South Asia + MENA - Pathfinder International

Our President of Interim President, South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa, Mohamed Abou Nar

Mohamed Abou Nar brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Pathfinder’s Interim President for South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa (SAMENA). With over 25 years in international development, Mohamed is a proven leader with a strategic vision. As Chief Organizational Growth Officer, he spearheaded Pathfinder’s growth, securing new mega projects and strategic initiatives.

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We strengthen services and entire systems that allow women and all individuals to prosper—economically, educationally, and civically.

Pathfinder works across the South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa regions to support women, young people, and their communities with access to sexual and reproductive health services, in building resilience to climate change, and in increasing women’s economic independence, opening opportunities for them to thrive.

Our trusted networks of government and civil society partners and community- and country-led programs contribute to more resilient health systems capable of offering sustained sexual and reproductive health care and other essential services, even in the most difficult environments.

Each area of work at Pathfinder is aligned to four overarching, interconnected dimensions that we see as integral to success: women’s agency and choice, access to and diversity of points of care, health-system readiness, and enabling environments. In South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Pathfinder focuses on the following areas:

Women and Economic Social Empowerment

Pathfinder encourages women’s participation in the workforce; generates demand for financial services; promotes tailored, market-based solutions to women’s economic empowerment; and strengthens gender-based violence prevention and response such that women become more economically and socially resilient.

Contraception and Family Planning

Pathfinder works to ensure everyone of reproductive age can exercise their right to quality modern contraception and engage freely and fully in their communities. We partner with decision-makers to make sure modern contraception is available wherever needed at an affordable cost so people of all ages can choose the method that’s best for them. Pathfinder also leads integrated programs on maternal, newborn, and child health; gender-based violence; cervical cancer prevention; and HIV and AIDS prevention.

Women-Led Climate Resilience

Across SA and MENA, climate change is having broad impacts on health. Pathfinder elevates women and girls as changemakers in their communities, engaging them to lead resilient, local, and rights-based solutions to climate adaptation. Our commitment to women’s leadership of climate adaptation, our conviction in the power of local community-based solutions, and our passion for innovation and partnership across sectors drive our women-led climate resilience programs.

*Stats above represent time period between July 2017-June 2022

Our Results

Egypt ranked 140th out of 153 countries in women’s economic participation and opportunity.

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Photo: Medhat Saleh

Participants of awareness-building session in Sohag, Egypt

Photo: Pathfinder India

Clients use YUVAA virtual reality technology

In India, Pathfinder’s YUVAA project held a 100-day campaign that used immersive technology like virtual reality and talking video projections.

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In Pakistan, Pathfinder conducted health assessments in 432 health facilities across Sindh Province, in order to develop more resilient health systems in the face of climate shocks.

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