All people across Aotearoa New Zealand will have access to impartial contraception information and access to a wide range of service providers. Protected&Proud are dedicated to promoting tina rangatiratanga self-determination, enabling everyone to take control of their sexual and reproductive health.
A co-creation approach is a fundamental point of difference of Protected&Proud, ensuring that consumers are involved as decision-makers, equity is front and centre, Te Tiriti o Waitangi guides us, combined with the adoption of an agnostic provider and practitioner model that is delivered through collaborative partnerships. As we evolve our kaupapa, we aim to ensure that we develop sexual and reproductive health information and resources that are inclusive, for rainbow people and, for people with disabilities.
Protected&Proud was co-designed with wāhine/women alongside healthcare professionals and kaupapa Māori providers from Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty to improve access to contraception information and service providers. The project was funded by Te Whatu Ora Hauora a Toi as part of the Contraception Access Initiative and commenced in mid-2019.
The integration of co-design (western) and kaupapa Māori research approaches were used to ensure that the world
views, experiences and perspectives of wāhine/women, and whānau were supported and prioritised, and the community had active participation in the decision-making process.
Engagement took place with over 50 wāhine/women and 70 healthcare professionals, service managers and service providers resulting in the development of a wāhine-centred model of care to ensure that commissioned services were accessible and convenient.
A social marketing intervention was identified as critical part of the strategy led by a co-design team comprising of a Project Lead, healthcare practitioners, and consumers.
He Pou Oranga – Tangata Whenua Determinants of Toi Ora and Nga Pou Mana o Io centred the kaupapa, ensuring that Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles were reciprocal, whānau felt empowered, Te Ao Māori kawa and tikanga were adhered to, and it was led with grassroots kōrero (Te Toi Ahorangi: Te Rautaki a Toi Ora 2030 (2019)).
The whakatauākī was gifted to support Protected&Proud by Te Pare ō Toi, Māori Health Services Hauora a Toi.
The whakatauākī was spoken by Ngāpuhi rangatira Hēnare Tōmoana to acknowledge the courage of his wife Ākenehi Pātoka who was a signatory of the Women’s Suffrage Petition in 1893.
It reflects the synergy between wāhine and whenua in the Māori world view. Amongst many iwi in Aotearoa, Hineahuone was the first woman created from the soil of Kurawaka by Tāne Māhuta with the support of his siblings, who each gifted her parts of their essence to bring her to life. Hineahuone and Tāne pro-created Hinetitama. In terms of fertility from a Māori perspective, Hineahuone reflects the wellbeing of wāhine Māori. For Protected&Proud, this whakatauākī is about the gift of life that Hineahuone began and pro-choice.
Protected&Proud – the brand was co-designed with and for wāhine/women. The name ‘Protected&Proud’ was nominated and chosen by wāhine/women for demonstrating a positive, strength-based approach to sexual and reproductive health.
The heart logo is formed using a uterus shape composed of koru design to reflect femininity, care and nurturing open-wide arms. The koru also represents personal growth, positive change, and harmony.
Many people have been involved in the creation and development of Protected&Proud since 2019. We wish to acknowledge the leadership of Sarah Stevenson, formerly Population Health and Women’s Health Portfolio Manager at Te Whatu Ora Hauora a Toi, who commissioned and provided guidance to the kaupapa, and Jo Elvidge, Principal Advisor at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ for championing the development of a national resource. Thank you to all the service providers across the Bay of Plenty that continue to improve access to contraception and in particular, Kathy Le Haavre, Specialist Contraception Nurse for leading LARC training with healthcare practitioners and delivering innovative ways to deliver contraception services.
Importantly, thank you to the many wāhine/women+ from the Bay of Plenty and more recently from Counties Manukau and across the motu that have shared their personal experiences and been involved as a co-design team member, peer educator, and/or graciously permitted us to use you in our imagery.
We would also like to thank our partners for their support – NZCSRH | Te Whatu Ora – Counties Manukau & Hauora a Toi | Healthpoint | Inospire. Thank you to Bayer for the educational grant to develop the national platform.
The development of Protected&Proud: Aotearoa New Zealand contraception platform is being led by an experienced team of healthcare professionals, experienced practitioners, and consumers from across the motu.
Contact a member of the team for more information about Protected&Proud.
Ministry of Health announced funding to improve access to contraception services with District Health Boards View the announcement here
Bay of Plenty District Health Board partnered with wāhine across the Bay of Plenty to understand their experience of using contraception services and how a new funded service should be delivered.
Protected&Proud – the brand for the contraception service was co-designed with and for wāhine. Protected&Proud was put forward and chosen by wāhine for demonstrating a positive, strength-based approach.
A range of health providers across the Bay of Plenty were contracted to deliver wāhine-centred contraceptive services.
Protected&Proud resources are launched to promote the service to wāhine across the Bay of Plenty.
Three wāhine aged 16-19yrs have joined the project team to design, deliver and evaluate a Peer Educator Youth Project in the Eastern Bay of Plenty as part of the wider Protected&Proud service. The Peer Educator project aims to create space for wāhine to learn and korero with other wāhine about the most effective contraception to help support decision-making and increase access to services.
Note: Wāhine/women+ includes consideration of whānau and social context and is intended to be inclusive of gender diverse people who share some of the health needs of women but do not identify as women. (RANZCOG, 2022)
The development of this website was supported with an educational grant from Bayer.
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A non-hormonal (Copper) IUD is a small, T-shaped plastic device which contains copper. It is put into the uterus (womb). A Copper IUD does not contain hormones. The copper IUD can also be used as an Emergency Contraception.
LASTS FROM 5 TO 10 YEARS | PLACED IN THE UTERUS | EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY | EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION – UP TO 5 DAYS AFTER SEX
A Hormonal IUD is a small, T-shaped plastic device, which contains the hormone progestogen to control your fertility. The device is put into the uterus (womb).
HORMONES | LASTS FROM 3 TO 5 YEARS | PLACED IN THE UTERUS | EFFECTIVE IN 7 DAYS
Two small, flexible plastic rods that are placed just under the skin in the upper arm. The implant releases the hormone progestogen to control fertility.
HORMONES | LASTS UP TO 5 YEARS | PLACED IN THE ARM | EFFECTIVE IN 7 DAYS
