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IPPF launches major new programme supporting safe passage for migrants

The International Planned Parenthood Federation is collaborating with 15 of its Member Associations in a major new programme delivering vital sexual and reproductive healthcare along perilous migratio...

The International Planned Parenthood Federation is collaborating with 15 of its Member Associations in a major new programme delivering vital sexual and reproductive healthcare along perilous migration routes.  

The Safe Passage initiative will connect healthcare providers along key migration corridors in Africa, the Arab World region and Latin America, ensuring women, girls and marginalised communities have consistent access to essential services.  

Women now make up 47% of all migrants across Africa, and in Latin America and the Caribbean, women represent 52% of all international migrants. With legal pathways for migration shrinking, and funding cuts hitting humanitarian support, at least 8,000 people died on migration routes in 2025.

Across every stage of their migration journey, women, girls and marginalised communities are exposed to violence, exploitation, discrimination and barriers to essential services. Limited access to contraception, antenatal care, and reliable information on the support available to them, increases the risk of unintended pregnancies, untreated infections, and obstetric complications.  

Led by a consortium of Member Associations on both continents, the Safe Passage initiative will ensure that women, girls, adolescents, and marginalised communities can access safe and integrated sexual and reproductive health care, mental health support, and sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response services, regardless of where they are along the migration route. Fixed and mobile health clinics will deliver healthcare and information for those on the move, and the consortia are exploring using digital health innovations, such as mobile health apps, to ensure the continuity of care across borders. 

"Safe Passage embodies a vision we have upheld for over fifty years: ensuring sexual and reproductive health is accessible to all, without borders. By pooling the expertise of our Member Associations and integrating digital health into our fixed and mobile clinics, we are building a continuum of care that follows individuals throughout their migration journey. For AMPF, engaging in Safe Passage demonstrates that innovation is driven by solidarity across countries and even across continents."  Pr Maamri Abdellatif, Executive Director of The Moroccan Family Planning Association (AMPF)

"Human mobility in our region demands that we look beyond transit; today, the urgent need is to focus on safe returns and how we firmly respond to complex realities such as human trafficking, gender-based violence against women and children, and the lack of protection faced by LGBTIQ+ individuals. Safe Passage represents the opportunity to prove that human rights have no borders and that sexual and reproductive healthcare must be a continuous bridge. Through this programme, we are not only mitigating risks, but building an integrated protection model in the region that accompanies individuals through all stages of their migratory journey, ensuring their dignity remains intact regardless of the legal or geographical map."  Marta Royo, CEO, Profamilia Colombia. 

Alongside providing medical care, the initiative will champion the rights and protection of migrants through coordinated regional advocacy and communications. This includes campaigning for the inclusion of migrants’ rights in national and regional policies and legal frameworks, and working to shift the narrative on migration from border control to human rights and equality.

“Sexual and reproductive healthcare saves lives, but it must be a joint and consistent effort. As border controls tighten and xenophobia rises, IPPF calls on partners, donors, and governments to join us in safeguarding the health, dignity and rights of people on the move.” Diana Pulido, Head of Humanitarian Quality Services, IPPF.   

 

 

 

About IPPF

IPPF is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Led by a courageous and determined group of women, IPPF was founded in 1952 at the Third International Planned Parenthood Conference. Today, we are a movement of 100+ locally led Member Associations with a presence in 150+ countries.

Our work is wide-ranging, and includes services for sexual health and well-being, contraception, abortion care, sexually transmitted infections and reproductive tract infections, HIV, obstetrics and gynaecology, fertility support, sexual and gender-based violence, comprehensive sex education, and responding to humanitarian crises. We pride ourselves on being local through our members and global through our network. At the heart of our mission is the provision of – and advocacy in support of – integrated healthcare to anyone who needs it regardless of race, gender, sex, income, and, crucially, no matter how remote.  

About the Moroccan Family Planning Association

Founded in 1971 and recognized as a public utility organization since 1972, the Moroccan Association for Family Planning (AMPF) is a leading civil society organization. For over five decades, AMPF has promoted sexual and reproductive health and rights through an approach grounded in equality, inclusion, and social justice.

With a strong regional presence across 7 out of 9 regions in Morocco and a network of 30 service delivery centers, AMPF ensures access to quality and adapted care for young people, women, and vulnerable groups. The association is a recognized expert in managing complex, multicultural contexts and coordinating multi-stakeholder interventions involving both institutional and community-based actors. Within the Safe Passage initiative, AMPF leads the consortium in Africa and the Arab World Region.

About Profamilia

For more than six decades, Profamilia has promoted and defended the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of people in Colombia. It is the largest organization specializing in Sexual and Reproductive Health in the country. Profamilia works so that all people, regardless of their origin, condition, or context, can make free and informed decisions about their bodies and lives. Its approach is based on quality health service delivery, Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), and advocacy for social transformation. Within the framework of the Safe Passage initiative, Profamilia leads the consortium in Latin America, coordinating efforts with allied organizations and key actors to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services along migratory routes.

 

 

 

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