New York, NY , August 14, 2024 —  The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is launching a new crowdsolving challenge in partnership with Wazoku and Seafreight Labs. This challenge is called “Autonomous Contraception Dispensing Stations” and is aimed at improving access to contraception for displaced women and girls specifically beyond facility-based care or other health provider settings. 

This latest challenge has an award pool of $15,000 for proposed solutions that create  autonomous contraception dispensing stations in convenient physical locations along migratory routes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 135 million migrant women and children were on the move globally in 2020, many fleeing crises and facing significant barriers to clinical care. Access to contraception is a critical issue, as multiple barriers often prevent these women and girls and others from obtaining the proven, safe products to avoid unintended pregnancies.