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30 June 2025 - The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is proud to announce the roll out of CAB-LA (cabotegravir-long acting), a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, in Eswatini, and Malawi, and a pilot project in Lesotho - a major milestone in the fight against HIV. IPPF Member Associations (MAs) in the three countries - Family Life Association of Eswatini (FLAS), Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA), and Family Planning Association of Malawi ( FPAM) will soon begin to distribute CAB-LA for HIV prevention to individuals who would like to use this form of HIV prevention.  CAB-LA, a long-acting injectable PrEP, is a game changer for HIV prevention. PrEP is an HIV prevention method where HIV-negative individuals take medication to significantly reduce their risk of acquiring HIV. Administered every 8 weeks, CAB-LA greatly reduces infection risk and does not rely on remembering to take a daily pill, addressing adherence challenges faced by some people using oral PrEP.  This roll-out comes when US budget cuts have severely impacted governments and organizations providing sexual and reproductive health services, HIV prevention, and humanitarian aid. These financial restrictions have significantly impacted access to essential sexual and reproductive health medications globally, compromising HIV prevention and treatment for many, especially those most in need. The arrival of CAB-LA is a major step forward in the fight against HIV/AIDS, providing longer-term protection, a more convenient option, and a discreet alternative to daily pills. Family Life Association of Eswatini, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, and the Family Planning Association of Malawi will be providing CAB-LA for PrEP through their static clinics and other public service delivery points. This effort underscores the vital role our MAs play in securing and delivering universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. For more information, please contact media@ippf.orgAbout the International Planned Parenthood Federation  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 158 Member Associations and Collaborative Partners with a presence in over 153 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 gynecology, 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.  

Joint statement by FCAA, IPPF, and ILGA-World from the Kalavai Partnership31 March 2025 -  We call on policymakers, governments, and philanthropy to protect and expand HIV funding and not to turn their backs on vulnerable populations.The world is at a crossroads in the fight against HIV. For decades, dedicated investments in HIV prevention, treatment, and care have saved millions of lives and helped stabilize communities. Yet today, these gains are at risk. Critical funding from the U.S. government and other donor nations is under threat, jeopardizing the very infrastructure that has driven progress.In fact, new analyses published by amfAR and The Lancet demonstrate the catastrophic toll cuts to both the U.S. CDC Division of HIV Prevention and foreign aid from the US, the Netherlands, Britain, and other nations, predicting up to 2.9 million more HIV-related deaths before 2030 and essentially undoing all progress achieved since 2000.This crisis no longer knows borders. Now is the time to act—before we lose ground that cannot easily be regained.HIV Prevention Saves Lives—We Must Not Step BackHIV prevention is one of the most cost-effective and impactful investments in global health. It reduces new infections, alleviates the burden on healthcare systems, and safeguards the well-being of vulnerable communities. U.S. government funding for global HIV programs has been a lifeline for communities disproportionately affected by HIV, including women and children, LGBTQ people, sex workers, and people who use drugs. Yet today, political and financial pressures threaten these programs, putting lives and progress in jeopardy.HIV prevention includes a broad range of essential interventions:Access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis): A highly effective HIV prevention medication that significantly reduces the risk of transmission.Comprehensive sexual health education: Ensuring individuals have the knowledge and resources to protect themselves and their partners.Harm reduction services: Including needle exchange programs and opioid substitution therapy for people who use drugs.Access to condoms and lubricants: Fundamental tools in preventing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.HIV testing and linkage to care: Early diagnosis and immediate access to treatment are key to preventing new infections and achieving viral suppression.Mother-to-child transmission prevention: Ensuring pregnant women living with HIV have access to antiretroviral therapy to protect their newborns.HIV, Global Health Security, and Human Rights Are InseparableHIV prevention is not just about health — it is about global stability, economic resilience, and human rights.Slashing funding for HIV programs weakens public health infrastructure, rolling back decades of hard-won progress and making people worldwide more vulnerable to other global health crises.The fight against HIV is intrinsically linked to sexual and reproductive health and rights, women's health, and LGBTQ rights. For example, the lives of transgender individuals are even more at risk due to the reduction of health and human rights-based services as a result of anti-trans and anti-DEI Executive Orders.Women and girls continue to bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV epidemic, and their health hangs in the balance in the wake of funding cuts. Every week, approximately 4,000 adolescent girls and young women contract HIV, the majority of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. Pregnant women living with HIV require consistent treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission, yet funding shortfalls place these essential services at risk. Without sustained investment, millions of women and newborns face heightened health risks, undermining global progress toward ending HIV.Governments and donors must recognize that investing in HIV prevention is an investment in global health security. When we protect and strengthen HIV infrastructure, we also reinforce systems that respond to pandemics, reduce maternal mortality, and promote equity in healthcare.A Call to Action: The Time to Step Up is NowWe have the medical tools - including the addition of long-acting injectables - to end HIV as a public health crisis. We just need the funding and leadership.We call on policymakers in the U.S. government and donor governments worldwide to take urgent action:Sustain and increase funding for HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Public investment is essential to protect the communities most at risk and ensure that we don’t lose ground.Recognize the intersection of HIV with broader human rights issues. Supporting HIV programs also means protecting reproductive health, LGBTQ rights, and gender justice.We also call on philanthropy to lean in, not out. Now is not the time for donors to retreat. The role of private philanthropy has never been more critical in safeguarding communities and mobilizing new resources to fill funding gaps. Every investment today saves lives tomorrow.The Kalavai Initiative — a partnership of Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Global Philanthropy Project (GPP), and ILGA World — urges all stakeholders to act with urgency. Lives are at stake. The time to protect and expand HIV funding is now.Join Us in Taking ActionPolicymakers, donors, and advocates: Stand with us to protect public health, human rights, and the future of HIV prevention. Together, we can ensure that decades of progress are not lost, and that every person — regardless of who they are or where they live — has access to the lifesaving care they deserve.About the Kalavai Partners:ILGA World is a worldwide federation of more than 2,000 organisations from over 170 countries and territories campaigning for the human rights of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics. https://ilga.orgThe International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Founded in 1952, it is now a movement of 150 member associations and collaborative partners with a presence in over 146 countries. https://www.ippf.org/Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) unites philanthropic leaders to pursue a shared vision of a world without AIDS. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, we work to mobilize and grow funding for the ever-changing fight against HIV. https://www.fcaaids.org/Global Philanthropy Project (GPP) is a collaboration of funders and philanthropic advisors working to expand global philanthropic support to advance the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people in the Global South and East. https://globalphilanthropyproject.org/

IPPF remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting its Member Association, the Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA), in providing essential SRHR services for all. Within the uncertainty and instability, we continue to work together with SFPA to empower communities, protect the rights of women and adolescents, and address the urgent needs of marginalized populations, particularly in the face of increased vulnerability. Our collective mission stands firm: we are committed to ensuring that dignity, health, and choice are accessible to all, regardless of political or social challenges. Even in these uncertain times, we believe that SRHR services must continue - because the need for family planning, maternal healthcare, and gender-based violence (GBV) support does not diminish, even in the midst of conflict. Syria is enduring a difficult period of transition, but sexual and reproductive health cannot be sidelined. The health and well-being of Syria’s most vulnerable populations, especially women and youth, remain a top priority. The work of SFPA is more essential than ever, as it continues to provide vital services such as family planning, postnatal care, and GBV screening. At Al-Hasakah, SFPA is on the frontlines, directly supporting over 5,000 people, the majority of whom are women in urgent need of reproductive healthcare services. These women face an increased risk of complications due to the lack of access to safe and comprehensive health services, but SFPA is committed to meeting their needs. From providing postnatal care to offering family planning options and GBV screenings, SFPA is ensuring that women in these vulnerable circumstances are not forgotten. SFPA’s clinics, such as the one in southern Daraa and the besieged Al-Waer in Homs, have become lifelines, serving as a beacon of hope for those in need. They provide up to 70 beneficiaries a day with crucial services, including health counselling and early marriage awareness. SFPA has faced significant challenges, including the seizing of vehicles and temporary clinic closures in the suburbs of Homs. Yet SFPA's perseverance in delivering SRHR services remains an essential lifeline for the people of Syria. We will continue to stand alongside SFPA in their tireless efforts to safeguard sexual and reproductive health rights, ensuring that every woman, adolescent, and marginalized person has access to the care they deserve. Together, we stand for dignity, health, and choice, even in the face of uncertainty. The challenges are great, but the importance of maintaining SRHR services is immeasurable. Through unwavering dedication, we can support those in need and contribute to a future where everyone has access to the care and rights they deserve.   Contact: +44 7918 845944 Image credit: SFPA/Wasim Kashlan

On International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, a coalition of human rights organizations are launching a new set of guidelines for governments to protect frontline abortion rights defenders, including healthcare providers. Amnesty International, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Ipas, MSI Reproductive Choices, the Organisation Pour Le Dialogue Pour L’Avortement Sécurisé (ODAS Centre) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) published the Key principles and actions to safeguard abortion care providers as human rights defenders. The document provides a set of concrete recommendations for governments to guarantee that health professionals and other human rights defenders of the right to abortion care for women, girls and pregnant people, can do so without fear of attacks and intimidation. “Despite the global progress we have seen on sexual and reproductive health and rights over recent years, including steps to decriminalize abortion in many countries, defending abortion rights, which includes the provision of abortion by healthcare providers, remains a dangerous job,” said Fernanda Doz Costa, Gender, Racial Justice, Migrants & Refugees Programme Director at Amnesty International. “Abortion rights defenders are failed by many States. On the one hand, States are negligent in their obligation to protect them while, on the other hand, abortion continues to be restricted and criminalized. As such defenders are deemed less ‘deserving’ of support and protection and are actively targeted. The Key Principles show governments how to break this cycle,” said Melissa Cockroft, Global Lead on Abortion, IPPF. “Democracy, human rights, and abortion rights are under attack, and so too are the frontline defenders of these rights. They risk physical and verbal attacks, threats, smears and intimidation to ensure people have access to abortion – a critical and essential health care service. We stand with them today and every day in the fight for human rights, and call on the global community to do the same,” said Dr. Anu Kumar, President and CEO of Ipas. The Key Principles include practical recommendations to: Prevent violations by implementing specific protection protocols and establishing channels to report harassment and receive support;   Enable defenders to exercise their rights without fear by ensuring universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health, and decriminalizing abortion – as reinforced by the WHO’s Abortion guidelines; Safeguard defenders’ rights by protecting civic space and tackling abortion stigma; Provide redress, by stopping the criminalization of abortion defenders, and by bringing to justice those who attack them; “As the organized rollback of reproductive rights continues, the attacks being directed at healthcare providers are getting worse. It's time for States to uphold their duty and defend those who are risking everything to provide lifesaving care. We look forward to working alongside and together with governments, professional associations, donors, health facility managers, and civil society organisations to ensure frontline healthcare providers are given the support they deserve,” said Simon Cooke, MSI Reproductive Choices’ CEO. "Comprehensive abortion care is an essential health service. Midwives who provide these services are often subjected to discrimination, intimidation, and in some cases, even violence. In order to uphold women's right to safe abortion care, we need to protect and enable the midwives and health professionals who provide these services. To do this, professional associations, civil society, policy makers and governments need to implement the Key principles and actions to safeguard abortion care providers as human rights defenders," said Sandra Oyarzo Torres, ICM President. “We refuse to stay silent in the face of constant attempts to restrict and criminalize abortion and its defenders, and we commit to stand firmly with this fundamental human right,” said Kadidiatou SOW, Director of the ODAS Centre. An Amnesty International report in 2023 detailed the danger and difficulties faced by those who defend abortion rights and provide access to services, often in challenging circumstances, including midwives, doctors, nurses, doulas, activists and all those who help pregnant people manage their own abortions with medication. The report evidenced how many people working in healthcare settings are exposed to hostility and abuse from colleagues, employers, patients and others who oppose abortion.  Those working outside health facilities are also exposed to physical and verbal attacks, threats, smears and intimidation. Some are criminalized through prosecutions, investigations and arrests. The report also documents cases of stigmatization, isolation and ostracization, and restrictions on rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Attacks are more common in countries where abortion is stigmatized, restricted or criminalised. “Abortion is essential healthcare. Yet, as healthcare providers we are routinely faced with discrimination and violence for simply doing our jobs. Restrictive abortion laws and attitudes cause harm. They create hostile environments that feed abortion-related stigma that smears healthcare providers and those that seek abortion care as criminals. We all know colleagues, unfortunately, who have battled with stigma, career blocking, intimidation, physical attack, imprisonment, and even in the most extreme cases health care providers have been murdered,” said Dr Anne-Beatrice Kihara, President of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). For more information or to organize an interview, please contact: press@amnesty.org or media@ippf.org

Eswatini (27 August 2024) - IPPF’s Member Association in Eswatini, the Family Life Association of Eswatini (FLAS), is soon to roll out the first women-controlled HIV prevention product, the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR). FLAS will be among the first organisations to offer the DVR outside implementation or pilot studies anywhere in the world. Made of flexible silicone, the ring is inserted into the vagina by a woman and slowly releases the antiretroviral drug dapivirine in the vagina over a one-month period, helping to reduce a woman’s risk of acquiring HIV. In 2023, in sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls accounted for 62% of all new HIV infections and every week, 3,100 adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 years became infected with HIV. Therefore, there continues to be an urgent need for HIV prevention methods that females can use to protect themselves. The DVR is a product women can control themselves and use without the knowledge or consent of their partners, unlike condoms, which men often refuse to use. The DVR is inserted into the vagina and left for a one-month period, where it can then be replaced each month for continued protection. Unlike daily oral PrEP, the DVR does not rely on remembering to take a pill each day and is also discreet as it stays inside the vagina throughout the month. The DVR does not prevent pregnancy or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so women choosing to use the ring may want to consider combining it with condoms and methods of contraception. The availability of the DVR is an exciting step in supporting women’s autonomy and choice in HIV prevention. This need for women-controlled HIV prevention products has long been advocated for, with the African Women Prevention Community Accountability Board launching the HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto in early 2023. The Choice Manifesto prioritises the principle of choice to ensure that women and girls have the right to choose which HIV prevention methods work for them. Currently the ring is available at selected facilities through implementation studies across six countries in East and Southern Africa; South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Uganda.  Diantha Pillay, Associate Director for Product Access for IPM South Africa NPC (an affiliate of the Population Council), said:  “It is encouraging to see the efforts made by FLAS and IPPF to support the choice agenda for HIV prevention for women and make effective HIV prevention methods, like the DVR, more widely accessible in a real-world setting. We hope this can pave the way for introduction of future pipeline products that speak to the needs of women.” The Population Council is currently developing a longer duration DVR that women would use for three months versus one month to significantly lower annual product costs and offer women a more convenient option to protect themselves. Thabo Lizwe Masuku, Programs Manager for FLAS, said: “Women have been telling us for a long time that  there is a need for a variety of methods for HIV prevention, since they are highly exposed. For women and girls to truly have choice about what works for them as they navigate different stages and circumstances of their lives, policy makers, donors, governments and implementers must ensure the mix of HIV prevention methods are available, accessible, and affordable. Access to the ring through our clinics in Eswatini now gives women choice and options to protect themselves against HIV.” IPPF is committed to ensuring that choice in HIV prevention is a reality for women and girls and aims to roll out the dapivirine vaginal rings at as many Member Associations as possible, as well as offer other HIV-prevention choices, as we work alongside our partners towards a future free of HIV in Africa and beyond. For more information and to speak to staff in Eswatini, please email media@ippf.org   Notes: The dapivirine vaginal ring has been recommended by the WHO since January 2021. (25) In clinical trials, the  ring was shown to reduce HIV infection by 35% in The Ring Study (26,27) and 27% in the ASPIRE Study. (28,29) Recent open-label studies show greater adherence to the ring, and modelling data suggest that HIV risk could be reduced by about 50%. (30) The dapivirine ring has received regulatory approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as from local medicines regulators in Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana and is currently under regulatory review in a number of other countries Our Member Associations (MAs) that provide clinical services are required to provide comprehensive SRH services through our Integrated Package of Essential Services (IPES) which include services for sexual health and well-being, contraception, abortion care, sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV, obstetrics and gynaecology, fertility support, and sexual and gender-based violence. IPPF’s new five-year strategy, Come Together, focuses on expanding choice. In support of this, we recently launched a special programme to expand our HIV prevention options, which aims to integrate the newest HIV prevention methods – the vaginal ring and injectable PrEP - into our comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services.  IPPF’s IMAP Statement on Biomedical HIV Prevention can be found here. About the Family Life Association of Eswatini (FLAS)  For over 30 years, the Family Life Association of Eswatini (FLAS) has provided sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to the people of Eswatini (formally Swaziland). While family planning, antenatal, post-natal and post-abortion care form a key part of FLAS services, there’s a significant focus on HIV and AIDS programmes. Eswatini has some of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence rates in the world. As a result, the prevention and management of HIV and AIDS, the provision of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), and the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) are central to FLAS’s work. FLAS has 15 service points, including three permanent clinics and three mobile facilities, staffed by a permanent team of 40 staff backed by 230 volunteers, 180 Youth Action Movement members and 29 peer educators. About the International Planned Parenthood Federation (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 150 Member Associations and Collaborative Partners with a presence in over 146 countries.Our work is wide-ranging, including comprehensive sex education, provision of contraceptives, safe abortion, and maternal care 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. Our services are available to all, and reach the most marginalised groups in societies, including key and priority populations, youth, and people with disabilities. Most of our MAs have special programs to engage youth (10-24) inside and outside of school settings. Because our clinics offer comprehensive services, attending our clinics is non-stigmatizing and does not label people as having a particular disease or membership to a particular group. This model of services that are integrated and open to all, embedded in indigenous, locally owned organisations, is ideal for ensuring that the most vulnerable and marginalised groups can access the HIV prevention services they need. About the Population Council The Population Council is a leading research organization dedicated to building an equitable and sustainable world that enhances the health and well-being of current and future generations. The Council transforms global thinking on critical health and development issues through social science, public health, and biomedical research. We generate ideas, produce evidence, and design solutions to improve the lives of underserved populations around the world.  

Jerusalem, 9 July 2024: Nine months on since the start of the Israeli aggression in Gaza, maternal healthcare is almost decimated. Pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women in Gaza are facing serious health consequences. Miscarriages have risen at least 300% since October last year. One of our own health workers from the Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA) recently lost her pregnancy due to the stress of the attacks.   “I am a healthcare worker with PFPPA, and I have been forced to flee not once, not twice, but six times since the start of the violence, with my husband and three small children. Our home was destroyed by bombing. Whilst I was fleeing from one location to another, I started to unexpectedly bleed. I was able to find a doctor only after reaching Rafah, who confirmed I was miscarrying. I didn’t even realise I was pregnant,” Wafa, our healthcare worker in Gaza, told us.   With the starvation being faced by the people in Gaza in addition to the lack of drinking water, our service providers are reporting on daily basis of pregnant women suffering from anaemia, malnutrition and in desperate need of prenatal vitamins and supplements.   Our service providers in Gaza are also witnessing many women who are either having premature deliveries or miscarriages. Women of newborns are unable to breastfeed their babies due their own malnutrition and anxiety, while at the same time most families cannot afford milk formula as prices are becoming extremely high - and that is if they can find it in the market. When medical facilities are available, many women are unwilling to leave their shelters to obtain pre- and post-natal care, as they worry if they are separated from their families there will be military attacks and bombings and fear for their and their loved one's fate if they do so.   Ammal Awadallah, Executive Director of PFPPA, said:  “Nine months on, and a woman who conceived at the start of these hostilities will now be giving birth. But where, how, and what life is that baby entering? This will be a lost generation in Gaza, a generation born into genocide. We’re doing the best we can to offer support to women in Gaza, but the conditions to get aid into Gaza, let alone warehouse supplies, make our jobs extremely difficult. PFPPA has always been committed to women’s health and that doesn’t stop, now or ever.”   Over 37,900 people have now lost their lives in Gaza. Women and girls that survive are facing a myriad of challenges; deprived of sexual and reproductive health services, sanitary and hygiene products. We believe every single person and organisation needs to mobilise to end this, by calling on their governments to demand unhindered humanitarian aid access, to demand a permanent ceasefire, and divest from any organisations aiding and abetting Israel’s military campaign against Palestine.   We are working in close collaboration with colleagues in Palestine on how best to serve those caught up in the violence, to ensure health workers are safe and able to provide sexual and reproductive health care without threat to life.   For more information and to speak to our Executive Director in Palestine, please email media@ippf.org     About the Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association  Established in Jerusalem in 1964, the Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA) is locally registered as an independent, non-profit and non-governmental association with headquarters in Jerusalem. PFPPA has service delivery points located in the West Bank Areas of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and Halhoul, in addition to one in the Gaza Strip, which has yet to be relocated after it was destroyed following an Israeli airstrike on 8 October. Furthermore, and in cooperation with local partners, PFPPA is also responsible for three safe spaces to provide Gender Based Violence (GBV) related services in the Jerusalem area.  About the International Planned Parenthood Federation  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 150 Member Associations and Collaborative Partners with a presence in over 146 countries.  Our work is wide-ranging, including comprehensive sex education, provision of contraceptive, safe abortion, and maternal care 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.   

Haz click aquí para leer este posicionamiento en español. Khartoum, 2 July 2024: Another horrendous attack on one of our healthcare clinics in Sudan has occurred this week. Several staff and volunteers from our Member Association in Sudan, the Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA), have now been injured or killed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Our clinic in El Fasher has been destroyed, meaning there is one less option for women and girls to receive lifesaving sexual and reproductive healthcare in the region.   For over a month, ongoing battles around El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur, have been taking place.The RSF, who have stationed themselves 10 kilometres from the city, have been indiscriminately shelling military and civilian targets.   One of our SFPA volunteers, Mahasen Abdul Jabbar, was killed after being hit by gunshot at the clinic. This morning, Dr Daifallah Mohammed, a volunteer family medicine specialist in our El Fasher clinic, also died as a result of the warfare.  The RSF bombardments have also severely injured several of our staff: Dr Marwa, a doctor at the Integrated Centre in El Fasher, was hit by shrapnel in her leg. A midwife at Abu Shouk centre, Halima Abdullah Adam, was hit and four of her children were injured and evacuated. The house of the guard of Abu Shouk centre was hit, killing his daughter and wounding four of his other children.  One of our nurses has been hit with shrapnel and has been transferred to hospital and is in critical condition and all contact with her has been lost. The RSF has also been kidnapping our patients, their whereabouts unknown.   This latest attack is on top of previous attacks on our clinics in Sudan, which destroyed our facilities in Khartoum and El Fashir and health centres run by SFPA between 7-9 September 2023.  Women and girls in Sudan are facing an upsurge in sexual and conflict-related violence. Our staff have witnessed firsthand the impact of this heinous crime on the most vulnerable people, including women, girls and other marginalized groups. We previously reported that rape victims and survivors are struggling to obtain contraception, abortion medication and post-exposure anti-viral medications. They face severe and life-threatening consequences, including loss of family support and homes and shelters and increased risk of suicide. Survivors are afraid to seek medical treatment because of the stigma and fear of reprisals from rape.  Fadoua Bakhadda, Regional Director, Arab World Region, said:   “We unequivocally condemn all violence against civilians, especially against health centers that are attacked while providing essential services to those in need. Such acts are an affront to humanity and the sanctity of care.  The murders, displacement and destruction in Sudan must stop. It is vital that warring parties remember their obligations under International Humanitarian Law, which include ensuring the protection of civilians and the protection of health structures and health personnel.”  Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director-General of IPPF, said:   “We are devastated to learn of another attack on one of our clinics in Sudan, and the injuries and loss of lives to our staff and volunteers. Healthcare facilities, and most importantly, healthcare workers, must never be the target of war. The sexual and reproductive health and lives of 800,000 people in North Darfur – including women, children, and people with disabilities – are hanging in the balance as bombing and shelling cause widespread harm to civilians and severely disrupt the essential health services they very much depend on.  Now, more than ever, our healthcare facilities must be protected so they can continue to provide care to the populations enduring these needless attacks. Our clinic, which previously was able to provide lifesaving sexual and reproductive healthcare such as prenatal care and contraceptives, is gone. Where will women and girls seek these services now? There must finally be a critical mass of people of conscience saying enough is enough in this forgotten crisis.”   For more information and to speak to one of our staff in North Darfur, Sudan, please email media@ippf.org   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. In 2023, SFPA provided 38 million services through 25 clinics, 272 associated clinics, 39 mobile clinics, 1494 CBD/CBS, and digital/Virtual channels. Since the start of the crisis on 15 April 2023, the association teams were successful in providing 8 million services through 25 SDPs and 10 million services through non damaged associated and mobile clinics. SFPA was able to assist 1,183 deliveries under bombardment and provided 170 943 treatments of HIV in its static clinics. About the International Planned Parenthood Federation The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. We are a movement of 150 Member Associations and Collaborative Partners with a presence in over 146 countries. Building on a proud history of 70 years of achievement, we commit to lead a locally owned, globally connected civil society movement that provides and enables services and champions sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, especially the under-served. We advocate for a world where people are provided with the information they need to make informed decisions about their sexual health and bodies. We stand up and fight for sexual and reproductive rights, and against those who seek to deny people their human right to bodily autonomy and freedom. We deliver care that is rooted in rights, respect, and dignity - no matter what.    

Haz click aquí para leer este posicionamiento en español The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is deeply concerned about the escalating violence and political instability in Haiti, particularly its disproportionate impact on women and girls since March 2024. This crisis is expected to leave 3,000 pregnant women without essential medical care, leading to nearly 450 women experiencing life-threatening childbirth complications. With almost 580,000 Haitians displaced, women and girls are experiencing an alarming surge in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including rampant sexual assaults, torture, and collective rape by armed groups. From January to March 2024, there were 1,793 SGBV incidents reported. Conflict-related insecurity has also significantly increased negative coping mechanisms, contributing to the rise in SGBV, as well as sexually transmitted infections and HIV.  The ongoing violence is preventing access to essential sexual and reproductive healthcare services, endangering the lives of mothers and newborns. Our partner in Haiti, the Haiti Midwives Association, informed us, ‘the gangs prohibit the movement of motorcycles and pedestrians, threatening and sometimes shooting in the air to terrorise us further. Due to these difficult conditions, fewer and fewer patients are attending the hospital, whether for prenatal consultations, deliveries or postnatal care.” This inaccessibility has led to a significant increase in maternal and infant mortality.  Eugenia López Uribe, Regional Director of the IPPF Americas & the Caribbean, said, “Humanitarian aid must be granted access through local organisations, such as our partner the Haiti Midwives Association, and their wellbeing must be guaranteed in this process. Women and girls can no longer wait! Our partner has provided access to vital emergency services such as pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care, as well as care after sexual violence for 20 years. However, since February, they have been forced to stop their activities because of the imminent risks they face as women living in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.” On this International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, IPPF calls for zero tolerance toward any form of SGBV and demands the immediate protection of Haitian women, children, and those most at risk. We strongly call for unhindered humanitarian access to allow aid into Haiti. This aid must be designed and controlled by local NGOs and aid workers, and any foreign peacekeepers must safeguard and protect local communities - in particular their sexual and reproductive rights - so mistakes of the past are not repeated.  Let’s not forget: Haiti's poverty and instability has been shaped by decades of foreign occupation and colonialism. The international community owes Haiti more than mere condolences; they owe an unwavering commitment to a future where human rights, including sexual and reproductive health rights are respected and protected, and nobody is left behind.     

The below is a joint press release between Amnesty International, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, MSI Reproductive Choices, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), International Confederation of Midwives and Ipas. People who are defending the right to abortion and providing essential services are being stigmatized, intimidated, attacked and subjected to unjust prosecutions, making their work increasingly difficult and dangerous to carry out, said Amnesty International in a new report out today. The report, An Unstoppable Movement: A global call to recognize and protect those who defend the right to safe abortions, reveals how many healthcare workers, activists, advocates and accompaniers around the world face abuse, arrest, prosecution and imprisonment for supporting the right of women, girls and people to access abortions. Such an environment is prevalent including in countries where abortion is partially allowed by law. It is having a chilling, silencing and stigmatizing effect on all those defending access to abortion, as they live in constant fear of being attacked and prosecuted for providing abortion care, whether it is legal or not. It is also creating major barriers for women, girls and people who need abortion care – particularly those who are most marginalised. “The right to abortion is not an opinion. It is a matter of international standards and international legal norms. It is a right underpinned by many human rights, including the rights to physical and mental integrity, the right to health and the right not to be unlawfully and arbitrarily killed through the withdrawal of safe services. It is essential for the dignity of all women and girls, and of everyone who can become pregnant. Those who defend and enable exercise of that right deserve our respect and protection. Yet, many States around the world persist with policies of over-regulation and criminalization that generate hostile, even perilous environments for those who defend the right to abortion,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General. “Anti-abortion rhetoric, policies and laws stamp a target on the backs of health workers and advocates. Stigmatized, abused, discriminated against, criminalized, imprisoned, even killed - the rights of those who defend the right to abortion are under attack. But their human rights to work without fear, to provide essential services without threat, to exercise their professional skills without discrimination, must be respected and protected.” Isolated and unsupported While progressive abortion law reform continues, anti-abortion regressions impede access with the promotion of disinformation and toxic narratives - smear campaigns that hijack public discourse and agitate against the right to abortion and against those who defend it. “For many sexual and reproductive health providers this harassment and abuse has come to feel like just part of the job, but we cannot allow this to become the new normal,” said Sarah Shaw, MSI Reproductive Choices’ Head of Advocacy. “Enough is enough. It’s time to recognise abortion providers as human rights defenders and stand up for those who put their lives on the line to make choice possible.” Throughout the report, based on more than 40 interviews with abortion rights defenders from all over the world and with the support of global healthcare and grassroots organizations, people defending the right to abortion, particularly healthcare workers, explained how they often feel isolated and unsupported. Their work is not recognised, and they are left fearing the threat of criminalization, harassment, stigmatization, verbal threats and violence, as well as ostracization and burnout in the workplace. Some health workers have seen their personal details leaked online, while others are unsure whether they’ll make it home safely. For example: Venezuelan teacher and human rights defender Vannesa Rosales was criminalized for helping a woman and her 13-year-old daughter get access to abortion. In Poland, Justyna Wydrzyńska, a member of Abortion Without Borders and the Abortion Dream Team, was convicted for helping a woman access abortion pills earlier this year - a safe way of terminating a pregnancy. In Ghana, an advocate for sexual and reproductive rights said service providers have experienced physical violence and public shaming by members of the public, for educating people about contraception. “Violence against frontline sexual and reproductive health care providers is something that continues to happen unabated; it's about time the voices, experiences and concerns of our frontline defenders are heard,” said Alvaro Bermejo, International Planned Parenthood Federation’s Director General. “As anti-abortion authorities around the world continue to deploy stigma, fear and hate-speech against those seeking and those providing services, we, as institutional champions of sexual and reproductive health and rights, commit to matching the courage of our frontline defenders.”

The recent approval of Japan's first oral abortion pill is an important step towards achieving gender equality and ensuring that women exercise their right to self-determination over their bodies, including pregnancy and childbirth. IPPF believes that true gender equality requires empowering women to be fully informed and in control of their bodies, thereby expanding their choices and enabling them to determine their own futures. Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), underlined the importance of this landmark milestone during a visit to Japan in April. Public support through public comments for the approval shows that the social situation in Japan is changing, with increased awareness of women's lives and health, reproductive freedom and women's rights. In its guidelines, the World Health Organisation (WHO) included oral abortion pills in the Essential Medicines Core List, in line with the evidence accumulated in the past, and removed the requirement of direct supervision by health professionals for their use as these pills can be used outside healthcare facilities without compromising safety and efficacy and the abortion process can be managed using the drug without direct supervision of health professionals. IPPF urges Japan to follow these WHO guidelines, including abortion as part of women's health care, and allow women to take safe oral abortion pills at home. Guaranteeing women in its own country access to these essential medicines is also in line with Japan's strong commitment and global pledge to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), ensuring that all women have access to medicines that save their health and lives, and that no one is left behind. IPPF looks forward to, and is committed to working with and supporting, Japan's future steps towards achieving a society that supports true gender equality, where women can exercise their right to self-determination over reproduction.