People

Regional Director, IPPF SARO 

  sonal mehta pictureMs. Sonal Mehta 

With over three decades of experience in  sexual health and development, Sonal Mehta  brings wide experience of community engagement, large scale programmatic management, which includes inception and advancement of multi-dimensional developmental programs in public health and human rights.

Previously she was associated with HIV/AIDS   Alliance India as the Chief Executive Officer   where she led various programs emphasizing   on marginalized populations including men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender, sex workers, people who inject drugs (PWIDs),  youth, and people living with HIV and TB.

Prior to HIV/AIDS Alliance India, Sonal Mehta  was the Challenge Fund Manager in the Department for International Development program that contributed to many path-breaking interventions in India, including bringing oral substitution therapy for people who inject drugs. She also has experience working within the Government’s AIDS Control Program at state and national level in India.

She has done her international masters in Practicing Management from McGill and completed her master’s in science in International Management from Lancaster, UK.

Board of Trustees 

IPPF’s new regulations establish a new, skills-based Board of Trustees to govern IPPF as per the strategic direction set by the General Assembly. Seven trustees come from IPPF, and six are external trustees. Nine of them are women, and one-third are young people under 25 years of age. Meet them 

  • Kate Gilmore (Interim Chair)

  • Abhina Aher

  • Isaac Adewole

  • Rosa Ayong Tchonang

  • Ulukbek Batyrgaliev

  • Bience Gawanas

  • Surakshya Giri

  • Jacob Mutambo

  • Donya Nasser

  • Aurélia Nguyen

  • Dr Josephine Obel

  • Elizabeth Schaffer

  • Kobe Smith

Volunteers

IPPF is a volunteer-led movement which thrives on volunteer support. Hundreds of thousands work with us through our Member Associations at grass root level. 

IPPF South Asia Region has a strong pool of over 150,000 volunteers from across the nine countries contributing to the work carried out by our Member Association in the capacity of policy advising, community work and as health workers. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and are passionate and committed to the vision and mission of IPPF. 

Our volunteers have helped build access to quality services, often taking services to people living in areas where no services are available. IPPF is successful in doing what it does thanks to the commitment and dedication of its staff and volunteers.

We thank each of them for their time and support to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We are committed to have women and young people at leadership position. Governing Bodies of all our Member Associations consists of more than 50% women and 20% youth.