-01 [PDF, 59KB].
USAID takes these family planning requirements very seriously and works with PEPFAR, USAID Missions, and partners to help ensure compliance in their programs.
Resources for USAID and PEPFAR Staff and Partners
There are many resources available to USAID and PEPFAR staff and partners to help them become familiar and ensure compliance with these requirements.
FP/HIV Integration Compliance Resources
- U.S. Abortion and Family Planning Requirements – 2021 eLearning Course: The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the U.S. abortion and family planning legislative and policy requirements that govern USAID's programs.
- HIV/AIDS Legal and Policy Requirements eLearning Course: The course provides an overview of the legislative and policy requirements that govern HIV/AIDS activities, including a section on HIV and AIDS and family planning (FP/HIV) integrated activities. The primary audience for this course is people who manage and/or implement USAID-supported HIV/AIDS activities.