DKT International

Phil Harvey, the founder of DKT, became interested in family planning in 1968 while working on emergency food relief for CARE International in India. In 1970, he and his fellow University of North Carolina student Tim Black founded the business Adam & Eve in order to finance their charitable activities, and also founded the non-profit health organization Population Services International that same year.{{cite web|url=http://en.afrik.com/article12407.html|title=Philip D. Harvey: King of porn, master of charity (including interview)|publisher=Afrik.com|accessdate=5 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.adameve.com/t-company_info.aspx|title=About Adam & Eve|publisher=Adam & Eve|accessdate=5 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.psi.org/about-psi/psi-at-a-glance|title=PSI at a Glance|publisher=Population Services International|accessdate=15 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126191111/http://psi.org/about-psi/psi-at-a-glance|archive-date=26 November 2010|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=The Times obituary of Dr Tim Black, CBE 1937 - 2014|url=https://mariestopes.org/news/tim-black-1937-2014|website=Marie Stopes International|publisher=Marie Stopes International (Originally published by The Times)|accessdate=4 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208055256/https://mariestopes.org/news/tim-black-1937-2014|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}} DKT International, named for D.K. Tyagi, an early pioneer of family planning in India, was founded in 1989.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/phil-harvey-kind-of-blue-2868.html|title=Phil Harvey: Kind of blue|date=23 April 2005|work=The Independent|accessdate=5 June 2009}} DKT has grown rapidly over the years; its revenue from selling contraceptives increased from US$4.5 million in 1996 to $167.7 million in 2020, and its couple years of protection increased from 5.7 million in 2002 to 54.2 million in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://2umya83uy24b2nu5ug2708w5-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DKT-2020-Annual-Report-Final-Digital.pdf|title=2020 DKT Annual Report|publisher=DKT International|accessdate=25 March 2021}}

In 2006, DKT International refused to take the U.S. government's anti-prostitution pledge, feeling the pledge would interfere with its HIV/AIDS services worldwide. DKT challenged the pledge as a violation of First Amendment rights, with the support of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Judge Emmet G. Sullivan ruled in favor of DKT in the District Court for the District of Columbia on 18 May 2006, but the D.C. Court of Appeals reversed the decision on 27 February 2007.{{cite press release|title=ACLU and Public Health Groups Urge Appeals Court to Reject Bush Global AIDS Gag|url=https://www.aclu.org/hiv/gen/27760prs20061221.html|publisher=ACLU|date=21 December 2006|accessdate=5 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/federal/judicial/dc/opinions/06opinions/06-5225a.pdf|title=DKT International v. USAID|author=U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia|accessdate=5 June 2009}}

In 2013, a different organization successfully challenged the pledge before the U.S. Supreme Court in Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, Inc.{{cite web|author=Roberts, John|author-link=John Roberts|title=AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT v. ALLIANCE FOR OPEN SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/12-10#writing-12-10_OPINION_3|work=Legal Information Institute|publisher=Cornell Law School|date=20 June 2013|accessdate=17 July 2013}}

On 31 December 2013, Phil Harvey stepped down as president after 24 years, and was replaced by Christopher Purdy. Its board includes Carlos Garcia, Karen Pak Oppenheimer, Christopher H. Purdy, Dr. Matthew Reeves, Julie Stewart, and Emeritus board member Robert L. Ciszewski. Purdy also serves as CEO of DKT International.{{cite web|url=https://www.dktinternational.org/about/board-of-directors/|title=Board of Directors|publisher=DKT International|accessdate=25 March 2021}}

In 2020, 66.8% of DKT's revenue was from contraceptive sales and related services, 26.7% from grants and contracts and 6.5% from other income. 52.2% of expenses were related to program costs, 44.a% to contraceptive costs, 1.4% to headquarters, 0.3% to fundraising and 2.1% to other expenses.{{cite web|url=http://www.dktinternational.org/index.php?section=38|title=Operating Financials|publisher=DKT International|accessdate=5 June 2009}} Revenue from contraceptive sales first exceeded donor support in 2005.

For its first 26 years, DKT established stand-alone programs in each country and focused on countries with large markets, such as Ethiopia, Brazil and the Philippines. Eventually, though, DKT managers saw the benefits of a regional approach that can serve the reproductive health needs of multiple countries, including smaller ones. Therefore, DKT established its first regional program in French-speaking West and Central Africa in 2015. Since then, DKT has established six other regional platforms with two or more countries. These programs require fewer financial resources per country (and streamlined back office support), and leverages the common language, culture and regulatory environment of the region.{{Cite web |title=Where We Are |url=https://www.dktinternational.org/country-programs/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=DKT International |language=en-US}}

In 2017, DKT launched DKT WomanCare, a marketing and distribution platform to advance DKT's mission of providing people around the world with reproductive health options. In close partnership with manufacturers, DKT WomanCare provides global integrated supply chain and marketing support.{{Cite web |title=Womancare: Who we are |url=https://dktwomancare.org/who-we-are |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Womancare |language=en}} It sells a range of reproductive health products to multilateral bodies, ministries of health, commercial entities and social marketing and family planning organizations, and supports product launches and sales with marketing and training of health providers.{{Cite web |title=Womancare: DKT WomanCare: A New Social Marketing Model |url=https://www.dktwomancare.org/corporate-news/dkt-womancare-a-new-social-marketing-model |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Womancare |language=en}}

In 2020, DKT launched WomanCare Academy, an eLearning platform to improve providers’ confidence and capacity to provide reproductive health services. The first module orients providers to Levoplant (a 3 year contraceptive implant) and provides step-by-step instruction on the insertion and removal process.{{Cite web |title=DKT WomanCare |url=https://www.dktinternational.org/dkt-womancare/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=DKT International |language=en-US}}

In 2021, DKT WomanCare sold 253,512 manual vacuum aspiration kits, 1.5 million cannulae and 1.7 million implants in 90 countries, producing 2 million couple years of protection. In 2021, WomanCare sold products in 102 countries.{{Cite web |title=Womancare: 2021 Global impact |url=https://dktwomancare.org/corporate-news/2021-global-impact |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Womancare |date=12 October 2022 |language=en}}

carafem is a nonprofit organization established by DKT International in 2013 to address challenges in reproductive and abortion care within the United States. Drawing inspiration from successful international strategies, the organization set out to address the diminishing availability of abortion providers in the U.S.

In 2015, Carafem opened its first clinic in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with a mission to bridge crucial healthcare disparities. Subsequently, the organization expanded its footprint, establishing centers in Atlanta,{{Cite web |last=carafem |date=2016-11-23 |title=Why we decided to open an abortion clinic in Georgia |url=https://carafem.org/decided-open-abortion-clinic-georgia/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=carafem |language=en-US}} Chicago, and Nashville. Carafem offers telehealthcare options to patients in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Carafem is best known for its medically supported at-home abortion options, reaching patients in areas with limited healthcare access.{{Cite web |title=Carafem Uses Telehealth to Make Abortion Care Accessible {{!}} Built In |url=https://builtin.com/washington-dc/dc-future-5-startup-carafem-q2-2022 |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=builtin.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=carafem |date=2015-05-08 |title='Abortion. Yeah, We Do That.' — A Look Into a New Model of Abortion Care in the US |url=https://carafem.org/carafem-open-huffpo/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=carafem |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Somashekhar |first=Sandhya |date=March 30, 2015 |title=New spa-like abortion clinic is part of a trend to de-stigmatize the procedure |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-fluffy-robe-a-cup-of-tea-and-an-abortion/2015/03/29/0c55f17c-cbe7-11e4-8c54-ffb5ba6f2f69_story.html |access-date=2024-02-07 |newspaper=Washington Post}}

Women First Digital (WFD) is an international e-health organization working in the area of sexual and reproductive health. Their mission is to provide safe and affordable abortion pills to women who want them.{{Cite web |title=Women First Digital (WFD) {{!}} Devex |url=https://www.devex.com/organizations/women-first-digital-wfd-149161 |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=www.devex.com}}{{Cite web |last=Women First Digital |date=February 2023 |title="WOMEN FIRST DIGITAL: An eHealth enterprise advancing self-care solutions" |url=https://www.dktinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WFD-White-Paper-2023-1.pdf |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=DKT International}}{{Cite web |last=Ladner |first=Katherine |date=April 6, 2021 |title=Women First Digital Launches World's First Abortion Virtual Assistant, Ally, On WhatsApp For World Health Day |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210406005710/en/Women-First-Digital-Launches-World%E2%80%99s-First-Abortion-Virtual-Assistant-Ally-On-WhatsApp-For-World-Health-Day |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=Business Wire}}

WFD has three e-health platforms, ‘safe2choose’, ‘HowToUseAbortionPill’, and ‘find my method’.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-20 |title=WFD - Our eHealth platforms {{!}} Women First Digital |url=https://womenfirstdigital.org/our-ehealth-platforms/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=womenfirstdigital.org |language=en-US}}

safe2choose (launched in 2015) provides counseling for abortion care in multiple languages in 81 countries. Counselors communicate with patients through live chat and email.

HowToUseAbortionPill (launched in 2016) offers instructions for medical abortion in 26 languages. These guides are available for pregnancies up to 13 weeks. HowToUseAbortionPill has 57 country profiles that provide local information related to abortion, online courses for abortion seekers and providers, and an abortion chatbot available on its website as well as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.{{Cite web |title=Safe Abortion Pill Information at HowtoUseAbortionPill |url=https://www.howtouseabortionpill.org/about-us/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.howtouseabortionpill.org |language=en}}

find my method (launched in 2019) is a website providing information about 15+ contraceptive methods in 15 different languages.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-18 |title=Contraceptives, family planning methods{{!}}safe sex guide{{!}} Find My Method |url=https://findmymethod.org/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=findmymethod.org |language=en}}

WFD also translates its URLs into local languages for different regions. For example, safe2choose is ayudaparaabortar.org, HowToUseAbortionPill is comoabortarconpastillas.org, and find my method is guiadesexoseguro.org in Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America.{{Cite web |title=Ayudaparaabortar: Orientación en Línea sobre Aborto en el mundo. |url=https://ayudaparaabortar.org/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=ayudaparaabortar.org |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Inicio. Cómo usar las pastillas abortivas. {{!}} HowToUse AbortionPill |url=https://comoabortarconpastillas.org/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.howtouseabortionpill.org |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-12 |title=Métodos Anticonceptivos {{!}} Guía de Sexo Seguro |url=https://guiadesexoseguro.org/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=guiadesexoseguro.org |language=es}}

Since its creation, WFD has reached people in around 180 countries, all over Asia, Africa, and the Americas. From 2015-2022, WFD received more than 25 million website sessions; provided over 300,000 direct-to-user services for abortion care; facilitated 44,000 referrals to abortion care providers; certified 12,000 medical abortion providers; and reached over 74 million users across social media channels.  

As of 2022, DKT International's donors include: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Embassy of Sweden, Erik and Edith Bergstrom Foundation, (British) Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Gates Philanthropy Partners, Government of Germany (KfW Development Bank), Government of India, Government of Sweden, National Postcode Lottery (Netherlands), Preston-Werner Ventures, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), WestWind Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and anonymous donors.{{cite web|url=http://www.dktinternational.org/about-dkt/donors/|title=Donors|publisher=DKT International|accessdate=8 June 2016}}

As of 2023, DKT International had 24 programs with sales in 90 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.{{cite web|url=http://www.dktinternational.org/index.php?section=12|title=Our Programs|publisher=DKT International|accessdate=8 June 2016}}{{Cite web |title=Results |url=https://www.dktinternational.org/resources/results/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=DKT International |language=en-US}} Some initiatives serve more than one country.

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.dktinternational.org/ Official website]
• [https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/581593137 DKT International] on Charity Navigator
• [https://dktwomancare.org/ DKT WomanCare]

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Category:International charities

Category:Health charities in the United States

Category:Birth control providers

Category:HIV/AIDS prevention organizations

Category:Organizations established in 1989

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Category:Medical and health organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Category:HIV/AIDS organizations in the United States