IPPF is overjoyed at the Irish people’s decision to remove the harmful ‘8th Amendment’ from Ireland’s constitution with today’s referendum result.   IPPF’s Director General, Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “ We wholeheartedly welcome this vote for change, which makes it possible for the Irish Parliament to legalise abortion care on a woman’s own indication in the first trimester of pregnancy, in line with the many other countries around the world which ensure women can access safe and legal abortion care when they need it.”   Caroline Hickson, IPPF’s European Network Regional Director, said: “As an Irishwoman, I know the 8th Amendment has harmed countless women physically, emotionally and psychologically for more than 30 years. The vote to remove it paves the way for a more compassionate and caring environment for women in Ireland. They will no longer be forced to access abortion outside the state or resort to unsafe and unregulated use of abortion pills obtained online and outside the law. Instead, women and girls who experience crisis pregnancies will be able to make personal, private decisions about their health care with the support of their doctors and loved ones. They will be able to receive proper care, in their country, when they are at their most vulnerable.”   Dr Alvaro Bermejo added: “Ireland’s decision sends a signal around Europe and the world that people’s care and compassion can triumph over absolutism and coercion. We hope that it also gives courage to women and all those who support their fight against reproductive coercion in so many other places, and to all those countries where the Global Gag Rule is having a devastating impact on access to sexual and reproductive health care. For all women everywhere, it’s time to end forced full pregnancy and make abortion care safe, legal and accessible. Today Ireland has shown us that positive change is possible.”  

Another dangerous tropical cyclone has emerged in the Pacific Ocean. The Typhoon Haima hit the northern part of the Philippines and considering the strength of the storm this cyclone will have had a high humanitarian impact.   Please make a donation now. As of reporting time, a total of 18,157 families (90,589 individuals) were evacuated. Initial reports from the Cordillera Region show that 113 houses were damaged. With the strength and extent of the destruction, it is most likely that health and birthing facilities and schools were severely affected. In the rush to provide shelter and food in a crisis, the health and protection needs of pregnant women and young families are often overlooked. When the Typhoon struck approximately one in five women will have been pregnant.  Without access to the right health care, we expect 20 per cent of them will incur complications during the delivery. Your donation will help us save lives.  Having established partnerships in 170 countries, IPPF is one of the first responders when a crisis occurs. Helping the hardest-to-reach areas, particularly women and girls, we are often the only health providers there. The International Planned Parenthood Federation, working through the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), is responding to this crisis. We have worked together since 1969 and in recent years we have saved countless lives following Typhoon Haikui, Bopha, Trami and Haiyan. FPOP is working closely with the local government and international relief agencies to ensure that no women or her family is left behind and put at risk during this crisis. Nandy Senoc, FPOP’s Executive Director said “While we don’t yet know the full extent to the devastation, we are mobilizing our health workers and volunteers, to provide lifesaving services. As a volunteer organization, we are there before, during and after the crisis strikes. We are ready to respond now. For many women and girls in these affected areas, access to our essential health and protection services could mean the difference between life and death. I would like to thank you for supporting IPPF’s work and for standing by women and girls during difficult times like this. Your generosity today will help us support more women and girls as this crisis unfolds." With your support we reach over 2.2 million clients in crisis settings annually in all corners of the world.

Aug 2, 2016: New Delhi: Manila: The International Planned Parenthood Federation through its humanitarian wing, the SPRINT Initiative, is providing humanitarian assistance in the conflict-affected areas of Cotabato in the Philippines. The armed conflict between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has lasted for more than five decades and has displaced around a million people in central Mindanao, Philippines. According to reports dated April 2016, the armed conflict has escalated, creating concerns over a protracted crisis and the vulnerability of women and girls. The conflict has internally displaced farmers who are living in the hinterland communities of the province of North Cotabato, namely in the municipalities of Makilala, Magpet, Kabacan and Tulunan. The SPRINT Initiative project will reach out to 25 affected villages or barangays located in geographically isolated and depressed areas, thereby making access to healthcare an extremely rare thing. As per the assessments done by IPPF’s East and South East Asia and Oceania Region office’s (ESEAOR) Member Association, the Family Planning Association of Philippines (FPOP), access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services in these villages is very limited. “IPPF-SPRINT and FPOP will coordinate the implementation of this project with (the) UNFPA centre in Mindanao throughout the 4-month period from August to November, 2016. The Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) will be implemented on-the-ground. IPPF-SPRINT will reach out to around 15,000 beneficiaries in the area and will provide crucial and life-saving SRH services. An amount of AUD 50,000 has been mobilised for the response,” said Aditi Ghosh, Director, IPPF-SPRINT. This humanitarian response is being funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) under the Australian government. “FPOP is a part of the UN cluster system, particularly Health and Protection clusters in the national level. FPOP will also coordinate the humanitarian response with UN regional centres covering affected areas. The North Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) will also play a key role in implementing the MISP,” said Nora Murat, Regional Director, IPPF-ESEAOR. IPPF-SPRINT will work on prevention and management of the consequences of sexual violence, reduction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV transmission, prevention of excess maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, plan for the provision of comprehensive SRH services and integrate into primary health care as the situation permits.   Apart from the above, orientation on MISP and Risk Management for implementing partners and project staff/volunteers will be undertaken.     Contact info: Murali Kunduru: [email protected] Jayamalar Samuel: [email protected] Media Contact: Rhea Chawla: [email protected] www.ippf-sprint.org   The SPRINT Initiative is a Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Programme in Crisis and Post-Crisis Situations. SPRINT ensures access to essential lifesaving SRH services for women, men and children in times of crises, a time when services are most needed yet are not prioritised or recognised by key humanitarian responders.   The SPRINT Initiative saves lives and delivers on behalf of the Australian Government aid program (DFAT: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), which aims to provide more effective preparedness for and response to disasters and crises.   The Initiative is managed by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and represents its commitment to increasing access to SRH services for crisis-affected populations. The International Planned Parenthood Federation is a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. It is a worldwide movement of national organisations working with and for communities and individuals.