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16 October 2025 - The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has been tracking the developing situation in Brussels, where the Trump administration is holding over $9.7 million of U.S.-funded contraceptives set to be destroyed. In August, IPPF shared that 77 percent of these resources were destined for five countries in the African region, with 1,031,400 injectable contraceptives and 365,100 implants earmarked for Tanzania alone. These countries have specific rules for pharmaceutical imports, and as the U.S. government holds these resources, the risk of them becoming ineligible for import becomes imminent and critical. In addition to the cruel and ideological reasons for withholding these contraceptives, the U.S. government is exploiting import regulations to:Skirt around pressure from the Belgian government that would make incinerating these products in Belgium (Flanders) illegal while they are still eligible for import.Enact their initial plan to ensure these life-saving resources do not reach the communities who need them most by withholding them until they become ineligible for importation, and eligible for legal incineration.Use the import thresholds as a loophole to legally incinerate resources before their expiration dates in 2027 to 2029.“Destination countries, including Tanzania (the main recipient), as well as others such as Malawi, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Kenya, apply importation rules that limit entry to medicines with a specific percentage of remaining shelf life. In Tanzania, for example, products with an original shelf life of more than 24 months cannot be imported if less than 60% of the total shelf life remains,” says Marcel Van Valen, Head of Supply Chain at IPPF. “Unless a practical solution is found urgently, the U.S. government may exploit this gap, allowing the products to sit until they technically fall below import thresholds and then justifying their destruction under the pretext of regulatory compliance.”IPPF made continuous efforts to take ownership of these contraceptives and distribute them at no cost to the U.S. government, only to have offers denied. “There is no doubt we could have gone and collected the products in Belgium, processed them in the Netherlands and re-distributed them to where they were needed and/or destined for,” added Van Valen. “Since the start of the negotiations until this day, IPPF is in the position to release a budget (estimated to be max $1.5 million) to support the redistribution.”Instead, the Trump administration has chosen to pursue destroying these resources, a decision that will create catastrophe for women and girls in Africa. By Tanzania’s standards, some products are below threshold already and many others come close to it; the country would have to grant an exemption waiver to allow their importation at this stage.“Even if we were given the opportunity to push for a waiver to receive the contraceptives, because the Tanzanian government is restrictive around reproductive rights, we don’t know that such an exemption would be granted,” says Dr. Bakari Omary, Project Coordinator at Umati, IPPF's Member Association in Tanzania. “It’s urgent that we receive these resources before they become ineligible for import. The contraceptives being held represent 28% of the country’s total annual need, and not having them is already impacting clients’ reproductive health and family planning freedoms.”“African women have long led the fight for reproductive rights and freedoms. The deliberate destruction of contraceptives for the sake of a political agenda is an attempt to strip them of the very freedoms for which they’ve been global advocates,” says Mallah Tabot, SRHR Lead at IPPF Africa. “The Trump administration’s use of import rules to push the blame onto African countries is a waste of millions of dollars, a crisis for human rights, and a betrayal of women’s freedom globally.”Such a critical moment demands collective action. We call on the U.S. government to immediately distribute these resources to their destination countries, and on the European Union and European countries to champion SRHRJ by advocating for the release of the contraceptives. Just as the Belgian government has done in enforcing an incineration ban on these goods, leaders of the European Union have an opportunity to demonstrate their values in action. We call on the E.U. to rally Member States, negotiate with the U.S., and explore all legal and diplomatic avenues to release these contraceptives from their hold and ensure they reach their destination countries.For more information or to interview one of our staff, please contact media@ippf.org or +66628683089.

September 26, 2025 - At its 80th anniversary, the UN faces its deepest crisis yet. Deep power imbalances, rooted in colonial legacies, and states' failure to respect human rights have undermined accountability for grave violations like the ongoing genocide in Gaza and other crisis such as in DRC, Sudan and for people on the move. This is compounded by massive funding cuts to the multilateral system, with global wealth shifting towards militarization, which has had devastating consequences for marginalized communities. Despite its flaws, the UN remains a key player where all countries can confront common challenges. For generations, it has been a lifeline for millions, providing food and essential medicines and serving as a shelter of universal standards when rights are violated, particularly providing important humanitarian responses. The UN has also been a catalyst for civil society engagement in global governance.  IPPF recognizes the urgent and long overdue need for UN reform to transform the institution and make it responsive to real-world challenges and to the people it exists to serve, such as women, girls, indigenous peoples, LGBTQI+ and people of African descent. Such changes must strengthen the UN’s ability to uphold its purpose and values, not to dismantle the organization or deviate from those principles. Although reforming the UN Security Council is a complex and politically challenging task, distinct from the current UN80 reform, IPPF notes that without meaningful reform of the UN Security Council, the UN will remain paralyzed in the face of current tensions and wars.   Regarding the UN80 reform, IPPF is commenting on the UN Secretary-General’s report on ‘Workstream 3: Changing Structures and Realigning Programmes’:  Human rights at the center Human rights are one of the three pillars of the UN and our guiding star in a world full of crises, however, the U.N. has spent just 5 percent of its total budget on human rights. The revision of the budget for 2026 will disproportionately affect this underfunded pillar, with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights facing a 15% cut in the funds for next year. In 2025, the UN has already suspended key activities including an investigation on the human rights situation in the DRC. Meanwhile, heavily funded anti-rights and anti-gender actors are undermining international standards.  IPPF strongly supports better integration and coordination of human rights mechanisms across the UN, but increased funding is most critically needed. It’s time for all member states to get serious about funding a UN capable of upholding human rights for all and for the reforms of the UN to be driven by need and a strategic use of resources where the UN can best serve.  Strengthen the work on sexual and reproductive health and rights In the current context, where sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are facing targeted attacks at local, national, regional and global levels, the UN’s work – at both normative and programmatic levels – must remain a priority, rather than diminished. The area of protecting and promoting SRHR should not be lost in any restructuring or merging discussion and should maintain independent service provision and program delivery priorities, including for reproductive health supplies and commodities that are more critically needed than ever.  While a potential merger of UN Women, UNFPA, and parts of DESA is being considered to create a more unified platform for gender equality, IPPF believes it's essential to maintain a strong, coordinated effort specifically focused SRHR. It is also crucial to have a clear mandate to support countries in implementing the ICPD Programme of Action and its provisions on SRHR. We see a risk in the current proposal and emphasize that any restructuring must not dilute the critical work on SRHR. Instead, it should reinforce the UN's capacity to advance gender equality and uphold its key responsibilities in this area. Engagement and leadership of affected communities  The UN Reform should be the opportunity to strengthen meaningful inclusion of civil society organizations and voices of affected communities in the UN bodies. Marginalized communities continue to be largely left out of any UN process and prevented from substantively shaping any decisions impacting them. One prominent exception has been UNAIDS, where otherwise marginalised and criminalised communities and in particular gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who inject drugs and prisoners and other incarcerated people as well as people living with HIV have systematic visibility and at least nominal power in decision-making.  The proposal to sunset UNAIDS by 2026 poses significant risks to the continued inclusion of these groups and to the global commitment to end AIDS by 2030. Eliminating the central body that ensures a coordinated response will lead to a breakdown in program development and accountability. Recent data has already shown an increase in HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in the Global South, and HIV-related infections are already rising as a result of global funding cuts — trends that the shutdown of UNAIDS will only exacerbate. Regardless of where the prevention, treatment and response to HIV/AIDS sits, it must remain an integral part of the global health response, prioritize engagement and leadership of affected communities in its governance and leadership structure and programming and integrate crucial human rights and community-led components vital for reaching key populations.  The UNAIDS model of inclusion of affected communities should serve as an inspiration for even stronger engagement of marginalized communities across the UN system as part of the UN80 reform. Moreover, programs addressing the intersectionality and interdependency of human rights must remain central to addressing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.  Localization as core principle for humanitarian action  Every day, IPPF delivers life-saving services to the hardest to reach and the most underserved people, from Gaza to Afghanistan, Sudan and Haiti. In 2024 alone, we reached 67.5 million people, 20 percent of them in humanitarian settings. The UN’s action to deliver a humanitarian response, as suggested in the report, including its proposal to “speak with one voice in humanitarian diplomacy” must be realized with the engagement of local communities and civil society organizations, such as IPPF and many others.   It is untenable to scale back humanitarian operations to a bare minimum when the evidence shows that crises are intensifying in both scale and severity of violations. At this critical moment, the UN must not only expand its operational capacity but also prioritize meaningful partnerships with localized civil society organizations. These actors are not only essential for effective and contextually grounded responses, but they also embody the moral legitimacy of humanitarian action. The UN has a responsibility to ensure their protection and enable their leadership, in full adherence to International Humanitarian Law and the humanitarian principles.  The UN is in urgent need of transformative reforms that are rigorously anchored in the promotion and protection of human rights and conducted with transparency and accountability. The reform must ensure the full, meaningful and transparent engagement of civil society at every stage. Feminist, youth-led, and grassroots movements have been at the forefront of advancing the UN’s normative gains. Any vision for a revitalized United Nations must place their leadership, expertise, and living realities at the center of decision-making, as co-creators of multilateral solutions.  For more information or to interview one of our staff, please contact media@ippf.org or +66628683089. 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 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. 

6 August 2025 - The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has learned that over $9.7 million worth of US-funded contraceptives are now set to be incinerated in France. Seventy-seven percent of these essential supplies were earmarked for five countries in the Africa Region - including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Mali — many of which are already facing severe humanitarian crises. The incineration of these contraceptives will deny more than 1.4 million women and girls access to life-saving care. Rather than reaching the communities who need them most, these essential medical supplies - many of which don’t expire until 2027 to 2029 - are being needlessly and egregiously destroyed.IPPF Member Associations in the affected countries were due to receive a share of these contraceptive stocks. Instead, they are now facing a sharp decline in supply following the decision to incinerate them. More than 40% of the total value of the contraceptive stockpiled in Brussels was allocated for shipment to Tanzania alone. Dr Bakari Omary, Project Coordinator at UMATI, IPPF’s Member Association in Tanzania, said:  “We are facing a major challenge. The impact of the USAID funding cuts has already significantly affected the provision of sexual and reproductive health services in Tanzania - leading to a shortage of contraceptive commodities, especially implants. This shortage has directly impacted clients' choices regarding family planning uptake.”This development adds a new layer of outrage to what is already a cruel political decision. These contraceptives were already manufactured, packaged, and ready for distribution. IPPF offered to take them for redistribution at no cost to the US taxpayer, but this offer was declined. The actions of the U.S. administration make it clear that politics trump economics, given the additional costs necessary for transportation, storage, and incineration of these products. “This decision to destroy ready-to-use commodities is appalling and extremely wasteful. These life-saving medical supplies were destined to countries where access to reproductive care is already limited, and in some cases, part of a broader humanitarian response, such as in the DRC. The choice to incinerate them is unjustifiable and undermines efforts to protect the health and rights of women and girls,” said Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry, Africa Regional Director of IPPF.IPPF's local partners in Africa will now face increased challenges to deliver essential and life-saving care. According to RHSC, the loss of these supplies is projected to result in 362,000 unintended pregnancies and 110,000 unsafe abortions:  Tanzania: 1,031,400 injectable contraceptives and 365,100 implants will not be distributed. These products represent over 50% of USAID annual support to Tanzania's health system and a terrifying 28% of the total annual need of the country.Mali: 1,100,880 oral contraceptives and 95,800 implants will be denied, 24% of Mali’s annual need.Zambia: 48,400 implants and 295,000 injectable contraceptives will be denied to women.Kenya: 108,000 women will not have access to contraceptive implants, 13.5% of its annual need. Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director for the Reproductive Health Network in Kenya (IPPF Member Association): “In Kenya, the effects of US funding disruptions are already being felt. The funding freeze has caused stockouts of contraceptives, leaving facilities with less than five months' supply instead of the required 15 months; reduced capacity building for health workers; disrupted digital logistics and health information systems, and caused a 46% funding gap in Kenya’s national family planning program. These systemic setbacks come at a time when unmet need for contraception remains high. Nearly 1 in 5 girls aged 15–19 is already pregnant or has given birth. Unsafe abortions remain among the five leading causes of maternal deaths in Kenya.” Sarah Durocher, President of Le Planning familial (IPPF’s French Member Association): “We call on the French government to take responsibility and act urgently to prevent the destruction of USAID-funded contraceptives. It is unacceptable that France, a country that champions feminist diplomacy, has remained silent while others, like Belgium, have stepped in to engage with the US government. In the face of this injustice, solidarity with the people who were counting on these life-saving supplies is not optional: it is a moral imperative.”“We will not stay silent while essential care is destroyed by ideology”, continued Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry.Notes: IPPF’s local partners in the countries affected include Reproductive Health Network Kenya, Chama cha Uzazi na Malezi Bora Tanzania, Association Malienne pour la Protection et la Promotion de la Famille, Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia, Association Burkinabé pour le Bien-Etre Familial and the Association pour le Bien-Etre Familial/Naissances Désirables.For more information or to interview one of our staff, please contact media@ippf.org or +66628683089. 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 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. 

Every day, over 700 women and girls die - one every two minutes, from preventable causes related to childbirth and pregnancy. Despite this stark reality, this week, a small minority of states tried to sabotage UN negotiations to push an anti-rights and anti-health agenda on the world. From April 7th to 11th 2025, the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) took place with  the theme of “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages”. Governments from all over the world came together in a moment of global health crises to address persistent and continued threats that jeopardize the health and wellbeing of all women and girls worldwide.  This UN process is a critical space where governments, UN agencies, civil society and young people come together to discuss priorities and make shared commitments on sexual and reproductive health and rights. For over 30 years, governments have agreed on standards for access to health services for women and girls.  A very small minority of vested interests are determined to use this convening to attack the Sustainable Development Agenda. We refuse to allow the malicious undermining of hard won gains that impact the lives of millions of women and girls around the world.As recently as last year, governments from all regions of the world reached an agreement to reaffirm these shared goals and commitments. This week, in the face of efforts to sabotage the discussions and negotiations, a vast majority of countries have stepped up to hold the line on the right to health, especially of all women and girls. This disruptive behaviour from a very small minority of extremist anti-rights administrations, is not just a threat to the agenda being discussed today, but also for international cooperation on human rights and sustainable development at large. They are preventing the international community from moving forward and making progress for people’s health, rights and well-being.

IPPF welcomes the political declaration adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). As we are marking 30 years after the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, UN Member States need to urgently accelerate the work to achieve their commitments to advancing the rights of all women and girls, especially in light of the current global pushback against fundamental human rights.   IPPF welcomes the adoption of the Political Declaration on the occasion of thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, in which Governments reaffirm their commitment to accelerate action to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. IPPF actively engaged in the process by providing technical inputs to Member States and raising awareness of the situations of women, girls and the most marginalized communities and bringing their real-life experiences into the conversation.     The geopolitical backdrop to this year’s negotiations was extremely divided, with key issues such sexual and reproductive health and rights, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and even the most basic agreed terms around gender equality being challenged.    Following the extensive and challenging political negotiations, the consensus adoption of this political declaration underscores strong cross-regional support for the human rights of all women and girls, the Commission’s mandate, the priority theme and the multilateral system.   The true impact of this political declaration will be measured by its implementation at the national level. As a locally rooted yet globally connected Federation, IPPF and its Member Associations are uniquely positioned to drive the implementation of the political declaration across national, regional, and global spheres. By doing so, we can ensure meaningful change in the lives of women, adolescents, girls, and other marginalized communities where it matters most.  As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Programme of Action and find ourselves only 5 years away from the 2030 deadline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), no States are on track to achieve gender equality. Women, girls and marginalized communities continue to suffer disproportionally from lack of equality and have their fundamental human rights undermined every day, with grave consequences. In this current political moment, where governments are cutting funding and scale back support for basic lifesaving assistance for the most vulnerable, the renewed political commitment of governments with the adoption of the Political Declaration to accelerate the fulfilment of rights of all women and girls is an important step. It is now crucial to collectively hold governments accountable for their commitments.    IPPF particularly welcomes the inclusion of:  strong references to human rights of all women and girls, reflecting Member States’ unwavering commitment to strengthen their collective efforts toward the full, effective, and accelerated implementation of the Beijing Agenda, including ensuring the full enjoyment of women’s and girls’ human rights.  The reaffirmation of the need for gender-responsive budgeting and gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda, which is crucial for addressing structural inequalities.  The reference to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in the text, since women, adolescents, girls, and marginalized groups who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, are more likely to be structurally excluded. It is therefore important that the text recognizes the challenges in achieving gender equality for these groups.  A strong paragraph on the right to health for women and girls throughout their life course, including a reference to Universal Health Coverage:  The commitment to ensure that victims of and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and sexual violence in conflict have prompt and universal access to quality social and health care services and access to justice.   The commitment to addressing the risks and challenges emerging from the use of technologies, with full respect for the human rights of all women and girls, both online and offline, and that   gender-perspective should be mainstreamed in policy decisions and frameworks that guide the development of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence  The strong recognition of the role of women and girls in the resolution of armed conflicts, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.   We are pleased that the important contributions of civil society are acknowledged, however, we regret that the Declaration does not explicitly reference Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), whose work is fundamental in advancing gender equality and human rights.    However, IPPF is disappointed that language on the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as a fundamental component for achieving gender equality was ultimately not included in the Political Declaration, which significantly weakens the text’s scope, as SRHR is fundamental to the lives of women, adolescents, and girls. Furthermore, despite overwhelming data and research demonstrating the benefits of investing in adolescent girls, this critical group remains underrepresented in the Political Declaration.     IPPF urges all governments to unite behind this crucial call to action. Three decades after the Beijing Conference and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for action, the world faces new and complex challenges to achieving the most fundamental human rights for all, which is further exacerbated by persistent structural inequalities.  It is imperative that we act with ambition, courage, and determination to uphold the legacy of Beijing. Looking ahead, we call on the global community to embrace a bold and transformative agenda that secures the rights and well-being of all women, adolescents, and girls and the most marginalized communities—not only for today but for the generations to come.    For more information, please contact media@ippf.org - +44 7918 845944  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 158 Member Associations and Collaborative Partners with a presence in over 153 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.    Photo credits: IPPF/Hannah Maule-ffinch/Indonesia

Geneva, 12 July 2024 – The 56th Session of the Human Rights Council concluded today with major advancements for women and girls’ human rights, including the first ever reference to sexual and reproductive health and rights in a negotiated document—which was adopted by consensus.     For the first time in UN history, a resolution refers to the full formulation of “sexual and reproductive rights. The resolution, “Human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS,” urges states to address the specific needs of adolescents and young persons, especially girls and young women, and persons with disabilities in the response to HIV, and “to develop (...) sexual and reproductive health services, as well as education programmes on sexual and reproductive health and rights.” It is also the first resolution on HIV adopted by consensus since 2019.   In contrast to previously agreed language on ‘sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights’, the inclusion of ‘sexual rights’ ensures that young people will learn they have the rights to be free from sexual violence, from female genital mutilation, from marital rape, and that they have freedom to build safe, healthy relationships and families with the person they choose.  “The language adopted today reflects one of the most highly significant advances  on sexual and reproductive rights over the past 30 years at the UN. At a time of increasing attacks on freedom, human rights and bodily autonomy, the Human Rights Council has demonstrated that it is still fit for purpose to protect people’s human rights to live free from sexual violence,” says Estelle Wagner, IPPF’s Senior International Advocacy Adviser in Geneva.  During the session, the HRC also adopted the resolution “Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women and Girls”, which urges states to repeal “all laws and policies that that criminalize or restrict the exercise of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights," in addition to reaffirming the right to bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights, access to safe abortion, and comprehensive sexuality education. The resolution also addresses menstrual poverty for the first time in a UN resolution.  New resolutions on Accelerating Progress to Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy, and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence were also adopted during this session, as well as an updated resolution on Menstrual Hygiene Management, Human Rights and Gender Equality, which took a stronger health and humanitarian lens than the previous iteration.  IPPF worked hand in hand with Member States and civil society partners to ensure progressive and inclusive language in these resolutions would have a meaningful impact on people’s everyday lives.   In solidarity with women, girls and marginalized communities around the world who still face rights violations and significant barriers to enjoy their sexual and reproductive rights, IPPF remains committed to advancing human rights at all levels – from the UN to the local level where our Member Associations tirelessly fight for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all individuals. We are united, we are strong, and we will not back down until all people can exercise their sexual and reproductive rights free from coercion, discrimination and violence.   For media enquiries, please contact media@ippf.org    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. 

Texas judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, has suspended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the abortion pill Mifepristone in a horror move for abortion access across the United States. The decision will result in a nationwide ban on Mifepristone in seven days, with the FDA given one week to appeal the ruling. While the ban also affected access in states that have secured abortion post-Roe v Wade, a conflicting ruling from Judge Thomas O. Rice from a federal court in Washington state ordered the FDA to maintain access to Mifepristone in 17 democratic states and Colombia District – effectively putting access to the pill into limbo. Mifepristone, which has been FDA-approved for more than 22 years and has a safety record of over 99%[i], is taken alongside the drug Misoprostol during medical abortion procedures. Since then, it has been used by over 5 million[ii] Americans and was used in more than half of abortions nationwide last year. While Misoprostol can be used alone in medical abortion, people should have access to the full spectrum of abortion care options. Mifepristone is also used in the medical management of miscarriage and second and third-trimester pregnancies when the fetus has died before birth. While the ruling does not prohibit the FDA from making a new authorization for Mifepristone, this will likely take many months. Severe disruption to abortion care services, healthcare services and supply chain issues are expected as healthcare providers and pharmacies grapple with legality, stock, retraining and reeducation. Beth Schlachter, Director of Global Advocacy for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said: "For 22 years, Mifepristone has been safely used in medical abortion care across the U.S., allowing healthcare providers to deliver safe, practical and discreet care to people who have chosen to end their pregnancies, regardless of their economic status or ability to travel. "In one fell swoop, anti-abortion extremists have once again stripped people of their rights in another blow to liberty. This horror ruling based on junk science, wilful distortion of fact and extreme political agendas will profoundly affect the lives of millions of people already struggling to access the care they need, especially in states where abortion is already banned." Anti-abortion extremists deliberately filed the case against the approval of Mifepristone in the Amarillo division of the Northern District of Texas — a single-judge division where cases are automatically assigned to Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a conservative judge appointed by former President Trump. The group claim that: "the statutory basis on which the FDA's approval of Mifepristone was issued 22 years ago is invalid" - an assertion both the Government Accountability Office and FDA have previously investigated and put to rest "an 1873 vice law that made it illegal to send "obscene, lewd or lascivious" material through the mail applies to abortion pills" - federal courts have consistently ruled it doesn't apply to lawful abortions "the drug's original approval wasn't supported by evidence of safety and efficacy" — a claim that medical and policy experts have continuously discredited Beth Schlachter, added: "The implementation of a national ban on Mifepristone via a state court debunks one of the principal anti-abortion arguments in the Roe v Wade case  - that the ruling curtailed state freedom and that abortion rights should be defined on a state-by-state basis. "This weaponization of federal courts by anti-abortion extremists proves just how dangerous the overturning of Roe v Wade is for everyday Americans, whose access to healthcare now lies in the hands of fanatical religious extremists determined to disrupt, harass and deceive until they end access to abortion care and long-held sexual and reproductive rights for good." The International Planned Parenthood Federation's local partner, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, will continue to provide abortion care where safe and legal to do so. Those seeking medical abortion can also access care via AidAccess and WomenonWeb. At least two abortion networks, Trust Women and Whole Womans Health, have also announced that they will not immediately stop prescribing Mifepristone and will await a directive from the FDA – a move known as a conscientious provision which refers to providers who continue to provide care despite the legal parameters.   Alongside its partner and other reproductive health organizations, IPPF will keep fighting for access to abortion care, freedom from stigma and freedom from criminalization until everyone, everywhere, is free to make choices about their sexuality and well-being. [i] https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/42/8a/428ab2ad-3798-4e3d-8a9f-213203f0af65/191011-the-facts-on-mifepristone-d01.pdf [ii] Ibid For media enquiries, please contact Karmen Ivey at kivey@ippf.org or media@ippf.org   About the International Planned Parenthood Federation The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.  For 70 years, IPPF, through its 118 Member Associations and seven partners, has delivered high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare and helped advance sexual rights, especially for people with intersectional and diverse needs that are currently unmet. Our Member Associations and partners are independent organizations that are locally owned, which means the support and care they provide is informed by local expertise and context. We advocate for a world where people have 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.  

The Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Dr Alvaro Bermejo, is in Australia this week for high level meetings with Australian Government Ministers and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He is joined by Ms Tomoka Fukuda, Regional Director of IPPF’s East and Southeast Asia and Oceania Region (ESEAOR) and Ms Phoebe Ryan, IPPF’s Chief of the Australia and New Zealand Office. In Australia, Dr Bermejo has been privileged to meet with Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy. Together, they discussed how Australia can play a leadership role in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights through Australia’s international development cooperation. Last week, Dr Bermejo and Ms Fukuda visited IPPF’s Member Association in Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association (SIPPA). In Solomon Islands, they witnessed SIPPA’s life-saving and critical work delivering sexual and reproductive healthcare on the ground, including mobile outreach in remote communities of Malaita Province. Australia has been a long-standing and critical partner to IPPF, supporting programming to reach women, girls, and marginalized groups across the development–humanitarian continuum around the world, with a particular focus on the Asia Pacific. In December 2022, IPPF and DFAT signed a new four-year global funding agreement for 2023 to 2026, part of which includes dedicated support to programming across the Pacific. AUD 19 million is dedicated as global funding towards the delivery of IPPF’s Strategy 2028, along with a further AUD 5.7 million to support the delivery of IPPF’s Pacific Niu Vaka Strategy, Phase 2. This generous investment will enable IPPF to reach an anticipated 1.8 million people in the Pacific over the next six years with 4.2 million essential sexual and reproductive services. IPPF is proud to stand alongside our Pacific MAs as they continue to advocate for the health and rights of those most underserved and excluded, reaching communities with essential information and high quality, person-centred sexual and reproductive health care.     In 2021, IPPF reached over 72 million people around the world with more than 155 million sexual and reproductive health services and contributed to 121 policy and legislative changes in defence of SRHR. IPPF is grateful for Australia’s ongoing support in enabling this impact. IPPF’s Director General, Alvaro Bermejo shared: “IPPF are delighted to be working with the Australian Government to continue improving the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women and girls across the globe. We are grateful to them for helping us deliver more services and support at a time when inequalities are deepening, the opposition is growing, and humanitarian crises continue to place the lives of millions, particularly women and girls, at risk. As we look to build the future with our new strategy, continued support from global partners is crucial to achieving a world where everyone has access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. We hope DFAT’s strong global commitment will inspire other global leaders to take action.” For media enquiries, please contact Karmen Ivey on kivey@ippf.org or Phoebe Ryan on pryan@ippf.org    About the International Planned Parenthood Federation The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.  For 70 years, IPPF has delivered high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare and helped advance sexual rights, especially for people with intersectional and diverse needs that are currently unmet. Our Member Associations and partners are independent organizations that are locally owned, which means the support and care they provide is informed by local expertise and context. 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.

For the first time, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has adopted Agreed Conclusions on the theme of Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. IPPF actively engaged in the process by providing technical input and raising awareness about the interlinkages between SRHR, digital technologies, gender equality, and the empowerment and human rights of all women and girls. IPPF was well represented at the Commission with the following member associations actively involved in advocacy efforts and included on national delegations: the Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA), Rutgers (Netherlands), Profamilia Colombia, and RFSU (the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education). This was the Commission’s first in-person convening since 2019. During the global Covid-19 pandemic, civil society space was limited at the CSW as the sessions were conducted entirely online or only open to a limited number of civil society organizations (CSOs). This year’s session therefore constituted the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that many CSOs could meet and mobilize in person; the session welcomed a record number of 8000 participants to CSW. The experience and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic highlights the importance of ensuring transparency and adequate access to civil society as well as the need to ensure that restrictions that were enforced under Covid-19 do not hamper access for CSOs going forward.   Geopolitical landscape The negotiations were led by the Ambassador of Argentina and culminated in over weeks of negotiations between Member States on this new and important theme. For the first time, the facilitator and the Bureau decided to launch negotiations with some paragraphs containing previously agreed language “closed” so delegates could instead focus on advancing language and normative standards that related to this new priority theme. The geopolitical backdrop to this year’s negotiations was, at times, extremely divided, with key issues such as the right to development, transfer of technology, sexual and reproductive health and rights, comprehensive sexuality education, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, family-related language and the issue of foreign occupation causing political stalemate at times. Nonetheless, in the end, a consensus was reached, and strong Agreed Conclusions were adopted in the early morning hours on the last day of the Commission. Overall, gains were made on the important and ever-evolving area of technology, innovation, education and gender equality.  Sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights IPPF welcomes strong references to sexual and reproductive health (SRH), health care-services, and sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights: in particular, preambular paragraphs 67, 69 and operative paragraphs (0), (p), and (ll). IPPF welcomes the CSW’s recognition of the important role of digital health, including digital health technologies, digital tools, telemedicine, and mobile health, to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information, and education. We also welcome that CSW recognises the need to ensure that such technologies and tools are developed in consultation with women and, as appropriate, girls, and that these technologies are science and evidence-based while protecting personal information, including health information and doctor-patient confidentiality, and prioritize consent and informed decision-making (1). Member States were able to agree on a new operative paragraph on SRH-care services which constitutes a gain beyond what was achieved last year. Digital technologies and new innovations are already having an impact on SRHR and education, for example, by the provision of sexuality education, online information, and the use of telemedicine and apps to provide people with counselling and SRH-care. The consensus reached at this year’s Commission reflects the broad-based support of Member States to take steps to address the opportunities and challenges that arise in the context of SRH and innovation, technological change, and education. Adolescents  We also welcome the Agreed Conclusion’s strong references to adolescents, including preambular paragraph 19, which is a standalone paragraph that discusses the disproportionate discrimination and violence that adolescents face and that occur through or are amplified by the use of technology. We also welcome references to adolescents in PP53, PP66, (ll), (uu), and (ee), including pregnant adolescents, young mothers, and single mothers to enable them to continue and complete their education and provide catch-up and literacy, including digital literacy. Multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination  We regret that references to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination were contested by some delegations, especially given the relevance to this year’s theme. It is well documented that women, adolescents, and girls facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination (MIFD) are more likely to face discrimination and violence through or amplified by technology. They also lack access to technological opportunities and advancements. We regret that the Agreed Conclusions do not have a standalone paragraph linking the priority theme to MIFD, which also constitutes a setback from last year’s agreement, where there were three references to MIFD, as opposed to this year’s text which only includes two.  Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) The text includes a standalone paragraph on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in operative paragraph (ll), which is language that has previously been adopted at the Commission. Though there were attempts to build on this language and advance on normative standards relating to CSE, these proposals were ultimately dropped at a late hour due to the inability to reach consensus on suggested new language. We regret that discussions stalled on CSE, as this is an area that has been well documented by UN agencies as an effective preventative and evidence-based intervention that can improve the health, well-being, and lives of young people, as well as prevent the incidence of gender-based violence and sexually transmitted infections. This is especially unfortunate, given this year’s priority theme and the focus on education.  Technology-facilitated gender-based violence The discussions on the phenomenon of technology-facilitated gender-based violence became politically contested, with some delegations insisting that this terminology constituted a new technical term, requiring a comprehensive definition were it to be referenced in the text. It was, therefore not possible to have a reference to the term in the text even though the phenomenon was well described and prioritized therein. In this regard, we welcome the numerous references to gender-based violence and particularly the recognition that girls are often at greater risk of being exposed to and experience various forms of discrimination and gender-based violence and harmful practices, including through the use of technology and social media (2). Furthermore, we welcome references to ‘non-consenual’ in preambular paragraph 56 and operative paragraph (uuu), as this concerns critical violations of rights and freedoms that women, adolescents, and girls are subject to. These well-documented abuses can be exacerbated by technology; in this regard, the principle of non-consensual is critical to acknowledging the autonomy of women, adolescents, and girls in decisions affecting their sexual, reproductive, and intimate lives.  Right to privacy and personal data Greater need for practices and laws that guarantee the protection of sensitive personal and health data has increased alongside the rise of digital technologies. We therefore welcome the Commission’s recognition that women - and particularly girls - often do not and/or cannot provide their free, explicit, and informed consent to the collection, processing, use, storage, or sale of their personal data (3). We also welcome the Commission’s emphasis on the need to address the digital divide for migrant women and girls and ensure their online connectivity and equitable access to services while upholding the protection of personal data and their right to privacy (4). Finally, we also welcome that the Commission underscores the importance of applying standards for the collection, use, and sharing of data, retention, archiving, and deletion to ensure the protection of women’s and girls’ personal data and to strengthen their ownership of their own personal data (5). Human rights references We welcome the strong references to the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women and girls in the text. In particular, we welcome acknowledgement of the risks and opportunities that the evolving nature of technology brings in terms of realizing the human rights of women, adolescents, girls, and other marginalized groups and the action required by Member States and relevant stakeholders to mitigate against risks and protect, respect, and fulfil the human rights of all women and girls. This year’s Agreed Conclusions has almost double as many references relating to the human rights of women and girls. This constitutes a huge advancement and is testament to the resounding cross-regional support for upholding the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women and girls.  Putting the Agreed Conclusions into practice Despite intensive and, at times, difficult political deliberations around key issues, the adoption of Agreed Conclusions signals the strong cross-regional support for the mandate of the Commission and its priority theme. It also reflects cross-regional support for key issues, including SRHR, human rights, preventing, addressing and eliminating gender-based violence, especially gender-based violence occurring and being amplified through technology. The importance and success of the Agreed Conclusions lie in its implementation at the national level. IPPF and its member associations are well placed as a locally owned, global Federation to work to ensure the implementation of the Agreed Conclusions at national, regional, and global levels. This will ultimately and most importantly benefit the lives of women, adolescents, girls and other marginalized groups in the communities where they live.  (1) PP69 (2) PP52 (3) PP39 (4) PP82 (5) OP qqq  Photo Credit: UN Women/Ryan Brown For media enquiries, please contact Karmen Ivey on kivey@ippf.org or media@ippf.org   About the International Planned Parenthood Federation The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.   For 70 years, IPPF, through its 108 Member Associations and 7 partners, has delivered high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare and helped advance sexual rights, especially for people with intersectional and diverse needs that are currently unmet. Our Member Associations and partners are independent organizations that are locally owned, which means the support and care they provide is informed by local expertise and context. 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.

Profamilia – an IPPF Member Association and the leading sexual and reproductive rights organization in Colombia – is celebrating the first anniversary of the decriminalization of abortion across the country. The move - Ruling C-055 - which allows abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation under any circumstance is saving lives across Colombia, and means those who have an abortion no longer face prosecution or criminalization. A historic step for the rights of women and pregnant people both in the country and across Latin America. Over the last year, Profamilia via its nationwide network of more than 50 clinics has helped guarantee sexual and reproductive health and rights, focusing on providing safe abortion care services in person as well as the provision of telemedicine for rural women.   For a country which sees 132,000 cases annually of complications from unsafe abortions and 70 women lose their lives each year – the shift in focus to abortion as a public health issue means healthcare providers can now focus on providing life-saving care and ending unsafe abortion. Alongside the ruling, the Ministry of Health, has also regulated abortion services throughout Colombia via Resolution 051, reiterating that abortion is an essential and urgent health service, which women, including migrant women, and pregnant people (transgender men, trans masculinities, non-binary people, among others) must be able to access without restriction and for free. Further rulings also embeds the provision of sexual and reproductive health information into Colombian health services. Marta Royo, the Executive Director of ProFamilia, said: "Profamilia's commitment will always be to provide comprehensive, humanized and safe services that allow free and informed decision making, and we reiterate this today” "After one year it is possible to see the progress the country has made in terms of reproductive autonomy and rights for women and pregnant people. However, we must move from text to action, and ensure that decriminalization means healthcare. Profamilia's commitment will always be to provide comprehensive, humanized and safe services that allow free and informed decision making." Eugenia López Uribe, Regional Director of IPPF for the Americas and The Caribbean.