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21st April 2026 - IPPF and its Member Association in Palestine (PFPPA) are pleased to announce the launch of a new project financed by the Government of Japan, "Provision of health and medical services for women and children affected by crisis in the West Bank." This project will deliver life-saving maternal healthcare, psychosocial support, and sexual and reproductive health services, in even the hardest-to-reach areas of the West Bank, Palestine, through health centres, mobile medical teams, tele-consultations, and community outreach.  The destruction of health facilities, severe restrictions on movement, and raids and attacks on communities in the West Bank have left Palestinians with little to no access to healthcare. According to the UNFPA, over 230,000 women and girls experience difficulties in accessing reproductive health services.  Key project activities will include:Maintaining essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, through three static clinics in Khalil, Halhoul and Bethlehem in the West Bank. These clinics will offer services including family planning, obstetrics and gynaecology care and management of sexually transmitted infections, for over 22,000 women and children. This will include specialised support for an estimated 2,300 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, who will receive medical care, counselling or referrals.  Providing maternal and child health care services for 4,600 women and children in hard-to-reach and marginalised areas of the West Bank via a mobile team of doctors, midwives, paediatricians, social workers, pharmacists and lab technicians. The mobile team will also provide psychosocial support services, support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and family planning services.  Providing counselling and consultation services via telecommunications and digital channels for those unable to access clinics.Conducting five ‘preparing for birth’ sessions for 90 first time mothers, providing information and support on maternal care and options for labour and delivery.  Mr. ARAIKE Katsuhiko, Ambassador of Japan for the Palestinian Affairs says:  “As a flagbearer of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, we hope that our new collaboration with IPPF facilitates Palestinian women and children, who are affected by conflicts and live outside service catchment areas, to enjoy Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) and family planning services, improved well-being, and social participation.  This project is part of Japan’s 2026–2027 cooperation package for Palestine. Japan will continue to provide support for the stability and prosperity of Palestine.”  Dr. Fadoua Bakhadda, Regional Director of the IPPF Arab World Regional Office adds: “Thanks to the support of the people of Japan, we can continue delivering essential maternal and child health services to communities that have been systematically cut off from care, helping to prevent avoidable maternal and newborn deaths in the West Bank, Palestine.” -- About International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Arab World Office  IPPF is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Led by a courageous and determined group of women, IPPF was founded in 1952. Today, we are a movement of over 120 autonomous member associations and 23 collaborative partners with a presence in 146 countries. Established in 1971, the IPPF Arab World Region (IPPF AWR) is one of IPPF’s six regional offices. Based in Tunis, it is the leading Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) service delivery organization in the North Africa and the Middle East, and the leading Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. 

16th April 2026 - A new project titled Strengthening Life-saving Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Services for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), has been launched in Sudan. Funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by the IPPF Member Association Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA), the project will support women and girls in crisis in the Red Sea and Khartoum States.  Fifteen million people in Sudan have been displaced by the civil war, and conflicts in neighbouring countries have triggered an influx of returnees and displaced people into Sudan. As a result, the country now hosts 15% of the world’s IDPs. But widespread destruction of infrastructure and deadly disease outbreaks have left the healthcare system unable to cope.An estimated 1.75 million women and girls require urgent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, including 270,000 internally displaced pregnant women. With rape increasingly used as a weapon of war, many require urgent medical and psychosocial support. However, essential SRH commodities, including contraceptives, emergency obstetric kits, and menstrual hygiene products, are in critically low supply.  SFPA provides essential sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls, including internally displaced persons, through 26 static clinics and 11 mobile clinics across the country. This new funding will enable them to procure, transport and distribute essential supplies to two of the organisation’s static clinics in the Red Sea State and Khartoum State. This vital equipment, including microscopes, blood-testing devices, thermometers, and examination lamps, will enable these clinics to continue providing SRH services, expanding their reach to an additional 2,400 internally displaced people and individuals in host communities. Mr. Nakahara Takanobu, the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan to Sudan, stated that, “The provision of sexual and reproductive healthcare for women and girls is a critical step in supporting this vulnerable category in Sudan. This is more so when they are IDPs. Thus, we are happy to be able to support IPPF’s Member Association in Sudan - the Sudan Family Planning Association - in this domain, so that we can contribute to improving the safety and well-being of these women and girls, and reassure them that we acknowledge the challenges they face and endure.” Dr Hiba Ahmed Khalil, Emergency and Humanitarian Interventions Manager at SFPA added, “SFPA is honoured to join the Japan Supplementary Budget 2025 project, advancing inclusive health and humanitarian responses that strengthen access to essential services and uphold the rights of communities most at risk. Together, we are building pathways for resilience and equity.”  Dr. Fadoua Bakhadda, Regional Director of the IPPF Arab World Regional Office, added, “Every woman and girl deserves access to safe, reliable healthcare, no matter the circumstances. Thanks to the people of Japan, we can equip clinics with the essential tools and supplies needed to continue providing critical sexual and reproductive healthcare. This investment will directly improve the safety, health, and resilience of thousands of internally displaced women and girls.” ---About the Sudan Family Planning Association  The Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA) was established in 1965 by pioneers in obstetrics and gynaecology in response to increases in maternal, neonatal and infant mortality and morbidity. As the statistics show, Sudan is a country in great need of frontline sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Advocacy, and undertaking information, education and communication (IEC) programs are critical.About International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Arab World Office  IPPF is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Led by a courageous and determined group of women, IPPF was founded in 1952. Today, we are a movement of over 120 autonomous member associations and 23 collaborative partners with a presence in 146 countries. Established in 1971, the IPPF Arab World Region (IPPF AWR) is one of IPPF’s six regional offices. Based in Tunis, it is the leading Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) service delivery organization in North Africa and the Middle East, and the leading Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. 

20 March 2026 - The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) strongly condemns the UK Government’s latest ODA budget allocations, which entrench deep cuts to UK aid and mark a profound and damaging retreat from its commitment to women and girls, with immediate and life-threatening consequences for millions.UK ODA will fall to £6.8 billion in 2026/27 and £6.2 billion in 2027/28, with only a partial recovery to £6.9 billion in 2028/29, locking in years of reduced support. This is not a reprioritisation of aid, it is the continuation of a political choice by successive UK governments to cut lifesaving support as global crises intensify, prioritising military spending over the health and rights of civilians, a decision that directly endangers the lives of women, children, and health workers.Among the programmes affected is the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health 2 (WISH2) programme, the UK’s flagship initiative delivering contraception and sexual and reproductive health services across 13 African countries, with IPPF delivering in seven of those countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. Despite being described as “relatively protected” according to the government’s own Equality Impact Assessment (EIA), IPPF’s delivery will receive a 22% funding cut.These reductions will force a rollback of frontline services, severely disrupting access to lifesaving care for millions of women and girls. The consequences are stark: fewer clinics, fewer trained providers, and reduced access to contraception and essential life-saving health services. Since 2024, IPPF’s implementation of WISH2 has averted over 567,000 unintended pregnancies, 157,000 unsafe abortions, and more than 1,000 maternal deaths. However, a 22% funding cut now threatens to reverse this progress, projected to lead to over 442,000 unintended pregnancies, 122,000 unsafe abortions, and 770 maternal deaths due to reductions in IPPF’s programming — outcomes that would otherwise have been prevented.This decision will also have significant consequences for the UK’s relationships with partner governments across Africa. The programme has been a cornerstone of long-standing, trusted partnerships in fragile and conflict-affected settings, supporting national priorities and strengthening public systems. Abrupt funding reductions risk undermining that trust, disrupting jointly planned programmes, and weakening the UK’s credibility as a reliable and predictable partner.At a time when global aid is contracting and opposition to sexual and reproductive health and rights is growing, this decision sends a dangerous signal about the future of UK leadership on women’s health and rights.Maria Antonieta Alcalde, IPPF Director General, said:“Yesterday’s confirmation of deep cuts to UK aid through the government’s budget allocations will have devastating and immediate consequences. We know what these decisions mean in practice. They mean more women dying in childbirth, more unsafe abortions, and millions denied access to the most basic, lifesaving care.These decisions reflect a deliberate and sustained choice, in the UK and globally, to scale back aid while increasing military spending, placing the communities we serve and our healthcare workers directly in harm’s way. At the same time, we are seeing a growing and coordinated opposition to sexual and reproductive health and rights, exploiting the gaps left behind as funding is withdrawn.”We call on the UK Government to urgently reconsider these decisions, restore its commitment to women and girls, in all their diversity, and ensure that programmes like WISH2 can continue delivering the care that millions depend on. The consequences of inaction will be measured in lives lost.ENDSAbout WISH:The Women’s Integrated Sexual Health 2 (WISH2) programme is funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and delivered through two consortia led by IPPF and MSI, alongside partners. The WISH2 Lot 2 Consortium is led by International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), with Ipas, International Rescue Committee (IRC), John Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP), and Options.The programme operates across 13 countries in Africa, with IPPF delivering in seven, and has been critical in expanding access to contraception, supporting community-based healthcare providers, and strengthening health systems in some of the most underserved and fragile settings.The sudden reduction in funding now puts this progress at risk, threatening clinic closures, disrupting contraceptive supply chains, and limiting outreach to the most marginalised communities.IPPF’s Impact:WISH2 builds on the success of the original WISH programme (2018–2024), which reached an estimated 16.9 million women and adolescent girls with modern methods of contraception across Africa and Asia.Since launching in 2024, IPPF’s delivery under WISH2 has achieved:1.8 million family planning visits, including 15% for young people under 201.2 million couple-years of protection567,000 unintended pregnancies averted157,000 unsafe abortions averted1,000 maternal deaths averted11,000 child deaths avertedIPPF’s partners have also generated £39.8 million in healthcare cost savings across seven countries, while driving policy reform and strengthening national health systems.About IPPF:IPPF is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Led by a courageous and determined group of women, IPPF was founded in 1952 at the Third International Planned Parenthood Conference. Today, we are a movement of 100+ locally led Member Associations with a presence in 150+ countries.Our work is wide-ranging, and includes services for sexual health and well-being, contraception, abortion care, sexually transmitted infections and reproductive tract infections, HIV, obstetrics and gynaecology, fertility support, sexual and gender-based violence, comprehensive sex education, and responding to humanitarian crises. We pride ourselves on being local through our members and global through our network. At the heart of our mission is the provision of – and advocacy in support of – integrated healthcare to anyone who needs it regardless of race, gender, sex, income, and, crucially, no matter how remote.