On International Women's Day 2022, Guatemala's Congress passed a law which triples the prison sentences for women seeking abortion care, prohibits same-sex marriage and further bans the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education and sexual diversity in schools, saying that teaching "anything other than heterosexuality is normal" is against the law.  The "Life and Family Protection Law" was passed by an overwhelming majority of 160 - 8 in the conservative-led Congress, but still needs to be signed by Guatemala's president, Alejandro Giammattei, in order to come into force. Under the new law, women who "have induced their own abortion or given their consent to another person to carry it out" will face a minimum of five years in jail, but the sentences could reach a maximum of 25 years. Abortion is illegal in Guatemala except in cases where the woman's life is at risk. This law is the latest of a series of laws to attack human rights across the country, including gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The initiative goes against human rights agreements, especially for women and LGBTI+ people and condemns and denies the diversity of families including mono-parental homes.  Eugenia Lopez Uribe, IPPF's Regional Director for Americas and the Caribbean Region, said: "It is disturbing that on International Women's Day 2022, the Guatemalan Congress passed a law that completely violates the human, sexual and reproductive rights of women, girls and marginalized people. "While countries across Latin America were celebrating the lives and rights of women, Guatemala has chosen to criminalize those making the best decision for themselves and their families, while also risking imprisoning vulnerable women and girls who have experienced sexual violence or suffered pregnancy loss. By severely limiting access to safe and post-abortion care, the law will undoubtedly lead to an increase in unsafe abortions and a decrease in prenatal care, resulting in life-long disabilities for some women and a rise in maternal deaths. "At the same time, by prohibiting same-sex marriage, limiting comprehensive sexuality education and enabling the discrimination of sexual diversity, the Guatemalan government is creating a society that fosters miseducation, stigma, intolerance and homophobia and fuelling the persecution of LGBTI and non-binary people. "IPPF strongly condemns the passing of this archaic law and demands that the Guatemalan government fulfils international human rights agreements. We stand in solidarity with affected people across Guatemala and the organizations working tirelessly to ensure that all people have the freedom to make their own choices." For media enquiries, please contact Karmen Ivey on [email protected] or [email protected]  

The rapid spread of the Zika virus by mosquitos and through sexual contact, prompted the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency in 2016. Women living in Caribbean and South American favelas and in rural areas, where mosquitos are a part of everyday life and where sanitation is poor, are more susceptible to infection and less likely to have access to sexuality education, and family planning services. Government recommendations to delay pregnancy cannot be realized without improved access to voluntary family planning. Zika presents a new challenge to health workers in South and Central America as the outbreak of Zika has led to an increase in demand for voluntary family planning services amongst women of reproductive age who are at risk of or affected by Zika. Although information about Zika has made the headlines around the world, women in countries affected by Zika often lack information about the virus. In particular, information is sparse about the sexual transmission of Zika, and how family planning can be used to reduce risk of infection and avoid unplanned pregnancies. Providers have not been trained before on how to screen women for Zika, or support couples to make important decisions about family planning in the context of the outbreak. In response to the Zika outbreak, IPPF is helping its network of clinics and community and mobile health programmes to increase access to contraceptives and broaden public awareness about the virus. This work will be carried out in close collaboration with national governments and other health providers to ensure maximum impact and avoid duplication of efforts. The USAID funded SIFPO2 project is supporting 4 MAs in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and El Salvador to scale-up out-reach services in high burden areas; training government health workers on Zika and family planning counselling; and integrating Zika information into contraceptive counselling and antenatal care across IPPF’s extensive network of clinics. The objectives of the activity are: To improve women of reproductive age’s access to healthcare services in Zika-affected or at-risk communities to promote informed and safe conception, including antenatal and postnatal care, child development and FP services. To improve providers’ capacity to deliver high quality Zika-related healthcare and social services to women of reproductive age, specifically pregnant women, families and children affected by Zika. Results to date:  1,000 health workers received specialist training in 2016 in Zika prevention and voluntary FP services. Providers have been given guidance and protocols on how to counsel non-pregnant women on Zika prevention, and on screening and counselling for pregnant women during routine antenatal check-ups. In 2017, the project plans to reach hundreds more providers. Each of these health care workers will go on to deliver high quality Zika-related healthcare to women, couples and families at a time when they need it most. The project is supporting an expanded network of voluntary FP services through mobile clinics and via community workers to ensure access in the poorest and hardest to reach areas In Honduras, IPPF’s Member Association is the only organisation working to educate and inform the public about sexual transmission of the Zika virus In El Salvador, IPPF’s Member Association is facilitating radio messages to share information about Zika. In Guatemala, community-based promotors reached nearly 1,500 people with Zika prevention messaging in December alone. This information enables women and families in poor communities to make informed decisions about how to protect their health and their futures. The Support for International Family Planning Organizations 2 – Sustainable Networks project is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-14-00038, beginning May 13, 2014. The information provided in this document is not official U.S. government information and does not necessarily represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Support for International Family Planning Organizations 2; Sustainable Networks (SIFPO 2) is a five-year programme funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at improving IPPF's capacity to significantly increase family planning programming worldwide, working in partnership with The Population Council and IPPF Member Associations. USAID, through SIFPO 2 is supporting IPPF to deliver high quality, affordable family planning services to young, poor and, underserved women and men in USAID prioiryt countries. By strengthening IPPF's organizational capacity and by supporting Member Associations directly, SIFPO 2 is helping build a stronger, more effective federation. By the end of the project in 2019, we aim to: Strengthen organizational systems and improved capacity to deliver quality family planning and other health programmes Test, implement and disseminate innovations, tools and approaches for delivering family planning services to young, poor and underserved communities Implement or leverage financing mechanism that improve the sustainability of family planning and other health services Strengthen the capacity of IPPF Member Associations and other partner governments to provide high quality family planning and other health services Pursue innovative partnerships to strengthen health service delivery networks  The Support for International Family Planning Organisations – SIFPO 2 – will transform IPPF’s systems and capacity to deliver quality assured, affordable Family Planning. Through a series of targeted investments, IPPF will move to a new trajectory of performance with new systems that enable data driven decision making and partnerships that increase sustainability.  This investment will revolutionize our network and improve health and rights for millions of young, poor and/or underserved women and men in USAID family planning priority countries. Result areas Strengthening Organizational Capacity. The Sustainable Networks award provides IPPF with the opportunity to invest in strengthening its global systems to deliver high quality family planning. The project will allow for targeted contributions to our health management information system, supply chain management, and quality of care. We will support leadership and implementation of best practice across all MAs through organizational learning and investments in impactful, proven models of service delivery. Increasing Sustainability of Country-Level Family Planning. Sustainable Networks offers USAID the opportunity to leverage IPPF’s broad reach and extensive service delivery network by investing directly in locally owned and managed organizations. Through Sustainable Networks, our Member Associations will build the capacity of their local partners to provide high quality family planning and other health services and will pursue innovative partnerships to strengthen their health service delivery networks. Partners  In order to deliver SIFPO-2, IPPF has partnered with selected family planning and research organizations including: The Population Council conducts research to address critical health and development issues. The Population Council will lead the research components of SIFPO-2 and will ensure that systematic evidence is generated on IPPF's programmes for organizational learning and wider dissemination.  University of California San Diego (UCSD) Center on Gender Equity and Health (GEH) conducts innovative global public health research, including developing and evaluating evidence-based policies and practices related to gender-based violence and other gender inequities and their impact on health. IPPF and GEH are adapting and evaluating a promising clinic-based intervention (ARCHES, Addressing Reproductive Coercion in Health Settings) to reduce intimate partner violence, reproductive coercion, and related unintended pregnancy among women and girls attending family planning clinics.  SIFPO-2 is also working in partnership with IPPF member associations in Nepal, Kenya, Malawi, Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Togo, Domonican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.  The Support for International Family Planning Organizations 2 - Sustainable Networks project is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the US Agency for International Development under Agreement No. AID-0AA-A-14-00038, beginning May 13, 2014. The information provided in this document is not official US government information and does not necessarily represent the views or positions of the US Agency for International Development. Project activities Here is a selection of SIFPO2 project activities across Asia, Africa and Latin America: Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN)   Supporting voluntary family planning and Zika prevention in countries affected by Zika   Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK)