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5 October 2026 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has today released its latest survey findings from global research with 40 Member Associations. More than half (55%) of those surveyed experienced an HIV commodity stock out in the last 12 months, directly affecting their ability to provide HIV services At the time of the survey, 40% of Member Associations reported an active product stock out, and 60% had at least one product at low stock levels. Survey findings also pointed to a generalised problem of supply unreliability and fragility, not simply isolated stockouts. HIV rapid diagnostic tests were the most critically affected product category across all respondents. This is particularly concerning amidst rising HIV epidemics around the world, including in countries where the Member Associations surveyed are responding.  An estimated 40.8 million people are living with HIV worldwide, yet the response is being undermined by deep funding gaps, a sharp downturn in external assistance and a fracturing global health architecture. Abrupt shifts in major donor policies, particularly changes to U.S. foreign assistance and uncertainty around the future of PEPFAR, are driving shortages of HIV tests, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms and antiretroviral therapy in some settings. Meanwhile, under-resourced health systems are struggling with workforce gaps and service disruption.  IPPF’s research also found that:  98% of our partners surveyed provide HIV testing and counselling, yet more than half (55%) cannot reliably sustain HIV testing at point of care because of low stocks or stockouts of rapid diagnostic tests.  85% receive HIV commodity supplies from their Ministry of Health or government, leaving them with limited alternatives when national or donor-supported supply chains break down. These shortages are a warning of what happens when funding becomes uncertain and the supply systems communities depend on grow fragile. We cannot let decades of progress against HIV be undone simply because products aren't available. This is not a distant risk. It is already happening: HIV infections are rising in a number of countries around the world, and lives are being lost.ENDS  For further information or to arrange media interviews with our spokespeople, please contact Nerida Williams on newilliams@ippf.org.  Notes In Quarter 2 of 2026, IPPF’s Harm Mitigation Task Force surveyed 55 of the 102 Member Associations that provide HIV-related services, based on identified and anticipated need.  40 Member Associations responded (a 73 per cent response rate). Respondents were from all six of IPPF’s regions, including Africa (18), the Arab World (4), East and Southeast Asia/Oceania (3), Europe (4), Americas and the Caribbean (8, and South Asia (3). In 2025, IPPF Member Associations provided 29.8 million HIV/AIDS related services. 

If you are covering the UK autumn budget and reporting on foreign aid, you may find the below statement from  the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) helpful: “The UK government has already decimated the aid budget and its reputation through severe economic mishandling, cutting billions from the very things that protect people during economic, political and social upheaval, including life-saving sexual and reproductive healthcare. “It is also the only country to be spending the majority of its dedicated overseas aid budget within its own borders, taking advantage of legislation to pay for refugee and asylum costs in the UK rather than increasing domestic and overseas budgets accordingly. “The UK government cannot continue to fight the fire of one humanitarian crisis by diverting much-needed resources from other vulnerable people, nor continue to balance its books on the backs of the poorest people in the world - who, as MP Andrew Mitchell stated, will be damaged, maimed, or die as a result. “This government promised to give women and girls the freedom they need to succeed and prevent the worst forms of human suffering worldwide. If it is to deliver on its promises and revive its sunken reputation, it must spend dedicated budgets correctly, support people in the UK and beyond appropriately, and MP Andrew Mitchell and the Chancellor must ensure a return to the 0.7% as soon as possible.”  

The Guttmacher Institute has today released new data showing the impact of the UK aid cuts on sexual and reproductive health and rights for the fiscal year 2021 - 2022.  The figures show the devastating impact on the lives of women and girls around the world. Together with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cuts threaten to undo years of progress towards gender equality and increasing access to reproductive choice. When surveyed, major sexual and reproductive health organizations reported they expected to receive at least £218.9 million in the fiscal year (FY) 2021–2022 (from April 2021 to March 2022) for family planning activities in low- and middle-income countries. The resulting cuts to the family planning programs of these major program-implementing organizations are estimated to have totalled £132.4 million in FY 2021–2022. The loss of funding will result in: 9.5 million fewer women and couples receiving contraceptive services  4.3 million more unintended pregnancies 1.8 million more unplanned births 1.4 million more unsafe abortions and 8000 more maternal deaths  The figures also show how much could have been achieved through sustained UK aid spending.  IPPF’s Director-General, Dr Alvaro Bermejo, said:   “The Guttmacher figures are a harrowing, but sadly unsurprising, insight into the catastrophic impact that the UK aid cuts will have on the health and lives of millions of women, girls and marginalized people across the globe, and serve to confirm what sexual and reproductive health charities have been saying since they were first made aware of the cuts. “We must also remember that the Guttmacher numbers are just a snapshot of the 2021 – 2022 fiscal year, and the effects of the Government’s sudden and short-sighted termination of support will stretch far beyond that, piling unthinkable pressure on people already dealing with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, and leading to millions of unintended pregnancies and thousands of preventable deaths. “With the upcoming spending review in November, we ask the UK Government to reconsider the cuts, which IPPF still believe to be outside of the boundaries of the law, and reinstate the 0.7% commitment, so that it can finally deliver on its promises to the millions of people it chose to abandon.” IPPF also signed on to a joint letter from the UK SRHR Network. For media inquiries please contact media@ippf.org 

28 January 2022 heralds one year since President Biden rescinded the harmful Global Gag Rule (GGR). Otherwise known as the Mexico City Policy, its expansion in 2017 under Trump affected 12 billion dollars of funding, impacting thousands of life-saving healthcare services worldwide – especially across low-income countries. But while rescindment is a positive first step, the long-term harm of the Global Gag Rule lingers on. For IPPF, 53 healthcare projects in 32 countries were hit, with some Member Associations losing up to 60% of their funding. Programmes affected include HIV prevention and care, maternal health and nutrition, STI services, gender-based violence prevention, and services for vulnerable children. And although we have begun to re-establish long-standing partnerships, it takes time for funding to flow and to re-open closed healthcare clinics and community services – with some lost forever. In the meantime, there are women and girls who desperately need healthcare that have nowhere to turn. But in February, the US Congress has an opportunity to change the sexual and reproductive health landscape forever through a final negotiated funding bill that includes a permanent end to the deadly Global Gag Rule. As we celebrate one year of rescindment, we know the work is not done yet, but we are hopeful for the futures of millions of women and girls worldwide. We urge the US Congress to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule to fully eradicate the lasting impact of the Mexico City Policy that has harmed women and girls around the world for 40 years.   Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said: "Five years ago, Trump expanded the Global Gag Rule, a devastating neo-colonialist policy that forbids US aid to any organization that supports access to safe abortion care, disproportionately affecting women and girls in low-income countries. Today we mark one year since President Biden rescinded it, but the long-term harm and impacts don't simply go away.  "The Gag Rule is a callously designed mechanism set up to deny women and girls the right to decide what happens to their bodies. Its implementation doesn't just destroy life-saving abortion services but erodes access to other sexual and reproductive healthcare, including contraception, leading ultimately to increases in unintended pregnancy and forcing many to turn to unsafe and dangerous abortion methods.   "While rescindment is a positive first step, the looming threat of reinstatement under future anti-rights administrations undermines the sustainability of global sexual health programs and the pace of progress. After 40 long years, the time to act is now – we urge the US Congress to end this political game and stand up for the futures of millions of at-risk women and girls by permanently repealing the Global Gag Rule.  "By leaving a legacy that gives hope and stability to the sexual and reproductive health of people worldwide, the US will once again be a champion, leader, and innovator of human rights for all." For media inquiries please contact media@ippf.org