Today, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is helping launch the second report of the High-Level Commission on the Nairobi Summit, also known as the International Conference on Population and Development 25 (ICPD 25).

The Commission is an independent advisory board comprised of 26 members from different sectors tasked with monitoring progress on the ICPD Programme of Action and Nairobi Summit Commitments. The programme of action contains commitments from 179 countries to put the rights, needs and aspirations of individual human beings at the centre of sustainable development, part of which includes achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health for all.

The report - ‘Sexual and reproductive justice as the vehicle to deliver the Nairobi Summit commitments’ - highlights sexual and reproductive justice as the key to the realization of the Nairobi Summit commitments. Sexual and reproductive justice is a universal concept. It includes the right to have or not have children, the right to parent one’s children in safe and sustainable environments, and the right to sexual autonomy and gender freedom.

Monitoring the implementation of life-saving sexual and reproductive health and gender-responsive services is crucial to ensure accountability and human rights for all. However, while some progress has been made, many barriers persist, and millions worldwide still do not realize their sexual and reproductive rights.

Progress on Nairobi Summit Commitments:

• Numerous country commitments made at the Nairobi Summit align with a sexual and reproductive justice framework. They pay explicit attention to marginalized and vulnerable populations, notably people with disabilities, refugees, migrants (particularly migrant women), young people and older persons.
• Indigenous peoples, people of African descent and other ethnic minority groups have received less attention.
• A slew of new reproductive rights legislation followed the Nairobi Summit, suggesting a basis for a sexual and reproductive justice framework.
• The high number of commitments prioritizing sexual and gender-based violence offers a powerful entry point for promoting sexual and reproductive justice.
• On the Summit’s Global Commitments, some improvement is evident in meeting unmet need for family planning. But no region has registered positive movement towards zero preventable maternal deaths.
• Greater access to family planning has yet to translate into better maternal health outcomes. There is some progress in offering comprehensive and age-responsive information and education on sexuality and reproduction and adolescent-friendly, comprehensive, quality and timely services.
• Certain regions and countries have advanced in providing timely, quality and disaggregated data. More must be done, but this creates opportunities for ensuring that data capture intersecting challenges and are used to inform laws, policies and programmes.
• Domestic and international finance is critical to sexual and reproductive justice but persistently lags commitments. More than 4 billion people globally will lack access to at least one key sexual and reproductive health service during their lives

Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director-General for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said:

“Three years on from the Nairobi Summit and while we have seen some progress in sexual and reproductive health and rights across countries like Colombia, Mexico and Thailand, globally, we remain far from reaching the commitments made at ICPD 25 - that all women and girls will have autonomy over their bodies and lives through universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

“With the devasting loss of abortion rights across the U.S having a disproportionate impact on poor women and women of colour, ongoing humanitarian crises across countries like Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Ukraine creating unliveable, unsafe and unsustainable conditions for millions, and the loss of billions of dollars of funding severely affecting access to sexual and reproductive health care for those most in need, 2022 continues to demonstrate the critical need to champion sexual and reproductive justice for all - recognizing the importance of intersecting oppressions on people’s ability to make decisions about their bodies, lives and futures.

“At the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), we remain dedicated to helping countries deliver on the Nairobi commitments as we approach ICPD 30. Using our unique position as a locally-owned, globally connected organization, we will continue to work in solidarity with donors, governments, partners and communities to ensure that everyone, everywhere, can access high-quality SRH care, especially those who are most often excluded, locked out and left behind.

“IPPF also urges governments to heed the Commission’s call to action and do more to achieve sexual and reproductive justice. This means tackling the economic, social and legal barriers that prevent its implementation, more financial investment, including in universal healthcare, increased solidarity with partners and the sense of urgency needed to get the job done. The lives and futures of millions depend on it.”

For media enquiries, please contact Karmen Ivey on [email protected] or [email protected]  

About the International Planned Parenthood Federation

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.  

For 70 years, IPPF, through its 108 Member Associations and seven partners, has delivered high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare and helped advance sexual rights, especially for people with intersectional and diverse needs that are currently unmet. Our Member Associations and partners are independent organizations that are locally owned, which means the support and care they provide is informed by local expertise and context.

We advocate for a world where people are provided with the information they need to make informed decisions about their sexual health and bodies. We stand up and fight for sexual and reproductive rights and against those who seek to deny people their human right to bodily autonomy and freedom. We deliver care that is rooted in rights, respect, and dignity - no matter what.