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UNFPA State of the World Population 2018 report
news item

| 17 October 2018

IPPF welcomes UNFPA's State of the World Population 2018 report

The UNFPA's State of the World Population report highlights that, while much progress has been made globally in upholding reproductive rights, there remains large inequalities in access and high levels of unmet needs.  By grouping countries into low, medium and high fertility countries, the report recognizes the diverse needs globally, and the importance of targeted interventions. In high fertility countries, the high unmet need for family planning is one of the most important issues that governments and SRHR partners need to address by ensuring access to quality, rights-based contraceptive services. In low fertility countries, the report highlights infertility and needs of the ageing population - more needs to be done to prioritize these issues, especially in countries with low fertility. In countries with mid fertility, high adolescent fertility is a concern, and reflects the need to further strengthen youth friendly services, including comprehensive sexuality education.   IPPF supports the report and especially its emphasis and recognition of the reproductive rights of couples, including the right to choose, the right to decide the number of children they wish to have and when, throughout the report.  IPPF joins its voice with UNFPA and partners to call on governments to sustain their commitments to SRHR and ensure access to the full range of high quality universally accessible SRH services and allocate domestic funding to ensure that gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights are realized. This is of critical importance as the 25th anniversary of the historic commitments adopted by 179 governments in the Programme of Action of the International Conference of Population and Development in Cairo in 1994. IPPF aligns with the call made by the report on the rights of all women to choose and decide freely and without question over their bodies, sexuality and reproduction as a priority to achieve the agenda 2030.  

UNFPA State of the World Population 2018 report
news_item

| 17 October 2018

IPPF welcomes UNFPA's State of the World Population 2018 report

The UNFPA's State of the World Population report highlights that, while much progress has been made globally in upholding reproductive rights, there remains large inequalities in access and high levels of unmet needs.  By grouping countries into low, medium and high fertility countries, the report recognizes the diverse needs globally, and the importance of targeted interventions. In high fertility countries, the high unmet need for family planning is one of the most important issues that governments and SRHR partners need to address by ensuring access to quality, rights-based contraceptive services. In low fertility countries, the report highlights infertility and needs of the ageing population - more needs to be done to prioritize these issues, especially in countries with low fertility. In countries with mid fertility, high adolescent fertility is a concern, and reflects the need to further strengthen youth friendly services, including comprehensive sexuality education.   IPPF supports the report and especially its emphasis and recognition of the reproductive rights of couples, including the right to choose, the right to decide the number of children they wish to have and when, throughout the report.  IPPF joins its voice with UNFPA and partners to call on governments to sustain their commitments to SRHR and ensure access to the full range of high quality universally accessible SRH services and allocate domestic funding to ensure that gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights are realized. This is of critical importance as the 25th anniversary of the historic commitments adopted by 179 governments in the Programme of Action of the International Conference of Population and Development in Cairo in 1994. IPPF aligns with the call made by the report on the rights of all women to choose and decide freely and without question over their bodies, sexuality and reproduction as a priority to achieve the agenda 2030.  

Girl in Solomon Islands credits: IPPF/Jack Robert-Tissot
news item

| 11 July 2017

IPPF lauds news commitments made at London FP Summit

The International Planned Parenthood Federation has praised the Governments, private companies and partner organisations making family planning commitments at today’s London Summit. Speaking at the summit, IPPF Director General Tewodros Melesse said: “IPPF welcomes the wonderful and generous commitments being made today by Governments, civil society and the private sector. As the largest provider of family planning services in the world, IPPF’s members know that access to family planning transforms the lives of women and girls. That is why it is vital that the 214 million women and girls around the world who want contraceptive care but are currently denied it must be given access to it. We know that tens of millions of women and young girls are forced into pregnancy every year because they do not have access to the contraceptive care they want and need. Reproductive rights exist only on paper without supplies. Without generous additional support the world’s poorest women and girls are asked to try to bridge a contraceptive funding gap from their own pockets – something they simply cannot do.” Today’s FP Summit is co-hosted by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Mr Melesse praised the UK Government for its announcement of an increase in funding for family planning of £45m a year for five years, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its announcement of an additional £375m over four years for global family planning. Mr Melesse said: “These huge additional increases in funding from DFID and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the commitments made by so many other governments, private companies and partner organisations today show we are all united in our determination to reach those woman and girls currently underserved and overlooked. “IPPF has published a new report today which says that more women and girls than the entire population of Germany will find themselves forced into pregnancy just this year because they cannot get the contraceptive care they want and need. The vast majority of them are in developing countries. IPPF’s members work tirelessly to reach the poorest and most marginalised in these societies – we will build on the commitments of the London Summit today to reach even more of them than ever.”     Join our campaign: ask for universal access to contraception!

Girl in Solomon Islands credits: IPPF/Jack Robert-Tissot
news_item

| 11 July 2017

IPPF lauds news commitments made at London FP Summit

The International Planned Parenthood Federation has praised the Governments, private companies and partner organisations making family planning commitments at today’s London Summit. Speaking at the summit, IPPF Director General Tewodros Melesse said: “IPPF welcomes the wonderful and generous commitments being made today by Governments, civil society and the private sector. As the largest provider of family planning services in the world, IPPF’s members know that access to family planning transforms the lives of women and girls. That is why it is vital that the 214 million women and girls around the world who want contraceptive care but are currently denied it must be given access to it. We know that tens of millions of women and young girls are forced into pregnancy every year because they do not have access to the contraceptive care they want and need. Reproductive rights exist only on paper without supplies. Without generous additional support the world’s poorest women and girls are asked to try to bridge a contraceptive funding gap from their own pockets – something they simply cannot do.” Today’s FP Summit is co-hosted by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Mr Melesse praised the UK Government for its announcement of an increase in funding for family planning of £45m a year for five years, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its announcement of an additional £375m over four years for global family planning. Mr Melesse said: “These huge additional increases in funding from DFID and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the commitments made by so many other governments, private companies and partner organisations today show we are all united in our determination to reach those woman and girls currently underserved and overlooked. “IPPF has published a new report today which says that more women and girls than the entire population of Germany will find themselves forced into pregnancy just this year because they cannot get the contraceptive care they want and need. The vast majority of them are in developing countries. IPPF’s members work tirelessly to reach the poorest and most marginalised in these societies – we will build on the commitments of the London Summit today to reach even more of them than ever.”     Join our campaign: ask for universal access to contraception!

Yemen mobile clinic IPPF
news item

| 30 March 2017

IPPF responds to the announcement of funding from the Government of Japan

IPPF’s Director General, Tewodros Melesse, has paid tribute to the Government and people of Japan, following the announcement that Japan will support the provision of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for 2017.  The Japanese Government has announced that it will contribute approximately 3.1 billion yen (roughly $28 million) to IPPF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in annual support.  Mr Melesse said: “IPPF is grateful for Japan’s continuing support to SRHR through funding IPPF and UNFPA. Particularly in the current negative climate around SRHR, Japan’s expression of its strong will to continue its support for SRHR is warmly welcome.”  “Japan’s long-lasting support for IPPF and for sexual and reproductive health care and rights has always been appreciated. These funds will help IPPF member associations around the world mitigate the cuts in funding we are seeing from some other sources. This will help protect health and save the lives of many people, especially women and girls.”  Mr Melesse added: “We agree completely with the Government of Japan when it says that the provision of services relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights is essential for realizing universal health coverage (UHC), that ensures affordable access to basic health services for all whenever they need them throughout their lives.  This is stated clearly in the Basic Design for Peace and Health, Japan’s global health policy and one of the outcome documents of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit, as well as in an outcome document from the The World Assembly for Women in Tokyo 2016 (WAW), the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI).  IPPF would like to congratulate Japan’s leadership and commits to working closely with the Government of Japan to make a real difference to the lives of women, men and young people in around world and to achieve the Strategic Development Goals.”  IPPF received approximately $1.13m  from Japan in early 2017 for its activities targeted to Syrian refugees and internally displaced people, and will receive funding of $7.76m which was recently approved by the Japanese Parliaments.  

Yemen mobile clinic IPPF
news_item

| 30 March 2017

IPPF responds to the announcement of funding from the Government of Japan

IPPF’s Director General, Tewodros Melesse, has paid tribute to the Government and people of Japan, following the announcement that Japan will support the provision of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for 2017.  The Japanese Government has announced that it will contribute approximately 3.1 billion yen (roughly $28 million) to IPPF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in annual support.  Mr Melesse said: “IPPF is grateful for Japan’s continuing support to SRHR through funding IPPF and UNFPA. Particularly in the current negative climate around SRHR, Japan’s expression of its strong will to continue its support for SRHR is warmly welcome.”  “Japan’s long-lasting support for IPPF and for sexual and reproductive health care and rights has always been appreciated. These funds will help IPPF member associations around the world mitigate the cuts in funding we are seeing from some other sources. This will help protect health and save the lives of many people, especially women and girls.”  Mr Melesse added: “We agree completely with the Government of Japan when it says that the provision of services relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights is essential for realizing universal health coverage (UHC), that ensures affordable access to basic health services for all whenever they need them throughout their lives.  This is stated clearly in the Basic Design for Peace and Health, Japan’s global health policy and one of the outcome documents of the G7 Ise-Shima Summit, as well as in an outcome document from the The World Assembly for Women in Tokyo 2016 (WAW), the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI).  IPPF would like to congratulate Japan’s leadership and commits to working closely with the Government of Japan to make a real difference to the lives of women, men and young people in around world and to achieve the Strategic Development Goals.”  IPPF received approximately $1.13m  from Japan in early 2017 for its activities targeted to Syrian refugees and internally displaced people, and will receive funding of $7.76m which was recently approved by the Japanese Parliaments.  

woman and girl in Bangladesh
news item

| 28 February 2017

IPPF supports the She Decides Initiative

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is grateful to the international community for its ongoing support for women and girls through the She Decides initiative. The announcement of a funding summit to support the campaign, to be held in Brussels on 2 March, emphasizes an international commitment to safeguarding women’s sexual and reproductive rights. Tewodros Melesse, IPPF Director General said: “It is reassuring to know that when one government takes a step backwards on the issue of women’s rights, so many more are willing to step forward. “The ‘She Decides’ initiative is a crucial lifeline for the millions of people who will be unjustly punished by this policy and emphasizes the international community’s commitment to creating a world built on unity, equality and opportunity. “The summit in March will be a valuable opportunity for progressive governments to come together and begin the challenging task of mitigating the damage of this regressive and oppressive policy.”   IPPF’s Member Associations will be speaking at the conference to give their account of the impact of the Global Gag Rule.

woman and girl in Bangladesh
news_item

| 28 February 2017

IPPF supports the She Decides Initiative

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is grateful to the international community for its ongoing support for women and girls through the She Decides initiative. The announcement of a funding summit to support the campaign, to be held in Brussels on 2 March, emphasizes an international commitment to safeguarding women’s sexual and reproductive rights. Tewodros Melesse, IPPF Director General said: “It is reassuring to know that when one government takes a step backwards on the issue of women’s rights, so many more are willing to step forward. “The ‘She Decides’ initiative is a crucial lifeline for the millions of people who will be unjustly punished by this policy and emphasizes the international community’s commitment to creating a world built on unity, equality and opportunity. “The summit in March will be a valuable opportunity for progressive governments to come together and begin the challenging task of mitigating the damage of this regressive and oppressive policy.”   IPPF’s Member Associations will be speaking at the conference to give their account of the impact of the Global Gag Rule.

women in Nepal, one of the country affected by the Global Gag Rule
news item

| 30 January 2017

Extended Mexico City Policy detrimental to health care of world's poorest

Mexico City Policy will have a devastating impact for International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) with its extension far beyond family planning.  Restrictions into support for HIV, maternal health and infectious diseases programmes will mean that millions will be denied lifesaving healthcare they need. The policy will hit hardest, the women living at the margins of society – the poorest, the most remote and those under 25.    The Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy, denies US funding to organizations who provide any abortion related services, including counselling, even when such services are legal in a national context.   IPPF has a special focus on working with the world’s most poor and vulnerable and tailoring services to meet their needs. At country levels, the US funding loss will reduce or halt IPPF’s services and arrest opportunities to scale up, build capacity and reach more people.   Tewodros Melesse, IPPF Director General, said in reaction, “For over 30 years, the Mexico City Policy has played politics with women’s lives. It is a cynical attempt to silence the choice and voice of the world’s poorest women.  As a champion for them and people everywhere, we will not be held back.   "This extended policy covers every aspect of IPPF’s work with the world's poorest people. It also fails in its stated intent to reduce the global incidence of abortion. With the expansion of its restrictions to work on broader health efforts it is short-sighted and dangerous, and threatens years of IPPF gains to advance the health and well-being of communities and undercuts health care access for millions worldwide.”   The extended policy will now affect IPPF’s long record of working on HIV prevention in more than 20 countries covering Africa and Latin America often providing clients integrated sexual and reproductive health care services. The Global Gag rule could also endanger emergency funding for Zika prevention, education and health services in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the epidemic continues to rage.   Examples of Country Impact: Barbados: IPPF partner Barbados Family Planning Association receives funding from the U.S. government to provide HIV prevention and education services to at-risk, hard-to-reach populations including men who have sex with men. The Caribbean has the second-highest HIV prevalence rate among adults after Sub-Saharan Africa.   Nepal: IPPF aims to increase voluntary use of family planning services by increasing accessibility and availability of quality comprehensive family planning services to the hard to reach, disadvantaged, poor and adolescent populations in 11 districts and increase access to voluntary family planning information, education, and services. Nepal has failing and patchy family planning coverage which is often only available at certain times of the year. IPPF are working closely with the government to expand and strengthen static clinics in selected district hospitals, health posts and health facilities with birthing centers to reach all year round, reaching eligible couples with high unmet need. Malawi: The Family Planning Association of Malawi are providing much needed integrated family planning and HIV prevention to young adolescent and women in Malawi via clinics and outreach teams travelling to communities to raise awareness and offer services for vulnerable young women to prevent and treat sexual  gender based violence, HIV infection and access to family planning. Without funding they will no longer be able to provide or expand this vital information, support community learning and offer both family planning services and treatment for sexual and gender based violence in one place.   The rule blocks critical funding for health services like contraception, maternal health, and HIV prevention and treatment for any organization that refuses to sign up to it.    For IPPF, it means foregoing US$100,000,000 that would be directed to proven programmes that provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for millions of women and girls who would otherwise go without vital services that save lives.   IPPF is the world’s largest women’s health network with members in 170 countries with over 45,000 service delivery points delivering over 300 services a minute. Individuals can donate to IPPF’s online appeal www.ippf.org/donate     WANT TO GET INVOLVED? SUBSCRIBE NOW TO GET UPDATES FROM IPPF SUPPORT OUR WORK WITH A DONATION JOIN OUR THUNDERCLAP     View my Flipboard Magazine.

women in Nepal, one of the country affected by the Global Gag Rule
news_item

| 30 January 2017

Extended Mexico City Policy detrimental to health care of world's poorest

Mexico City Policy will have a devastating impact for International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) with its extension far beyond family planning.  Restrictions into support for HIV, maternal health and infectious diseases programmes will mean that millions will be denied lifesaving healthcare they need. The policy will hit hardest, the women living at the margins of society – the poorest, the most remote and those under 25.    The Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy, denies US funding to organizations who provide any abortion related services, including counselling, even when such services are legal in a national context.   IPPF has a special focus on working with the world’s most poor and vulnerable and tailoring services to meet their needs. At country levels, the US funding loss will reduce or halt IPPF’s services and arrest opportunities to scale up, build capacity and reach more people.   Tewodros Melesse, IPPF Director General, said in reaction, “For over 30 years, the Mexico City Policy has played politics with women’s lives. It is a cynical attempt to silence the choice and voice of the world’s poorest women.  As a champion for them and people everywhere, we will not be held back.   "This extended policy covers every aspect of IPPF’s work with the world's poorest people. It also fails in its stated intent to reduce the global incidence of abortion. With the expansion of its restrictions to work on broader health efforts it is short-sighted and dangerous, and threatens years of IPPF gains to advance the health and well-being of communities and undercuts health care access for millions worldwide.”   The extended policy will now affect IPPF’s long record of working on HIV prevention in more than 20 countries covering Africa and Latin America often providing clients integrated sexual and reproductive health care services. The Global Gag rule could also endanger emergency funding for Zika prevention, education and health services in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the epidemic continues to rage.   Examples of Country Impact: Barbados: IPPF partner Barbados Family Planning Association receives funding from the U.S. government to provide HIV prevention and education services to at-risk, hard-to-reach populations including men who have sex with men. The Caribbean has the second-highest HIV prevalence rate among adults after Sub-Saharan Africa.   Nepal: IPPF aims to increase voluntary use of family planning services by increasing accessibility and availability of quality comprehensive family planning services to the hard to reach, disadvantaged, poor and adolescent populations in 11 districts and increase access to voluntary family planning information, education, and services. Nepal has failing and patchy family planning coverage which is often only available at certain times of the year. IPPF are working closely with the government to expand and strengthen static clinics in selected district hospitals, health posts and health facilities with birthing centers to reach all year round, reaching eligible couples with high unmet need. Malawi: The Family Planning Association of Malawi are providing much needed integrated family planning and HIV prevention to young adolescent and women in Malawi via clinics and outreach teams travelling to communities to raise awareness and offer services for vulnerable young women to prevent and treat sexual  gender based violence, HIV infection and access to family planning. Without funding they will no longer be able to provide or expand this vital information, support community learning and offer both family planning services and treatment for sexual and gender based violence in one place.   The rule blocks critical funding for health services like contraception, maternal health, and HIV prevention and treatment for any organization that refuses to sign up to it.    For IPPF, it means foregoing US$100,000,000 that would be directed to proven programmes that provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for millions of women and girls who would otherwise go without vital services that save lives.   IPPF is the world’s largest women’s health network with members in 170 countries with over 45,000 service delivery points delivering over 300 services a minute. Individuals can donate to IPPF’s online appeal www.ippf.org/donate     WANT TO GET INVOLVED? SUBSCRIBE NOW TO GET UPDATES FROM IPPF SUPPORT OUR WORK WITH A DONATION JOIN OUR THUNDERCLAP     View my Flipboard Magazine.

hands holding contraceptive pill blister Credits: Graeme Robertson
news item

| 31 May 2016

Pakistan’s contraceptive advertising ban reversal welcomed by IPPF in South Asia

Ms. Anjali Sen, Regional Director, IPPF-South Asia Region said “It comes as a huge relief that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has decided to reconsider its blanket ban on all advertisements of contraceptives in the electronic media. In the first place, it was an ill-considered order in the backdrop of the fact that Pakistan has the highest population growth, birth and fertility rates among the South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal. This blanket ban had raised serious questions because the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) for women in reproductive age in Pakistan is an abysmal 35.40, as per 2013 figures. Given the realities of fertility rates and population growth in Pakistan, the Pakistani policy makers must understand that information on contraceptive choices is the key.  From around the world, we have many examples on how a desire for smaller families have led to greater investments in family planning, which have helped transform the age structure and consequently contributed to overall well-being. If the power of media, including the electronic media is harnessed, Pakistan will not stare at a projected 342 million people by 2050. Pakistani policy makers will appreciate that such population explosion will ultimately jeopardize the gains that Pakistan has made over the last few decades. A blanket ban on all contraceptive commercials in electronic media would have been counter-productive and it would have unspeakably harmed Pakistan’s national interest in slowing the population growth. If anything, the state and its agencies should actively facilitate free flow of information on contraceptives and the choices available if Pakistan has to achieve its population and development priorities. As a leading provider and advocates of family planning, South Asia Regional Office of IPPF welcomes PEMRA’s withdrawal of a blanket ban on advertisement of contraceptive products on Pakistani electronic media."

hands holding contraceptive pill blister Credits: Graeme Robertson
news_item

| 31 May 2016

Pakistan’s contraceptive advertising ban reversal welcomed by IPPF in South Asia

Ms. Anjali Sen, Regional Director, IPPF-South Asia Region said “It comes as a huge relief that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has decided to reconsider its blanket ban on all advertisements of contraceptives in the electronic media. In the first place, it was an ill-considered order in the backdrop of the fact that Pakistan has the highest population growth, birth and fertility rates among the South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal. This blanket ban had raised serious questions because the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) for women in reproductive age in Pakistan is an abysmal 35.40, as per 2013 figures. Given the realities of fertility rates and population growth in Pakistan, the Pakistani policy makers must understand that information on contraceptive choices is the key.  From around the world, we have many examples on how a desire for smaller families have led to greater investments in family planning, which have helped transform the age structure and consequently contributed to overall well-being. If the power of media, including the electronic media is harnessed, Pakistan will not stare at a projected 342 million people by 2050. Pakistani policy makers will appreciate that such population explosion will ultimately jeopardize the gains that Pakistan has made over the last few decades. A blanket ban on all contraceptive commercials in electronic media would have been counter-productive and it would have unspeakably harmed Pakistan’s national interest in slowing the population growth. If anything, the state and its agencies should actively facilitate free flow of information on contraceptives and the choices available if Pakistan has to achieve its population and development priorities. As a leading provider and advocates of family planning, South Asia Regional Office of IPPF welcomes PEMRA’s withdrawal of a blanket ban on advertisement of contraceptive products on Pakistani electronic media."