Today at the 49th meeting of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development in New York, IPPF’s Director General, Tewodros Melesse spoke to a full room as part of a side-event panel addressing the topic of young people in Africa. The side-event was chaired by South Africa’s Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo who deftly steered the discussion. The first panellist was UNFPA’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Dr Jullita Onabanjo. She spoke about the importance of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development for the region. The Declaration was agreed in October 2013 as part of a series of regional reviews feeding into the overall review of progress on the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The Declaration, agreed by African Governments, sets out a series of commitments to action, including on sexual and reproductive health, comprehensive sexuality education, data collection and governance: http://icpdbeyond2014.org/pages/view/6-africa Dr Onabanjo called for African governments to share their national experience and learning arising from efforts to implement the Addis Declaration. She looked forward to a platform for this exchange which would also support monitoring of progress on the Declaration and accountability. She recommended a structured and continuous dialogue to take stock and relate monitoring of the Declaration to broader monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals. The second speaker, Zane Dangor, Special Advisor to the Minister of Social Development, South Africa, started by sharing shocking stories of young women who had suffered or died because they lacked access to safe abortion services. He also told us how Eudy Simelane, a female footballer from South Africa’s national team, was raped and murdered because she was openly lesbian. Zane explained that the Addis Ababa Declaration provides guidance on what states need to do to prevent suffering and deaths like these. South Africa has enacted hate crimes legislation to protect people like Eudy based on domestic legislation, and international agreements, including the Addis Declaration. South Africa has also established an inter-ministerial committee on Population and Development matters to monitor implementation of local, regional and international agreements. Additionally, South Africa has worked to identify gaps in health systems in relation to provision of sexual and reproductive health and rights services that are free from stigmatization and discrimination. Zane described how particular paragraphs in the Addis Declaration provided guidance to South Africa, citing sections about revision of discriminatory laws and policies; ensuring legal systems comply with international human rights regulations and laws; promulgation and enforcement of laws to prevent and punish hate crimes and to protect all people from discrimination and violence; and operationalisation of the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Pointing out that sexual and reproductive health and rights can never be divorced from the pursuit of gender equality and equity, and the full empowerment of women, Zane stressed that the Addis Declaration builds on existing provisions of the African Union to recognise and promote women’s human rights and that it commits governments across Africa to harmonise national legislation with all the relevant international instruments on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Zane concluded with a reminder that the Addis Declaration recognises that we must not choose between rights and development, and that the one cannot be achieved without the other. He supported references to the outcome documents of the regional review conferences – such as the Addis Declaration – in the final resolutions of the Commission for Population and Development, pointing out that words in this context are windows to our consciousness, so we need to embody the spirit of leaving no one behind and ending violence based on discriminatory laws and practices. The third speaker was Dr Simon Miti, Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of National Development Planning in Zambia. Dr Miti explained that a recently conducted demographic study in Zambia was a real eye-opener. It revealed that Zambia currently has the highest ever number of young people in its population: a clear ‘youth bulge’. This realisation led the government to think about how best to realise the demographic dividend through investing in young people’s health, education, rights and employment. Last year the Government of Zambia revised the national youth policy to improve participation of young people, including in the areas of adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The new National Ministry of National Development Planning was also created to help deliver integrated decision-making and implementation across different policy areas affecting young people. Tewodros Melesse, Director General of IPPF, took the floor with optimism, seeing the Addis Declaration as a sign of progress and emphasising that it requires governments to implement the ICPD Programme of Action at national and regional levels. He urged governments to ensure that teachers and the police, the judiciary, private sector and Ministry of Finance all understand the importance of protective legislation and implementation of the Addis Declaration. He called on donors to be partners for implementation, and on Parliamentarians and the media to hold governments to account. Mr Melesse described IPPF’s contribution as a locally owned, globally connected Federation, working for sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment in over 170 countries. IPPF provides millions of services to young people and delivers comprehensive sexuality education both in and out of school. IPPF believes in empowering young people, and alongside supporting six regional youth networks, IPPF’s governance structure requires that 20% of Board members, at both regional and global levels, are under 25 years old. Noting that about one in five of the young people in the world today live in Africa, Mr Melesse highlighted the potential of the demographic dividend, urging governments to invest in young people’s health, rights and education, including comprehensive sexuality education. He warned that countries with high youth unemployment and poverty could face social instability and urged governments to support youth leadership. Questions from the floor focussed on comprehensive sexuality education, youth leadership and the role of the media, including new media, in providing accurate, evidence-based information for young people about health and rights. The panel concurred on the importance of these issues. The event ended with agreement that the Addis Declaration contained important promises to the young people of Africa and that while progress was being made more needed to be done to turn words into actions on the ground, and to hold governments to account for implementation.

On International Women’s Day, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has welcomed a new commentary from UN experts which says that the right to sexual and reproductive health is indivisible from other human rights. “It is absolutely right for the Committee to address the issue of sexual and reproductive health specifically, today of all days,” said Tewodros Melesse, IPPF’s Director General. “Sadly millions of women are still denied their basic rights because they are poor, because they suffer discrimination or because they lack legal protection.”  The 18 independent members of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights said that the right to sexual and reproductive health was not only an integral part of the general right to health, but fundamentally linked to the enjoyment of many other human rights, including the rights to education, work and equality. They said that a lack of care for mothers in childbirth or a lack of access to safe abortion, often leading to maternal death, constitutes a violation of the right to life, and in certain circumstances can amount to torture. “No woman should die in childbirth in 2016 because of a lack of adequate care,” said Mr Melesse. “We know that access to safe abortion saves women’s lives, yet millions are denied that right.” IPPF is a network of sexual and reproductive health and rights organisations in 170 countries that are equipped to monitor and respond to any member of the public who wants information, services, contraception and access to abortion and are available to serve at the first point of response. For further information and interviews contact press office 02079398227 

The International Planned Parenthood Federation welcomes the United Nations Secretary General’s humanitarian report which he delivered today. (February 9th) Ban Ki-Moon outlined five core responsibilities for the international community in a report which set out his vision ahead of the world humanitarian summit in May. These included better political leadership, protection for civilians, respect for humanitarian law, inclusive policies to make sure no one is left out, more flexibility and joined-up thinking from the aid community. He said the aid industry and his own organisation needed to urgently reform so they could react more effectively to today’s many crises. Director General, Tewodros Melesse said: "We strongly agree with the vision laid out by the Secretary General. At IPPF, we believe that there needs to be a serious rethink when it comes to the humanitarian response to the increasing number of crises around the world. “From our perspective we think it is essential that sexual and reproductive health and rights are included in the humanitarian response.” The figures for humanitarian crises are dramatic. More than a billion people alive today have seen their lives upended by crisis, war, instability; epidemics and disasters have left a long trail of turmoil and destruction. More than 100 million people in need of humanitarian assistance We know that a quarter of these are women and girls aged between 15 and 49 who are heightened risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; unintended, unwanted pregnancy; maternal death and illness and sexual- and gender-based violence. The statics show that 56 per cent of maternal and child deaths take place in fragile settings, many of them affected by conflicts and recurring natural disasters. Over the past decade, IPPF has reached millions of people during floods, conflicts, earthquakes, cyclones when health care systems have often collapsed. At these moments IPPF Member Associations continued to serve the unreachable particularly women which are  three-quarters of IPPF clients. We have an organizational strategy to address sexual and reproductive needs before, during and after humanitarian crises. IPPF’s first response is with its Minimum Initial Service Package, which is life-saving, and then IPPF transitions to its Integrated Package of Essential services, which is life-changing. Often our intervention in the aftermath of humanitarian disasters ensures that the sexual and reproductive health situation is better after the crisis than before.

In reaction to yesterday’s pledges made from donor governments to Syria's aid conference in London, IPPF Director General Tewodros Melesse said more action should be taken to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights are at the centre of humanitarian efforts. Mr Melesse stated that “We have seen some great progress and we must celebrate that governments have come together to tackle one of the largest humanitarian crises we have seen in a long time. But we must not forget that in the response, sexual and reproductive health services should also be a top priority. Women and girls are disproportionately influenced by humanitarian crises exposed to early marriage, trafficking, rape, forced pregnancies, unattended service delivery during complicated pregnancies and delivery. We could save lives by putting money and efforts into an integrated comprehensive package on reproductive health into the standard humanitarian response. IPPF has been doing this for years, our staff work on both sides of the border and on the frontline. Beyond the immediate crisis we also work with those affected for the long term”. IPPF in Syria In Syria 46,500 women will suffer gender based violence, including rape, as a result of the ongoing conflict. This shows a great need to ensure that the human rights of women and girls are protected and able to access sexual and reproductive healthcare. IPPF Member, the Syrian Family Planning Association is on the front line when it comes to dealing with the less-reported consequence of every war- sexual and reproductive health and rights. Syrian Family Planning Association Executive Director Dr. Lama said “ When a woman comes to our services she  is typically lost and without hope. Our indicator of success  is that we help the hopeless to have  hope. We need more support to sustain and expand our services and to maintain the protection services we provided full of confidentiality and confidence. " Over the last 10 years, IPPF has reached millions of people during floods, conflicts, earthquakes, cyclones. When health care often collapsed, our Member Associations continued to  reach the underserved, which makes three quarters of IPPF clients.   For more information or interviews contact press office 02079398227

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) today launched its new seven year Strategic Framework which will renew and strengthen its commitment to support the rights of women and girls to decide freely and for themselves whether, when and how many children to have. The Framework was launched at the International Family Planning conference in Indonesia. The Strategic Framework will deliver high impact, quality, rights-based, integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights services – including family planning, safe abortion, HIV, sexual and gender-based violence and reproductive cancers – and support further service provision by public and private health providers. It will help IPPF maximize the number of people it can serve by increasing operational effectiveness, expanding our provision in humanitarian emergencies and increasing national and global income to meet demand. IPPF's Director General, Tewodros Melesse, said launching the Framework “As the largest civil society provider of family planning, we can help meet many of the sexual and reproductive health needs of the Sustainable Development Goals at grassroots level. The new Strategic Framework will help us be more agile and accountable as a Federation, able to make a real impact on sexual and reproductive health and rights on the ground. Our new Framework  was  developed by our members from across the globe and it will guide their and partners work for the next seven years. At the high level reception with Benoit Kalasa from UNFPA, Dr. Kesete-birhan Admasu the Health Minister from Ethiopia and youth advocate Priya Kath, the IPPF’s Director General Tewodros Melesse announced that it had revised its efforts on family planning to tackle the global goal to reach an additional 120 Million women. IPPF's President, Naomi Seboni said chairing the event, “Every year we help millions of people – last year, that number was almost 62 million. We’re on track to meet our commitments, and we are holding governments to account for the pledges they made. Our new pledge which we will announce on Thursday will help achieve some of the ambition of FP2020 and the new Sustainable Development Goals.” The Strategic Framework is a global joint effort if the ambition of the new goals is to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people. It’s a vision that IPPF is excited about and proud of, that lays out its priorities for the next seven years in four clear outcomes. To get 100 governments to respect, protect and fulfil sexual and reproductive rights and gender equality by galvanising to secure legislative, policy and practice improvements. To engage women and youth leaders as advocates for change. To empower one billion people to act freely on their sexual and reproductive health and rights by 2022. To deliver two billion quality integrated sexual and reproductive health services. We will deliver rights-based services including safe abortion and HIV and enable services through public and private health providers. Over the next seven years IPPF is forging ahead to build a higher performing, accountable and united federation. The Federation is focused to enhance operational effectiveness and double national and global income. It will also build its advocacy and voice by growing its volunteer and activist supporter base. IPPF's mission is to lead a locally owned, globally connected civil society movement that provides and enables services and champions sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, especially the underserved.

The World Association of Sexual Health (WAS) has awarded Doortje Braeken – IPPF’s Senior Adviser on Adolescents, Gender and Rights, Programmes & Technical - their prestigious individual Gold Medal in recognition of her lifetime’s contribution to sexual health. She will be presented with the honour at an award ceremony at the biennial WAS Congress in Singapore this July. Doortje tells us what this award means to her and about her career promoting the sexual rights of young people.   How significant is this award for you? It’s very significant because WAS is serious about sexual rights and it has a wide ranging membership – including sexologists, neurologists and educators and those working in erotica, the whole spectrum of sex is represented there. They acknowledge how important it is in people’s lives. Why have you won? I’ve been a sex educator since 1984 when I was working for the Dutch Member Association (now known as Rutgers WPF), promoting a much more serious approach to sexology education. I worked in Romania, Eastern Europe and Central Asia promoting sexual rights for young people and fighting for youth participation in our programmes.   Why did you choose sex education? Once I had my children I found it hard to juggle motherhood and my work at university – I saw two jobs advertised: one for traffic safety and one promoting safer sex. I applied for and then got both jobs. I worked in both for a while and found promoting safe sex more interesting so I made it my full time career. At that point the Dutch Member Association was beginning to take a more professional approach to sexuality education, since then every working year has been different. I was asked to write a sexuality education manual for IPPF and then was asked to work with the Federation promoting the sexual rights of young people. What are you proudest of? I’m proudest that I’ve helped change IPPF’s attitude to young people – no longer seeing them as passive recipients of services but as genuinely equal partners. What’s next? I have two dreams: Firstly, I’d like to see IPPF promote its sexuality education agenda, but to make it attractive and, yes, ‘sexy’ for young people otherwise we’re in danger of losing their interest. It shouldn’t be just about warning them of the dangers of risky sex, but about their sexual rights and how they can enjoy them. Also, I’d like to revisit the young people I’ve worked with in the past and see where they are now. Some of our youth workers have gone on to work for the Ministry of Youth in Sri Lanka and at the Regional Council in Europe. Some of them are parents now, I’d love to know what they learned here and how have they used it in their lives. I’ve spent a lifetime investing in youth participation - it would be fantastic to see what impact it has had in individual’s lives. It’s been an exciting journey and I have met so many amazing people on my way. I wouldn’t have achieved anything without the hundreds of young people I worked with in IPPF, from a princess in Jordan to a young herder in Mongolia, who were both struggling with the question whether it was OK to masturbate, from Lena from Lebanon who had the courage take a stand for abortion rights and was almost expelled from her country, to trafficked girls in Syria, a young volunteer in Nepal who asked us to schedule our meetings based on the constellation of the stars (if we held the meeting then, she didn’t have to get married) to young sex workers in Indonesia and Surinam, trans boys in Bangladesh, young midwives in Siberia and young parliamentarians in the UK and Finland. And there are others who made my journey easy and so enjoyable; Esther Corona of WAS, Carmen Barosso of IPPF, Chandra Mouli of WHO and Mona Kadbey of UNFPA, who all mentored me and gave me the confidence to push the sexual rights agenda for young people forward.