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The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) welcomes the opportunity of the 2026 High- Level Meeting (HLM) on HIV and AIDS to review progress and renew the engagement and commitment of Member States, communities and partners to accelerate a comprehensive, universal and integrated response to HIV and AIDS. This HLM must sustain and strengthen the HIV response and ensure that global and national commitments can urgently address current and future health challenges. Progress has been uneven since the 2021 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS and the targets in the declaration have not been achieved. The overall trajectory of the HIV response has slowed in recent years, with persistent gaps in prevention, treatment, and access to services. Longstanding structural barriers—including stigma, hate speech, discrimination, criminalization, and deep inequalities, including within and between countries—continue to undermine efforts to reach those most affected. In parallel, decrease of investments and growing uncertainty around international funding has weakened the global response and data indicates important reversing hard-won gains, potentially leading to a resurgence of infections and HIV-related deaths in the years ahead. Simultaneously, coordinated global anti-gender backlash is actively reversing decades of progress for vulnerable communities.In the UN spaces where discussions on HIV/AIDS are taking place, marginalized communities continue to be largely left out and prevented from substantively shaping any decisions impacting them, in particular gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who use drugs, and prisoners and other incarcerated people as well as people living with HIV, and women and youth.The UN80 reform proposal to urgently sunset UNAIDS represents a risk of even stronger sidelining of the HIV/AIDS agenda.In this context, this High-Level Meeting represents a critical political moment, taking place at a particularly volatile juncture for the global response. It will bring together all Member States to negotiate a new Political Declaration that will shape the global HIV response for the years ahead, including by building on the new Global AIDS strategy (2026-2031). The outcomes of these discussions will have direct implications for national priorities, financing, and access to essential services for affected communities.As the world’s largest provider of sexual and reproductive health services and a leading advocate, IPPF strongly calls on governments and partners not to fall below previously agreed language (please see annex 1) and to ensure that the following recommendations are included:1. Sexual and reproductive health and rightsAs evidence shows, it will be impossible to end the epidemics of AIDS by 2030, as envisaged under the SDG 3.3 aims, without fully realizing the SRHR of women, adolescents and girls, LGBTQI+ and key populations, including sex workers and those living with HIV. As evidence shows, it will be impossible to end the epidemics of AIDS by 2030, as envisaged under the SDG 3.3 aims, without fully realizing the SRHR of women, adolescents and girls, LGBTQI+ and key populations, including sex workers and those living with HIV.It remains deeply concerning that these rights continue to be violated and face major barriers, due in part to the insufficient integration of human rights-based approaches into health policies and programming and policies, persistent gender health inequalities.Staying HIV-free depends on the ability to exercise autonomy over one’s body and sexual life and protect one’s sexual health, neither of which is possible where discrimination and gender inequality persist. In many regions, access to SRHR information and services remains limited, particularly for women in rural areas, adolescent girls, and marginalized communities. Punitive laws, stigma and discrimination further restrict access to essential SRHR services for women from key populations, while some countries are actively rolling back the rights of women and girls. According to recent data from UNAIDS, only slightly more than half of women and girls aged 15–49 are able to make their own decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and healthcare. Adolescent girls and young women face particularly severe barriers, including restrictive age-of-consent laws in some countries. The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and universal access to sexual and reproductive health, as agreed by consensus in the Agenda 2030, as well as in the 2023 Political Declaration on UHC, cannot be successfully achieved if women, men and adolescent girls and boys are denied their SRHR. Efforts to end AIDS by 2030 will therefore remain insufficient unless they are grounded in a comprehensive framework centred on gender equality, SRHR and human rights, placing people in all their diversity at the centre of the HIV response.We call on Member States to:Reaffirm commitments to the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and all political declarations on HIV/AIDS adopted at the HLM of the GA, including in 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021. Reaffirm the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and its further implementation, and the outcomes of their review conferences, which is a key framework for gender equality. Reaffirm that the human rights of all people include the right to health, including SRHR, the ability to decide freely and responsibly on matters relating to their sexuality and reproductive health, throughout the life cycle, without coercion, discrimination and violence. Integrate the HIV response, including testing, diagnosis, care treatment, and prevention with services for SRHR, STIs, TB, viral hepatitis and harm reduction, as well as social protection strategies, as part of UHC and strong Primary Health Care systems. Integrate services that prevent HIV transmission, child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), and unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls and women, including economic empowerment, respect, protection and fulfilment of their right to education, SRHR, interventions that address unequal gender norms, and increased efforts to end vertical transmission and provide pediatric service for children living with HIV by addressing gaps in the continuum of HIV services among pregnant and breastfeeding women. Ensure all individuals have access to HIV services, including HIV testing, treatment, and prevention, and that individuals have access to a range of choices for HIV testing, HIV treatment drug regimens, and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) methods. Ensure access to antenatal care services that address the special concerns and needs of mothers and young mothers living with HIV, stronger engagement of male partners as part of antenatal care.2. Comprehensive sexuality educationCSE remains a critical factor in the ability of all people, in particular for adolescent girls and boys, to protect themselves from HIV by improving knowledge of HIV and related services. It also plays a key role in HIV prevention, testing and treatment, and ending stigma and discrimination, in addition to its role in addressing the social and structural factors that perpetuate inequalities and increase HIV-related risk.CSE goes beyond biological information to include values of creation around human rights and gender equality, non-violence and non-discrimination as well as skills to build healthy relationships. This informs youth about their rights and gives them the tools to protect themselves through safer sex practices, such as negotiating condom use, and to identify when their rights are being violated, such as cases of sexual abuse or denial of services.We call on Member States to:Ensure access to quality, age-appropriate, gender-transformative comprehensive sexuality education for all young people, both in and out of school, that addresses the realities faced by adolescents and young people, in all their diversity, and empowers youth to exercise their rights. The educational system of almost every country includes some form of education for young and diverse people on sexual and reproductive health and their rights. CSE is the term recognized by the international community when referring to these programs or curriculums, and therefore should be used in this context. Protect, respect and fulfil youth’s right to privacy and confidentiality and ensure that services pertaining to adolescents and youth, including health services, are youth friendly and take into account their diversity. Ensure the meaningful and strategic participation and coordination with adolescents and youth living with HIV in the different decision-making processes relevant to them.3. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)SGBV compounds and exacerbates violations to women’s, adolescents and girls’ as well as key population’s rights and health, with particular impact on their access to SRHR including HIV care and services. Gender inequalities, SGBV and gaps in basic HIV prevention programmes put adolescent girls and young women at much higher risk of acquiring HIV than their male peers in many regions.The interplay between intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV is an ongoing concern in high-prevalence settings. Women who experienced physical intimate partner violence have on average a lower percentage likelihood of viral suppression compared with those not exposed to such violence, according to the UNSG report from 2025.The integration of SGBV services in the HIV response is key to ensure that multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence faced by women, adolescents, girls, LGBTQI+, and key populations can adequately be addressed in the long term.We call on Member States to:Eliminate the root causes of gender inequalities and end all forms of SGBV and discrimination, with a particular focus on those living with HIV and key populations. Provide integrated services and tailored service packages to the need of individual community members to prevent and address SGBV, including interventions that address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence faced by women, adolescents and girls living with HIV, indigenous women, women with disabilities, transgender women, sex workers, migrant women and other marginalized populations. Address gaps and strengthen behavioural change programmes on positive masculinities, women’s rights, and safe and responsible sex to reduce gender and HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and harmful gender norms, including on violence; and address and end SGBV. Scale up social protection interventions for girls, adolescents, young women, LGBTQI+, and key populations, and engage men and boys in intensified efforts to confront unequal socio-cultural gender norms and undo harmful masculinities.4. Women, adolescent, youth and girls’ participation and empowermentEconomic empowerment, access to CSE, elimination of harmful social norms, and completion of secondary education are key factors that create enabling environments where girls and young women can make informed decisions, access HIV prevention and care services, and exercise control over their SRH, ultimately reducing their vulnerability to HIV.Further risks to the HIV response are posed by the threats to human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as they relate to HIV prevention, testing and treatment services, imperiling the progress of the response and driving disparities between populations and regions. Key populations, and women and girls continue to be at significant risk of lack of access to services, driven by inequalities.We call on Member States to:Strengthen and mobilize women community–led organizations, girls and gender-diverse people, including from key populations, in the HIV response. Strengthen gender-responsive leadership, governance, coordination and linkages. Strengthen economic empowerment initiatives, social protections and reduce women’s and girls’ socioeconomic vulnerability to HIV. Strengthen access to female-controlled HIV prevention methods.5. Key populations and communities' leadershipKey populations and community-led organizations and networks are the heart of the HIV response. For more than 40 years, their activism, knowledge and inventiveness have shaped and powered HIV programmes across the world, saving countless lives.Key populations and community-led services and support are crucial lifelines for people neglected by standard health systems, reaching them with information, services and other support they need to stay HIV-free or live healthily with HIV. Yet, key populations, including people living with HIV, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender individuals, sex workers, people who use drugs, migrants, refugees, and detainees; continue to be excluded from decision making processes and face violence, exclusion, and major barriers to accessing healthcare and protection services.We call on Member States to:Make strong commitments to political leadership, and to support/facilitate communities’ ownership, including of people living with, at risk of, and affected by HIV. Develop strategic and inclusive partnerships, with local and community-based organizations, CSOs, feminist groups, LGBTQI+ organizations, youth-led organizations, academia, and the private sector. Ensure meaningful, ethical and strategic community involvement as well as other key stakeholder involvement in decision-making processes. Invest in data collection, disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts. Support community-led monitoring and research, and community engagement in national, regional and international accountability mechanisms and increase investments in research and development for long-acting HIV treatment. Increase direct and sustainable financing for community-led responses, including through social contracting and domestic financing mechanisms.6. Structural barriers, stigma, and the principle of non-discriminationPersistent stigma and discrimination related to real or perceived HIV status, and intersections with discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexuality orientation (SOGI) or expression, also stand in the way. According to an analysis of studies conducted by the People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 in 25 countries, 25% of people living with HIV reported experiencing stigma and discrimination when seeking non-HIV-related services.In many contexts, seeking HIV services may also expose a person’s socio-legal status that are socially stigmatized or criminalized.In many regions, in particular in the Arab world region, HIV is fueled not only by gaps in healthcare, but by stigma, discrimination, criminalization and the lack of inclusive and adapted policies. HIV continues to be wrongly associated with homosexuality, adultery or other socially rejected behaviors, further fueling fear and discrimination. Key populations and LGBTIQ+ individuals are afraid to seek testing or treatment due to fear of arrest, rejection, or abuse. This is also the case for many migrants and refugees, where irregular legal status may expose individuals to detention, deportation, violence, or abuse, further discouraging them from accessing healthcare services.We call on Member States to:Reaffirm the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all Human Rights Treaties. Reiterate in particular that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and the rights and needs of people in all their diversity whether they are living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV. Implement strategies to remove barriers in the HIV response, such as stigma, discrimination and gender inequality. Address social and structural barriers to significantly improve HIV outcomes through context specific strategies, including community-led prevention, universal access to testing, treatment and self-care initiatives, novel prevention (PrEP and PEP) and medical technologies. Implement strategies to end HIV-related stigma and discrimination, including improving access to inclusive and stigma-free services, that respect their right to privacy and confidentiality, for key populations, young people, in particular adolescent girls and young women, those living with a disability, refugees and migrant population groups. Ensure enabling legal environments that repeal punitive and discriminatory laws and policies, as well as prevent and eliminate human rights violations against people living with HIV and key populations, and that ensure their right to health, education, and social protection for all, including through removing third-party consent requirements that limit access, especially for women and girls, adolescents and youth to SRH services including for HIV prevention, testing and treatment. Bolster rapid efforts to ensure universal and equal access to HIV prevention, affordable care and services, information and education and treatment for all, with a focus on those left behind including key populations, youth, adolescent girls and young women and other priority populations.7. Health systems and technology and digital healthA strong consensus has emerged around the need for further integration of HIV with broader health systems, including primary health care. More extensive integration is expected to boost the use, efficiency and sustainability of HIV services, thereby improving both HIV and broader health outcomes and making health systems more resilient.Digital health and community-led technology are now also central to the HIV response, particularly for adolescents, young people, LGBTQI+ communities, key populations, and people living with HIV who may face stigma, criminalization, mobility barriers, or fear of being seen accessing services.Digital platforms can expand access to HIV information, self-testing, PrEP, PEP, treatment literacy, appointment booking, teleconsultation, mental health support, and community referrals. However, digital health must be grounded in human rights, privacy, informed consent, confidentiality, data protection, and community ownership.We call on Member States to:Invest in rights-based and community-led digital health systems that expand access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, care, and support, while protecting privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, and safety from digital surveillance, outing, harassment, or misuse of HIV and SOGIESC-related data. Scale up digital and hybrid service delivery models, including online-to-offline HIV outreach, HIV selftesting, telehealth, TelePrEP, digital appointment systems, peer navigation, treatment adherence support, viral load reminders, and referral pathways that link individuals to confirmatory testing, PrEP, Antiretroviral therapy (ART), STI services, SRHR, mental health, and social protection. Ensure digital inclusion and equity, recognizing that digital health must not widen inequalities. Member States should support low-bandwidth, multilingual, youth-friendly, disability-inclusive, and communityaccessible platforms, while investing in digital literacy, community digital navigators, data support, and offline referral options for those without reliable internet access or safe digital spaces. Fund community-led digital innovation, particularly by LGBTQI+ organizations, PLHIV networks, youthled organizations, sex worker-led groups, harm reduction groups, and other key population-led organizations, recognizing that trusted community messengers are often better able to reach people who avoid formal health systems due to stigma, fear, or previous discrimination. Use digital tools to strengthen accountability, including community-led monitoring of service quality, stockouts, stigma and discrimination, confidentiality breaches, PrEP and ART access, viral load delays, and gaps in youth- and key population-friendly services.8. Humanitarian, conflict and crisis contexts and displacementThe HIV response has also been impacted by wars, displacement and humanitarian crises: from Syria and Sudan to Lebanon and Palestine, conflicts and instability continue to disrupt HIV and SRHR services. The rise in conflict-related and climate change-induced emergencies and protracted humanitarian contexts underscores the need to better adapt HIV responses to humanitarian contexts. We call on Member States to strengthen the integration of HIV prevention and access to services in humanitarian crises, environmental disasters and pandemic responses.9. Financing and accountability mechanismsSocial equity must be an entry point to the financing architecture on AIDS with our communities at the center of decisions and communities-led responses being fully funded. The global order that shaped the modern HIV response is itself under strain. Multilateral institutions, such as the UN and UNAIDS, are being questioned, while human rights, gender equality, SRHR, and bodily autonomy are contested.In the Global South, particularly in Southeast Asia, the HIV response has also been structured through profound inequality and dependency to international financing. As a result, when donor priorities shift or funding declines, health systems weaken. When funding is cut, treatment becomes uncertain. Sustainability must mean resilience in 2026, through locally-led systems with equitable access.In a context of scarce resources to address urgent and competing health priorities, it remains critical to ensure that financial and human resources’ commitments towards the HIV response can be attained through national prioritization processes, the integration of HIV financing within domestic and international financing systems, and the implementation of financial mechanisms including debtcancelation and restructuring. Sustainable financing cannot only mean domestic resource mobilization but also requires redistribution of scientific and institutional power, including technology transfer.Renewed commitments are urgently needed to ensure that improvements in HIV outcomes can be achieved in lower income economies, and to ensure the financing of local or community-led responses and adequate resources to provide the continuum of HIV services for key populations, women, adolescents and girls and other priority groups.Ending the HIV epidemic also requires collective responsibility. Bold leadership, country ownership, community engagement in decision-making and strong accountability mechanisms remain essential to achieving targets and commitments to advance the HIV response and end AIDS as a public health threat. Member States and stakeholders should strengthen their commitments to political leadership, inclusive partnerships, strong advocacy to sustain the HIV response, community ownership, community-based monitoring, research and innovation.We call on Member States to:Reaffirm commitments from Addis Ababa Action Agenda (2015) and Sevilla Commitment (2025). Integrate gender-responsive budgeting for focused and mainstreamed interventions. Urgently mobilize domestic and international funding for the HIV response, leveraging alternative financing mechanisms to bridge funding gaps. Integrate HIV-related needs into health insurance schemes and broader health strategies, as well as development budgets and financing instruments. Replenishing and sustaining adequate financial commitments towards the HIV response at global and national levels are essential steps to ensure progress towards significant improvements in HIV outcomes. Ensure the financing of local and community-led responses and services for key populations and other priority groups, including people living with, at risk of, and affected by HIV. Accelerate the scale-up of bilateral and multilateral funding, as well as domestic resource mobilization, for the HIV and AIDS response. Sustain global solidarity and funding and support financing mechanisms and partnerships, such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Initiative and Unitaid. Advance to reach the commitment of investing (i) at least a quarter of AIDS spending on HIV prevention; (ii) at least 6% of all global AIDS resources for social enablers; and ensuring that at least 30% of all service delivery is community-led by 2030, through investment in human resources for health, as well as in the necessary equipment, tools and medicines. Mobilizing additional sustainable domestic resources for HIV responses through a wide range of strategies and approaches, including public-private partnerships, debt financing, debt relief, debt restructuring and sound debt management, progressive taxation, tackling corruption and ending illicit financial flows. 

From 7-8 May 2026, Maria Antonietta Alcalde, the new Director General of IPPF, visited Japan for the first time since taking office. She held policy consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and paid a courtesy call on Dr Ayano Kunimitsu, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.State Minister Kunimitsu stated:“Given my own background as a doctor, I have a particularly deep understanding of the importance of SRHR globally. As Japan prioritises the promotion of global health, particularly UHC, in its foreign policy, Japan will continue to cooperate with IPPF, which has been active at the grassroots level, in various countries to demonstrate evidence and provide more valuable support.”Maria Antonieta Alcalde said:“As the global situation regarding SRHR is changing significantly, and there are fears that the achievements we have built up so far may be undermined, I would like to express my deep gratitude for the support provided to IPPF by Japan, a long-standing key partner and champion of UHC. IPPF and its Member Associations will further strengthen our partnership with Japan to continue protecting the SRHR of women, girls and vulnerable people worldwide.”

IPPF recognizes the need for the long-overdue need for UN reform and to transform the institution to more effectively respond to real-world challenges and to the needs of the peoples it exists to serve. A UN ‘fit for purpose’ must change the colonial legacies and power imbalances on which it was created. And any reform must strengthen the UN’s ability to uphold its purpose and values and be truly long-term visionary  - not dismantle the organization or deviate from those principles.The UN80 Initiative held out the promise of a UN that could “do more, more effectively - ensuring the UN system is better aligned to meet rising global needs with unity, agility, and purpose”. In the context of the proposed merger of UN Women and UNFPA, the UN leadership argued that a key goal would be “to protect progress on gender equality and SRHR against backlash”. Throughout the process, IPPF and other feminist civil society organizations and member states insisted that the assessment must be grounded in robust data and analysis and that any reform must protect the critical mandates and normative roles of both.Following several months of delay, the ‘Strategic Merger Assessment of UNFPA and UN Women: Final Consolidated Report’ was released on 24 April. The report proposes a merger of UNFPA and UN Women as a key ‘‘strategic option’ and three ways it could look: 1) One single entity. 2) Integration under UNFPA, 3) Integration under UN Women. It concludes that a single entity is the best way forward.IPPF is alarmed that the proposal not only fails to fulfil the imperative of the UN80 reform, but that it would have detrimental impacts on the UN's work on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights and human rights for all. We are deeply concerned that institutional consolidation will dilute normative authority, disrupt operational infrastructure, and weaken the UN’s ability to translate global commitments into national action — at precisely the moment these commitments face intensified challenges. This proposed merger is not an abstract exercise - it is about peoples’ lives and the UN’s continued relevance for those it exists to serve: women, girls, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ and other marginalised and underserved communities. IPPF supports meaningful UN reform that makes the institution more responsive to the people it serves. However, the rushed UN80 process risks undermining that goal by advancing major changes, including the proposed merger of UNFPA and UN Women, without fully considering the impact on people’s lives. As a key UNFPA partner, IPPF is deeply concerned this could disrupt lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, particularly for women and girls in underserved communities, and weaken decades of progress on sexual and reproductive rights and gender equality. For reform to be credible, it must be driven by our communities needs, not politics. - Maria Antonieta Alcalde Castro, IPPF General Director PF calls on governments, including  key donors to UNFPA and UN Women and members of the UN Women and UNFPA Executive Boards, to:Reject the proposal in the report to merge UNFPA and UN Women into one single entity as the only  ‘strategic option’. As it stands, the assessment report provides no clear, convincing rationale nor cost-benefit analysis to support such a proposal.  The report identifies several core risks, such as reopening/diluting mandates, disruption to programmatic activities and unclear funding continuation, yet does not provide any comprehensive risk mitigation strategies for this.  Raise concern about the expedited timelines: This process has been pushed through by UN leadership with unacceptable speed and without proper consideration of the consistent concerns and questions raised by Member States and civil society actors. In light of the monumental impact such a merger would have, it cannot be expedited  without proper consultations to gather substantive inputs from civil society and those who will be impacted by the decision at country level and comprehensive responses to concerns raised, including on programmatic, normative and mandate levels. IPPF’s key concerns in the assessment reportProgrammatic and country level impactDespite consistent requests from Member States and civil society, the assessment reports lack a comprehensive analysis of the impact on country, operational and programmatic levels. It is based on “publicly available info, desk reviews, interviews and hypothesis testing”. The report states that continuity of life-saving services would be safeguarded, including by protection of operational access, supply chains, and surge capacity in fragile and crisis-affected contexts. Yet the report also identifies that the merger could disrupt programme implementation and that the risk is “particularly acute for essential and life-saving functions, including the procurement and delivery of reproductive health commodities, humanitarian surge capacity”. This ambivalence raises questions about the extent to which the proposed safeguards adequately address the risks identified.As the world largest provider of sexual and reproductive health services - working in over 150 countries in the world - and an implementing partner for UNFPA, IPPF sees imminent risks for the millions of people who depend on access to lifesaving care. In the context of the current political landscape and severe funding constraints, the proposal to merge UNFPA and UN Women would further destabilise service delivery for women, girls and marginalized communities most in need, including in humanitarian context. The dismantling of USAID funding has already resulted in a $52 million supply gap across 21 countries, many of them humanitarian or fragile settings. A merger could exacerbate this gap if partnership agreements and commodity pipelines are renegotiated, and if abortion‑related and family‑planning commodities are deprioritised.The UNFPA Supplies Partnership is the world's largest dedicated procurer of family planning and reproductive health commodities, with an annual budget of $127.5 million supporting 54 programme countries. Of these, 45 countries have direct operational overlap with IPPF Member Associations, meaning a merger-related disruption would not be abstract, but will be immediately felt on the ground. IPPF Member Associations alone receive an estimated $8–$10 million in commodities annually through UNFPA Supplies, either via direct donations from the Partnership or through their respective Ministries of Health. These are essential for IPPF Member Association’s delivery of critical sexual and reproductive health services to the communities we serve. Any institutional disruption, including transition-related procurement delays, renegotiation of host country agreements, or supply chain authority gaps, would put this flow of life-saving commodities at direct risk, disproportionately affecting the women and girls in the most underserved settings who have no alternative source of supply. Continuity of  life-saving services, in particular in humanitarian and crisis settings, is not an ancillary implementation issue: it is a core test of whether reform strengthens or weakens delivery. IPPF is deeply concerned that the assessment report fails to comprehensively outline how life-saving services would be continued. Any transition period is likely to create authority gaps, delays in procurement decision-making, or ambiguity in operational accountability — all of which disrupt time-sensitive SRHR delivery. In the current geopolitical context, where disruptions are already impacting millions of people who rely on essential sexual and reproductive health services, merging UNFPA and UN Women could expose a new entity to further coordinated political pressure, funding conditionality, or governance deadlock, with severe risks for restricting life-saving interventions. This is particularly a key risk following the Trump administration's America First Global Health Strategy and expanded Global Gag rule, which are impacting country-level and global funding and support for reproductive health supplies, including  family planning. A merger would likely require entering into new host country agreements with countries in which UNFPA and UN Women work.  In the current political environment, this would bring challenges impacting operational capacity that could disproportionately affect fragile and crisis settings where service continuity depends on rapid decision-making and decentralized operational authority.Beyond service delivery, UNFPA functions as a key technical and normative partner to national governments in the design and monitoring of sexual and reproductive health policies. In many countries, including in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNFPA's country offices serve as irreplaceable interlocutors between international standards and national health systems. A merger carries serious risk of weakening this function, precisely at a moment when governments need evidence-based guidance to withstand regressive political pressures. In countries like Colombia, for example, where UNFPA has played a decisive role in designing and co-implementing national public policies on sexual and reproductive health, including in the context of the peace process and the migration crisis driven by Venezuelan displacement, a merger would not merely disrupt an institution: it would destabilize years of policy-building and programmatic gains that cannot be rebuilt overnight. The flawed argument of reducing “fragmentation”The report argues that a new merged entity would reduce fragmentation as a key goal. It mentions that  “Under current conditions this fragmentation is not neutral. It is becoming a growing constraint on the system’s ability to project political weight, ensure continuity across contexts, and demonstrate impact at scale.”As already highlighted by feminist civil society, UNFPA and UNW’s mandates were created and designed to work together, but each has a distinct mandate approved by Member States. This point is central: complementarity was a deliberate choice by Member States to strengthen delivery across different but interconnected functions. Across the UN system, many entities operate with overlapping areas of expertise without calls for structural consolidation. While we support increased collaboration and agility, including at country levels, improved coordination and impact could be achieved through strengthened accountability frameworks and effective collaboration mechanisms, rather than through organizational restructuring alone. There is a risk that institutional consolidation, if not designed with explicit safeguards, could dilute normative authority, disrupt specialized operational infrastructure, and weaken the UN’s ability to translate global commitments into national action — at precisely the moment these commitments face intensified challenge. Decisions about structure are therefore political decisions — influencing whose priorities are amplified, whose expertise is preserved, and how mandates evolve over time. Risk of mandate dilutionThe report confirms that any restructure and merger of UNFPA and UN Women would require a decision by the UN General Assembly. This means that the decision-making process will be put in the hands of UN Member States. The assessment report mentions that “mandate negotiation is a non-negotiable analytical condition”. During the Women Deliver Conference, on April 27, the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed confirmed that if there is a risk of any mandates being opened up, the decision will no longer be on the table. However, in this political moment, this strategy seems not only risky, but politically extremely dangerous. Once the process is in the hands of Member States the chances of actually “pull the proposal” will no longer be at the authority of the UN Secretary-General. Recently, in the Commission on the Status of Women, we witnessed how the United States attempted to push its extremely regressive national policies into multilateral spaces by trying to re-define “gender” as meaning “men and women” and re-open the Beijing Declaration and Programme of Action.  The ICPD Programme of Action and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action represent hard-won, multilaterally negotiated commitments that have guided decades of progress on sexual and reproductive rights and gender equality. UNFPA and UN Women are not merely implementing agencies — they are the custodial institutions responsible for tracking progress against these commitments and holding states accountable. Merging them creates serious institutional risk to the monitoring, promotion, and defense of these frameworks, particularly at a moment when state and non-state actors are actively seeking to re-interpret or dilute agreed language. The many recent attempts to dilute agreed language, including recently at the Commission on the Status of Women are not isolated incidents — it is a warning. Moving forward with a merger would risk opening up to negotiating a new mandate in the General Assembly, which would be highly exposed to this kind of regressive pressure and attempts to leave out key groups from protection and care. To truly protect the mandates, the ICPD PoA and the Beijing PfA, there is a need for clear legal and institutional safeguards in place.Role of civil society A deeply concerning aspect of the UNFPA–UN Women merger assessment process, which IPPF and many other civil society organizations have repeatedly raised, and which is also reflected in the report itself, is the limited and instrumental way in which civil society participation is conceived. Rather than recognizing civil society as a strategic actor with substantive expertise and a legitimate role in shaping decisions, the report largely approaches engagement from a communications and stakeholder management perspective, without assigning civil society any meaningful power to influence the decision-making process or the implementation pathway. This tokenistic approach is unfortunately consistent with how the process has unfolded from the outset. It is particularly problematic given that civil society is not a peripheral actor, but one of the key constituencies responsible for advancing, implementing, and sustaining gender equality and SRHR mandates on the ground. Excluding these voices from genuine decision-making undermines both the legitimacy and the effectiveness of any proposed reform.Protection against backlashThroughout the UN80 process, the UN leadership has continuously argued that a key goal of a merged entity would be to  “protect progress on gender equality and SRHR” against backlash. The assessment mentions the opportunity to have a “stronger, unified global voice” which could elevate the influence, clarity and political power of the UN’s work on gender equality and SRHR - speaking with one unmistakable voice at global, regional and country levels. The report also states that greater resilience in a challenging environment could be achieved through a combined institution.While we see merit in making country-level engagements more agile and coordinated,  consolidation does not automatically translate into greater political strength. Concentrating normative leadership, coordination authority, gender equality and population data functions and operational SRHR delivery within one structure increases the possibility of any political attack, funding shock, reputational controversy, or governance deadlock. Rather than dispersing risk across complementary entities, consolidation may create a focal point for coordinated political pressure, including attempts to reopen agreed language, restrict funding streams, or redefine operational mandates.FundingIPPF is deeply concerned that the assessment report does not provide a cost benefit analysis, despite consistent requests from Member States and CSOs. Such an analysis should be a bare minimum requirement on the basis of which further discussions can be held. The report mentions that a ‘full-fledged cost-benefit analysis of both transition costs and recurring efficiencies will only be possible once a specific pathway has been selected and organizational design options have been developed’.The preliminary cost analysis in the report shows that estimated annual savings from a merger would represent a relatively small share of the combined budgets approximately 1.4% to 1.7%, “in the range of “USD 32-38 million once integration is fully completed”. This could take several years. However, transition costs are expected to be “up to USD 110 million”.  The report also notes that UNFPA is 100 % voluntary funded and UN Women primarily funded through earmarked contributions for ¾ of its work . Lastly, the assessment team includes that “it is the belief of the assessment team that any savings generated through a merger would need to be redeployed within a new organization, to enable it to deliver on what would be a larger combined mandate”. This data leaves us with a fundamental question: What is the financial benefit of this merger, where savings were presented as a core premise for proposing it in the first place?The report also shows that donor confidence for “both core and non-core funding are closely linked to mandate clarity, institutional continuity, and confidence in delivery arrangements”. The top 20 donors accounted for approximately 70 % of total contributions to UNFPA and 85 % to UN Women. It further mentions that “as a result, any perceived dilution of mandates or disruption to delivery frameworks carries a heightened risk of donor disengagement, increased earmarking, or reduced funding levels. However, given the current financial landscape, these risks may materialize even in a status quo scenario.” This raises serious concerns about how a new entity would be able to ensure the same level of funding, not to mention make a compelling case for new donors to come on board. ConclusionThe assessment report does not provide any evidence, data, cost-benefit analysis or convincing financial arguments for why the merger of UNFPA and UN Women will make “the UN deliver more consistent and measurable impact at scale for women and girls, including adolescents and youth, on the ground”. On the contrary, the lack of evidence and data underpins the fear that this is a politically motivated process; aiming to undermine peoples’ rights, hard-won gains and weaken UN institutions that specifically focus on SRHR and gender equality for all.While IPPF stands ready to support genuine, transformative and visionary UN reforms, dismantling the key structures in a moment of intense political backlash is not only risky, it can be deadly. For thousands of people relying on basic health services and whose rights and dignity are already under attack. We therefore call on Member States to reject the proposal to merge UNFPA and UN Women, to insist that careful considerations and timelines are given, and that -  for the UN80 process to be truly effective and visionary -  it must be system-wide and grounded in realities for the peoples it was established to serve. Any reform processes that undermine transparency and collaboration are counterproductive to achieving SRHR, gender equality, and human rights for all.     

The space is the UN and the moment is now.We are deeply frustrated and concerned that Member States were unable to reach a consensus on an outcome resolution for the fifty-ninth session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD59) on: Population, technology and research in the context of sustainable development.However, we also recognise and appreciate the efforts and commitment of numerous delegations in upholding the centrality of this commission towards advancing population and development policies that promote and protect the rights of all people. The CPD remains the primary and most critical space for Member States to monitor, review, and assess the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) including the protection of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), particularly and in light of emerging issues and threats to its implementation in a rapidly evolving world. We cannot allow the mandate of the CPD to be undermined; it is precisely the space where these difficult but essential conversations must take place, and where they must lead to concrete, rights-based outcomes that respond to the realities people face.Despite the absence of consensus based agreement, it is important to realise the pertinence of the theme given the rapidly evolving technological environment and its implications on population and development outcomes. We continue to urge Member States to ensure that human rights remain at the centre of policy making, governance and transfer of technologies - upholding previously agreed and widely supported agreements such as the Global Digital Compact, the 2030 Agenda, the ICPD PoA and the outcomes of its regional review conferences.A Missed Opportunity for Progress:Whilst we appreciated the timely circulation of the zero draft, we were uninspired by its lack of ambition and clarity. While far from being the ambitious document we sought, the Rev. 2 reflected an improvement from the Zero Draft and a balanced overview of the priorities raised by Member States during negotiations. Rev. 2 reaffirmed the ICPD PoA, a range of human rights - including the right to development - and called upon Member States to implement commitments to advance gender equality; sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights; right to privacy and consent, sexual and gender-based violence including those facilitated through technology; and technology transfers for a variety of rights and needs.However, some Member States decided to step back, showing an eventual lack of political will to reach consensus.Public investments in technology and research is a global public good, however, we have observed the re-emergence of transactional multilateralism that centers geopolitical power, prioritizing competition over cooperation at the expense of global well-being. Whilst efforts were made to protect and advance SRHR, it was not constructive and only exacerbated polarization.The absence of an agreed outcome on technology and research has implications that extend well beyond procedural considerations and far beyond the halls of the UN. Without clear political commitment, technological advancements risk not only failing to protect, but actively deepening inequalities, leaving individuals, especially those in marginalized communities, with weaker safeguards and greater exposure to harm, both offline and online.People-centred multilateralism is an indispensable tool to realise progress on the ICPD PoA. We need political will that translates into transformative leadership, strong accountability mechanisms, and the resources to secure clear commitments and create spaces for meaningful participation and dialogue. The priority should be to dismantle structural inequalities and colonial legacies, advance human rights, and place the collective good and universal access to fundamental rights above concentrated economic interests. We call for renewed commitment to negotiate, to compromise, and to uphold agreements that reflect a genuine balance of interests. A commitment to people’s rights everywhere.Our Call to Action:In a context of multiple global crises, genocides and wars, this is not just a lack of political commitment. It is a departure from the very mandate of the international system.We therefore make a clear call to Member States to:Uphold ICPD PoA, outcomes of regional review conferences and advance commitments for its implementation.Prepare in advance for next year’s theme and be ready to negotiate in good faith.Ensure deliberate efforts to protect and open up for meaningful and inclusive engagement of communities.Act as true ambassadors of multilateralism.Place human rights at the center of their decisions.Be aware about the common but differentiated responsibilities they carry, including those arising from historical injustices and the need for reparations, and act in consequence.The space to choose between power and the well-being of people and the planet is the UN and the moment is now. We need you to step up with political courage and moral clarity, and commit to the task.ISRRC is an alliance of organizations from all regions of the world dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all since 1999. ISRRC convenes and strategizes around each session of the CPD to advance implementation of the ICPD PoA.

The IPPF Board of Trustees has appointed Jon Lomøy as its next Chair, effective 16 May 2026. He has served as a Trustee since June 2023.His appointment comes at a critical moment for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as global progress faces increasing pressure from rising anti-rights movements, shrinking development assistance, and growing geopolitical instability.A long-standing Member Association volunteer, Jon brings extensive experience from a distinguished career as a diplomat, civil servant, and senior leader within the Norwegian and international development system. He served as Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) from 2015 to 2019 and is currently Chair of Sex og Politikk, IPPF’s Member Association in Norway. His expertise spans the international aid system, risk management, and programme delivery. Based in Norway, he has also lived and worked in Tanzania, Zambia and France.Jon says of his appointment:“I am extremely proud to have been elected to chair the board of IPPF, the world's leading SRHR organization. During my lifetime, I have seen enormous progress in SRHR, but this progress is now threatened. We need to stand together as a movement, and join hands with other progressive forces, to counter the forces that want us to move backwards into the future.IPPF is a unique global movement, rooted in the diverse realities of our more than 100 members, but united by common values.As a global solidarity movement, we need to continue to fight to uphold global solidarity as a value and as practice, but we also need to prepare ourselves for a future where aid is declining. We therefore also need to be innovative in our search for new sources to finance our work”.

As Israeli and US strikes on oil infrastructure blanketed Tehran in toxic smoke, IPPF is warning of serious, lasting risks to maternal and reproductive health - risks that are now spreading across the region.When oil infrastructure is bombed, fine particulates, soot, sulphur compounds and other toxic pollutants spread through the air, water and soil, creating serious health risks for entire communities. The World Health Organization has already warned that damage to petroleum facilities in Iran risks contaminating food, water and air supplies, with potentially severe consequences, particularly for vulnerable groups.Pregnant women and newborns are among those most at risk. There is no historical parallel for an attack on oil infrastructure of this magnitude in a city of over nine million people. However, a substantial body of research on air pollution and petroleum-related contamination points to the potential consequences for pregnant women.The environmental and public health threat extends well beyond Iran's borders. The head of the International Energy Agency warned this week that at least 40 energy assets across nine countries in the Middle East have sustained severe or critical damage since the outbreak of the war. Yet the reproductive health consequences remain entirely absent from public and political debate. Toxic smoke and the harms to pregnancy  According to the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), oil fires of this kind generate particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. Doug Weir, Director of the CEOBS, warns that:"The intensive use of explosive weapons in a densely populated area like Tehran generates a diverse mixture of pollutants, including pulverised building materials, heavy metals, particulate matter and explosives residues. When you include pollution from oil facility fires it is clear that pregnant women are being exposed to a complex mixture of pollutants during a period where stress may also contribute to increased vulnerability to harm."  Four oil facilities in and around the city were struck, including the Tehran refinery, which has the capacity to process 225,000 barrels of oil per day. Tehran's geography makes this exposure particularly acute: the city sits in a semi-enclosed basin surrounded by the Alborz mountains, which trap pollutants within the city boundary rather than dispersing them. Reports have also described ‘black’ rain over Tehran, which can further contaminate water sources, soil and food supplies.These are the same substances that research consistently identifies as potentially harmful to a woman and her foetus during pregnancy. What we are yet to ascertain is the level and length of exposure women in Tehran will be subject to. What the evidence tells us: increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and miscarriageMaternal exposure to oil pollution is a significant public health concern, as exposure to air pollutants during critical stages of foetal development may lead to serious long-term adverse pregnancy outcomes¹. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, in its 2023 Global Burden of Disease study, 32% of preterm births in 2023 were attributed to exposure to PM air pollution². A systematic review published in JAMA Network Open reinforces this picture, analysing data from over 32 million births across over 50 studies. The study found that exposure to pollutants, particularly through fine particulate matter, was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth in 79% of studies and low birth weight in 86% of studies.³ A global meta-analysis published in PLOS Medicine, covering 204 countries and territories, found an 11% greater risk of low birth weight and a 12% greater risk of preterm birth for every 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase in exposure to fine particulate matter.⁴In addition to the risk associated with particulate matter, the fires generate neurotoxic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formed during incomplete combustion. These compounds cross the placenta, resulting in reduced birthweight, smaller head circumference and longer-term cancer risk and cognitive deficits in offspring. Evidence comes from studies in New York⁵ ⁶, Krakow⁷, and the Gulf War oil fires ⁸ . According to Virginia Rauh, Professor of Population and Family Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health:“This multi-layered mixture of pollutants has an immediate adverse impact on fetal growth and longer-term consequences for newborn lungs and brain development, resulting in a devastating public health scenario for reproductive and child health.”Research specifically examining petroleum pollution, points to a wider pattern of reproductive harm. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, found possible associations between maternal exposure to oil and gas processes and adverse outcomes including preterm birth and miscarriage.¹⁰ Whilst a prospective cohort study of 1,418 pregnant women in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, found that women in the most exposed communities faced significantly higher rates of premature rupture of membranes, postpartum haemorrhage and caesarean section compared to women in low-exposure areas.¹¹ A health crisis that could last generationsThe research points to a warning that IPPF's Global Humanitarian Director, Valerie Dourdin, says we cannot afford to ignore.“What may be framed politically as a short-term war will not produce only short-term consequences. The effects of destroying oil infrastructure do not end when the fires are extinguished. Contamination lingers in the air, in the water, in soil, and in people’s bodies. The full scale of what is unfolding over Tehran cannot yet be measured. The respiratory hazard is severe, but the evidence gives us real cause to believe this could also become a reproductive health emergency, with devastating consequences for the Iranian people, particularly women and families.”These health risks do not exist in isolation. They are compounded by the conditions of conflict itself. Women and girls in Iran already faced significant barriers to reproductive healthcare, and emergencies deepen those barriers further. In emergencies, sexual and reproductive health is routinely deprioritised. Antenatal and postnatal care is often disrupted or made unavailable. Contraception becomes harder to access, increasing unintended pregnancy and associated risks during pregnancy. Referral pathways for obstetric emergencies break down. Health workers are displaced or unable to reach those who need them, and clear public health guidance on exposure risks may be absent or inaccessible. IPPF calls on all parties, humanitarian actors and public health authorities to act with urgency. Sexual and reproductive health must be recognised as essential from the very outset of any emergency response. This means: Ensuring continuity of maternal and newborn care, including antenatal and postnatal care and emergency obstetric services.Continued and sustained active monitoring of air, water and soil contamination in Tehran must be treated as integral to protecting women's health.Increased public health measures such as awareness and clear guidance to reduce exposure risks to toxic fumes, polluted water bodies and contaminated food for pregnant people and newborns.Continuation of referral pathways and care for survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence.Ensuring STI and HIV screening, diagnosis and treatment services are available.Ensuring that women and girls affected by crises can access accurate SRH information, and the resources needed to manage menstruation safely and with dignity.Women's health, dignity and rights must not become collateral damage in the attacks on Iran. The evidence is worrying. Air pollution and petroleum-related contamination can harm pregnancy outcomes and threaten longer-term reproductive health. The political framing of this conflict as short-term does not change what the science tells us about the physical and psychological consequences that may follow. References¹ The associations between air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes in China. Tan Y, Yang R, Zhao J, Cao Z, Chen Y, Zhang B. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;1017:181–214. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-5657-4_8.|² https://www.healthdata.org/research-analysis/health-topics/air-pollution³ Bekkar B et al (2020) Association of air pollution and heat exposure with preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth in the US: a systematic review: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2767260⁴ Ghosh R et al. (2021) Ambient and household PM2.5 pollution and adverse perinatal outcomes: A meta-analysis and estimates of population attributable fractions globally, regionally and nationally. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8478226/⁵ Prenatal exposure to air pollution during the early and middle stages of pregnancy is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at ages 1 to 3 years.  Perera F, Miao Y, Ross Z, Rauh V, Margolis A, Hoepner L, Riley KW, Herbstman J, Wang S. Environ Health. 2024 Oct 30;23(1):95. doi: 10.1186/s12940-024-01132-9.PMID: 39478594 .⁶ Prenatal exposure to air pollution is associated with altered brain structure, function, and metabolism in childhood. Peterson BS, Bansal R, Sawardekar S, Nati C, Elgabalawy ER, Hoepner LA, Garcia W, Hao X, Margolis A, Perera F, Rauh V.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Nov;63(11):1316-1331. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13578. Epub 2022 Feb 14.PMID: 3516589⁷ Prenatal ambient air exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the occurrence of respiratory symptoms over the first year of life. Jedrychowski W, Galas A, Pac A, Flak E, Camman D, Rauh V, Perera F.Eur J Epidemiol. 2005;20(9):775-82. doi: 10.1007/s10654-005-1048-1.PMID: 16170661⁸ 1991 Gulf War exposures and adverse birth outcomes. Arnetz B, Drutchas A, Sokol R, Kruger M, Jamil H.US Army Med Dep J. 2013 Apr-Jun:58-65.PMID: 23584910 ⁹Latifi Z et al. (2025) Association between maternal exposure to oil and gas extraction process with adverse birth outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-025-08022-z¹⁰Oghenetega OB et al. (2022) Exposure to oil pollution and maternal outcomes: The Niger Delta prospective cohort study. _https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263495 

In a moment of overlapping crisis and intensifying backlash around human rights, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice - globally and in the UN - the stakes are high at the 70th session of the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW). Across the globe, women, girls and marginalized communities continue to suffer disproportionately from lack of equality and human rights violations, with immense barriers for their access to justice. At the same time,  governments are cutting funding and scaling back support for basic lifesaving assistance for the most marginalized and vulnerable. Now more than ever, we need concerted action to advance our rights, hold governments accountable for their commitments and strengthen global cooperation.IPPF therefore welcomes the adoption of the Agreed Conclusions on this year’s important priority theme on: Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls.US IsolationWe regret that a small minority group of countries, led by the USA, undermined possibilities for reaching consensus and that the USA called for a vote on the text. However, the voting result speaks clearly for itself: Despite concerted ongoing attacks on human rights and multilateralism, the overwhelming majority of UN Member States - from all regional groups - share a commitment to implementing the Beijing Agenda and achieving gender equality for all women and girls and those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. In fact, only the USA voted against it.  In this current geopolitical context, the adopted outcome is sending a strong signal about the  importance of the Commission’s mandate and continued global cooperation within the multilateral system.   IPPF particularly welcomes that the adopted Agreed Conclusions include: The commitment to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. We also welcome the commitment to ensuring sustainable resources to holistic survivor-centered services, including for sexual and reproductive health, as this is of paramount importance in terms of ensuring long-term, multilayered, comprehensive support for survivors.Reaffirmation of the International Conference on Population and Development and its Programme of Action and its follow-up, given the critical complementary and mutually reinforcing nature of the ICPD Programme of Action to the Beijing Platform for Action in ensuring the realization of human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, for all women and girls.Strong language on preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence, including GBV that occurs through or is amplified by technology, as the rapid digitalisation and evolution of technologies presents new challenges and requires regulation and safeguards to address, prevent and eliminate violations of rights and gender-based violence perpetrated online.The inclusion of a specific focus on access to justice and reparations in humanitarian, conflict and post-conflict settings, including by strengthening legislation and taking proactive steps to prevent, investigate and prosecute sexual violence in conflict.The reference to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination as a key barrier for access to justice and a major impediment for achieving gender equality.The recognition of the need for safe and enabling environments for civil society engaged in access to justice initiatives for women and girls, including through sustaining access, as appropriate, to core, predictable, flexible and multiyear funding.Key GapsHowever, IPPF is concerned about key gaps in the text that significantly weakens its scope. The removal - due to significant pressure from a group of conservative States -  on  language linking the theme of access to justice and sexual and reproductive health and rights weakens accountability for some of the most prevalent violations that women, girls and marginalized groups are facing. Moreover, the draft omits references to bodily autonomy, which is the normative foundation of any rights‑based approach to access to justice; without it, commitments risk remaining abstract. These omissions are particularly concerning in a global context marked by increased anti‑rights influence, substantial financial pressures on SRHR, and institutional reforms that may affect the UN’s gender equality and human rights architectureIPPF now urges all governments to unite behind this crucial call to action.The true impact of this outcome 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 and support the implementation of these commitments 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.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is delighted to welcome Maria Antonieta Alcalde Castro as she continues her work for sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ) as IPPF’s next Director-General.Maria Antonieta brings bold, values-driven leadership to IPPF at a critical moment. With more than 30 years of experience in SRHRJ advocacy, UN negotiations, and movement-building, Maria Antonieta brings deep credibility and a global perspective to IPPF’s leadership. A Mexican feminist, she centers community and voice, especially women and young people, with a view to shaping inclusive, responsive health systems. Under Maria Antonieta’s leadership, IPPF will continue to speak out unapologetically, mobilize global solidarity, and advance a future where sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice are protected for all.   “My vision is to strengthen our movement by standing firmly with IPPF Member Associations and frontline providers who everyday deliver essential SRH services. Together, we will continue to build bold community-driven coalitions that confront injustice and reshape the systems of power that sustain oppression and uphold inequality. Through collective leadership and coordinated advocacy, we can defend and advance sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice. This is a moment to reaffirm who we are: a global movement rooted in values, solidarity and the unwavering belief that everyone deserves the freedom to decide over their own lives.”Maria Antonieta has the vision, leadership, and resolve needed to drive IPPF and its mission during this crucial moment in SRHRJ and human rights history, and now is an opportunity for IPPF to reaffirm our Charter of Values, unanimously adopted at the 2025 General Assembly. Dignity, equality, justice, pleasure, community, integrity, and resilience are not abstract ideals for IPPF, they are our commitment to advance and defend sexual and reproductive health and rights for everyone, everywhere. This work will continue under Maria Antonieta’s stewardship as we reaffirm who we are and continue to stand steadfast alongside the healthcare providers, educators, activists, movement-builders and volunteers that are IPPF’s collective strength. As we welcome Maria Antonietta, we also thank Dr Alvaro Bermejo for his work in radically transforming the organisation to the IPPF you see today. We can stand proud, disruptive and fierce in our fight for sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice because of the work you undertook to reaffirm who we are: a vibrant, diverse collective, united by an unwavering commitment to sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice. 

Beirut, Lebanon - The Lebanese Association for Family Health (SALAMA)—IPPF’s Member Association in Lebanon—hosted the closing ceremony of its Japan-funded project, “Preventing Maternal and Reproductive Health Morbidities and Mortalities among Crisis-Affected Populations, IDPs, Syrian Refugees, and Host Communities in Lebanon,” in Beirut, in the presence of a panel of participants, including the representatives of the Lebanese Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, the Government of Japan, and the IPPF.Funded through the Japan Supplementary Budget (JSB) 2024, the initiative has significantly enhanced access to lifesaving maternal and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for crisis-affected communities in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), Syrian refugees, and host communities.Project Achievements:85,684 SRH services delivered, reaching 28,562 beneficiaries.5,836 women received comprehensive maternal, newborn, and child health care.134 safe deliveries supported through partner hospitals.Sustained operation of two SALAMA clinics in the Bekaa Valley.Community outreach reached 5,960 individuals, with 200 mama-baby kits and 3,000 dignity kits distributed.Capacity-building trainings strengthened healthcare providers’ skills, while partnerships with municipalities and humanitarian actors ensured wider outreach and sustainability.Since 2017, Lebanon has faced overlapping crises—including economic collapse, the Beirut Port explosion, and regional conflicts—that have placed immense strain on its healthcare system. Vulnerable populations, particularly women, girls, IDPs, and refugees, have been disproportionately affected.With the generous support of the Government of Japan, SALAMA has implemented three humanitarian projects funded through the Japan Trust Fund (JTF) and JSB, delivering over 196,441 SRH services in the Bekaa Valley. These interventions have strengthened community resilience, ensured continuity of lifesaving services during prolonged crises, and integrated SRH, mental health, and gender-based violence (GBV) services through structured referral mechanisms. “The completion of this vital project in the Bekaa Valley exemplifies Japan’s steadfast commitment to protecting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights,” said Japan’s Ambassador to Lebanon, H.E. Kenji Yokota. “Beyond the provision of essential medical services, it upholds the fundamental right of every individual to live with dignity. This initiative embodies our Human Security approach by empowering individuals and ensuring that no one is left behind,” he added. “Japan remains dedicated to standing alongside Lebanon in supporting resilience, recovery, and long-term stability," he stressed.“From our very first steps, the Government and people of Japan have stood beside SALAMA, enabling us to serve and empower communities through years of crisis,” said Lina Sabra, Executive Director of SALAMA. “Their support, particularly in this recent project, has been a lifeline for families rebuilding after conflict. We are deeply grateful for this enduring partnership.”Through these initiatives, SALAMA has reinforced human security by protecting vulnerable individuals from disease, violence, and psychological distress, while empowering them to make informed decisions about their health and strengthening solidarity within families, communities, and health systems.About SALAMAThe Lebanese Association for Family Health “SALAMA” was founded in 2008. It is a member association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) which is the largest voluntary non-governmental organization in the world, working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues and advocating for them. SALAMA promotes and provides high quality services, and raises awareness for all groups in the society, particularly the under-served and marginalized.About IPPFThe International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global federation of more than 100 locally led Member Associations working in over 150 countries to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights. In humanitarian settings, IPPF plays a critical role in delivering lifesaving maternal, sexual and reproductive health services to crisis-affected communities, including displaced populations and those facing conflict, disaster, and instability. Through its locally rooted Member Associations, IPPF provides frontline health care, supports preparedness and emergency response, strengthens health systems, and advocates for the protection of rights and dignity in even the most challenging contexts. Locally led and globally connected, IPPF combines service delivery, policy advocacy, and community engagement to ensure that no one is left behind, particularly those most underserved in humanitarian crises.

At IPPF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.Links to all IPPF Secretariat vacancies below.  Learn More About IPPF