Mexican Institute for Family and Population Research

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The Mexican Institute for Family and Population Research (IMIFAP) is a non-profit non-governmental organization based in Mexico City, Mexico. Founded in 1985 by a small group of professors and students from the Faculty of Psychology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the organization functions as a center for teaching, research, and consulting in the fields of public health, population, and individual and community welfare. A certified Civil Association within Mexico, IMIFAP focuses in the areas of health, environmental, nutrition, and sexuality education, microenterprise development, and addictions, cancer, HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancy, and violence prevention. Based on the theory of Agentic Empowerment, all IMIFAP programs aim to empower the individual with knowledge and skills for personal development, leading to individual and community change.

[edit] History

The organization’s original purpose was to research behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge regarding sexuality and pregnancy for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy among Mexican teens. The implementation and evaluation of a program for adolescent girls yielded results that led to the expansion of the program to include their parents, siblings, and the development of comprehensive health and community development programs.

IMIFAP’s research into the prevention of unplanned pregnancy in adolescents demonstrated that a lack of psychosocial skills was not only related to unprotected sex among youth, but also with other public health issues, including violence, HIV/AIDS, substance use and abuse, and diabetes.

[edit] Programs

IMIFAP’s signature program, Yo Quiero, Yo Puedo (“I want to, I can”), provides program participants with scientifically validated knowledge and life skills in interactive and participatory workshop settings. The Yo Quiero, Yo Puedo life skills training program is based on IMIFAP’s experience in the field since its founding in 1985. It operates under the assumption that, once individuals acquire a sense of personal agency, they will impact the broader community context.

The majority of IMIFAP programs utilize a cascading health promotion training system, whereby IMIFAP officers directly train teachers, health personnel, government or community health educators, or youth promoters in intensive training workshops. The trainees then replicate the program with varying populations in their communities. IMIFAP has adopted a cascading health promotion training system in order to promote local ownership and long-term sustainability of its programs. All programs provide workshop leaders with trainers’ manuals, and many also provide trainees with textbooks.

IMIFAP programming includes Yo Quiero, Yo Puedo life skills training for:

- Adolescents
- Women
- Men
- Teachers
- Health personnel
- Pharmacists
- Domestic workers

All Yo Quiero, Yo Puedo programming covers three universal themes: 1) Life skills, 2) Health education, and 3) Civics and Ethics Training. Each focused program includes specialized material on the subject. Focused programs include addictions, cancer, HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancy, and violence prevention; citizenship; health and rights; microenterprise development; parenting; and youth development.