Home page: www.figo.org

FIGO – the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics – is the only worldwide organisation that groups obstetricians and gynecologists. The mission of FIGO is to promote the well-being of women and to raise the standard of practice in obstetrics and gynecology.

FIGO has grown from an organisation representing the forty-two national societies which attended the founding meeting on the 26th of July, 1954, in Geneva into a worldwide organisation representing obstetricians and gynecologists in over one hundred territories. FIGO is a benevolent, non-profit organisation funded through subscriptions received from member societies, grants and the proceeds of its triennial World Congress. FIGO is composed of 113 member societies.

FIGO is incorporated under the Swiss Civil Code and established at 42 rue du 31 Decembre, Geneva, Switzerland

Governance

The governance of FIGO is set out in its Constitution and Bye-Laws.  The Executive Board, composed of 6 officers and representatives of 24 member societies, determines policy and is responsible for administration. Face-to-face meetings are infrequent, and much of the business is transacted by correspondence, facsimile and e-mail. The Executive Board meets once a year and the Officers at least twice yearly. The General Assembly of FIGO meets every three years at the time of the triennial World Congress and is composed of delegates from each member association. It hears reports, approves the accounts and elects the officers and new members of the Executive Board for the ensuing three-year term.

Activities

Since its founding in 1954, every three years FIGO has organised a World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Its other activities include:

• the organisation and administration of safe motherhood projects around the world, designed to reduce maternal mortality in developing countries
•  the awarding of modest grants to societies involved in the organisation of national workshops on maternal mortality and on safe motherhood
• the organisation of international workshops and the De Watteville Lecture, in collaboration with IFFS (given in memory of Professor Hubert de Watteville, one of the founding fathers of FIGO)
• the awarding of fellowships, including those given in consultation with the Ernst Schering Research Foundation, and the Chien Tien Hsu Research Foundation.
• The publication of a World Report on Women’s Health, published every three years to coincide with the World Congress. This special supplement to the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics represents a comprehensive overview of women’s health issues, both medical and social ,such as the environment, violence against women, infertility and the effects of aging.

Through the work of dedicated Committees and Advisory Panels, FIGO's work embraces many aspects of obstetrics and gynecology such as oncology, STDs/AIDS, perinatal health, education, safe motherhood, medical terminology, women physicians in the specialty, social activities on women's health, new technology, the pathology of the breast and ethics.