Issue
Limited data on the barriers to healthcare faced by women with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome in Barbados hinders effective policy advocacy.
How we are helping
We are supporting BAEP to build its capacity to collect evidence on shortfalls in healthcare access and insurance provision, and to advocate for better health outcomes for women with gynaecological conditions
About the project
The Foundation’s capacity strengthening grants stream supports smaller Commonwealth civil society organisations in smaller Member States, building their expertise and enhancing their capacity to influence policy.
BAEP works to improve health outcomes for people living with endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and similar conditions; however, access to quality care and insurance coverage remains limited, and there is a lack of local data to support advocacy. With this grant, the organisation will strengthen its capacity to collect and analyse evidence on treatment costs, access barriers, and the role of insurance, helping inform national dialogue and promote policy change.
The key actions for this project are:
- Research and data collection
- Developing and promoting an online survey to gather community input, with participation incentives.
- Conducting a desk review using data from local insurance companies on treatment costs and coverage over the past 10 years.
- Organising focus groups and interviews to explore barriers and enablers of gynaecological health outcomes across a range of settings.
- Analysis and stakeholder engagement
- Analysing and interpreting findings to develop key insights.
- Presenting results to healthcare and insurance stakeholders to inform future advocacy and system improvements.
As a result of the project, it is hoped that BAEP will benefit from strengthened capacity in monitoring, evaluation, and evidence-based advocacy, contributing to improved healthcare outcomes for women living with endometriosis, PCOS, and similar conditions, including improved engagement with policy-makers and insurance providers. The project will also support more informed national discussions about healthcare coverage and gender-sensitive policy reforms.
Project Partners
The Barbados Association of Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (BAEP) is a registered non-profit organisation in Barbados, which seeks to educate citizens and advocate for those who have endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. BAEP seeks to improve awareness of these ‘invisible illnesses’ and their direct impact on the individual and the wider impact on society. We work with stakeholders and beneficiaries to improve the quality of life of the women and girls in our community who are living with these conditions by engaging in meaningful dialogue and providing access to relevant resources.
We support people's participation in democracy and development by providing grants, platforms, and expertise.
