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News

Latest news from IPPF

Spotlight

A selection of news from across the Federation

IPPF and MAs at CSW
News item

IPPF Statement on the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

IPPF welcomes the agreed conclusions of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), on the theme of “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”. IPPF actively engaged in the process by providing technical inputs to Member States, raising awareness about the interlinkages between SRHR, poverty, gender equality and the empowerment and human rights of all women and girls.
hiv-test
news item

| 01 December 2023

IPPF marks World AIDS Day by announcing the launch of a special program to roll out new biomedical HIV prevention methods

IPPF provides comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to clients around the world. HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services are essential parts of our integrated sexual and reproductive health care package. To expand the choices individuals have to protect themselves from HIV, IPPF is excited to announce a special program to provide the newest methods of HIV prevention - injectable PrEP (a 2-monthly injection of cabotegravir-LA) and the vaginal ring (a monthly vaginal ring of dapivirine), as well as expanding where oral PrEP is offered. This program is being launched through a consortium of IPPF Member Associations called the Consortium to Advance Access to new HIV Prevention Products (CAAPP) - led by Family Planning Association of India, and including the Family Life Association of Eswatini, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, Family Planning Association of Malawi, Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia, Family Planning Association of Nepal, and Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand. We hope this program will increase access to the number of ways people can protect themselves from HIV, supporting individual's choice to find an HIV prevention method that works for them.

hiv-test
news_item

| 01 December 2023

IPPF marks World AIDS Day by announcing the launch of a special program to roll out new biomedical HIV prevention methods

IPPF provides comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to clients around the world. HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services are essential parts of our integrated sexual and reproductive health care package. To expand the choices individuals have to protect themselves from HIV, IPPF is excited to announce a special program to provide the newest methods of HIV prevention - injectable PrEP (a 2-monthly injection of cabotegravir-LA) and the vaginal ring (a monthly vaginal ring of dapivirine), as well as expanding where oral PrEP is offered. This program is being launched through a consortium of IPPF Member Associations called the Consortium to Advance Access to new HIV Prevention Products (CAAPP) - led by Family Planning Association of India, and including the Family Life Association of Eswatini, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, Family Planning Association of Malawi, Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia, Family Planning Association of Nepal, and Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand. We hope this program will increase access to the number of ways people can protect themselves from HIV, supporting individual's choice to find an HIV prevention method that works for them.

Woman sitting - India
news item

| 20 March 2020

IPPF welcomes the ruling to extend abortion care from 20 weeks to 24 weeks in India

The MTP (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed by the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) has indeed been a momentous victory for women and girls of India. The celebrations are incomplete without recognising the tireless efforts of Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) and all the Civil Society partners, activists and women who never stopped demanding women’s rights to safe and legal abortions.  IPPF applauds the Cabinet on this landmark decision which approved the bill allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. The Bill allows abortion up to 24 weeks of gestational age for vulnerable categories of women including rape survivors, victims of incest, pregnancies with foetal abnormalities and minors. Replacing the term’ married couple’ to woman and her partner highlights that the government is acknowledging the changing social fabric in the country. It also takes a positive step towards ensuring confidentiality of information for the woman, except to a person authorised in any law which is in force. The Bill can now be said to be truly woman-centric which recognizes and respects a woman’s autonomy, her choice and her rights. Dr Kalpana Apte (Secretary General, Family Planning Association of India) said: “It was a very long battle that we have fought along with other CSOs and women groups. Although, the amendments are not fully what we fought for, we are happy with many achievements. The gestation age is expanded, now unmarried women can access safe abortions and reduction in numbers of specialists required for second trimester are some of the important wins. The battle is indeed won, the fight is still on to ensure women's sexual and reproductive rights are supported and protected through enabling legislation!” IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo added: “This bill passing represents a huge shift for the rights of women in India to access safe abortion care- though there is more work to be done. This win would have not been possible without the hardwork and dedication of the Family Planning Association of India, civil society partners and activist. Let this win in India inspire other organizations and activists to continue their fight for safe and legal abortion.” While the increase in gestational limit is only for “vulnerable categories of women”, there is a need to improve accessibility to abortion service for all women who want/need it. In addition to addressing stigma, a key requirement is to increase access to safe abortion services in India – in each and every part of the country women get high quality, dignified and stigma free abortion services, only then we can claim universal health coverage for all. 

Woman sitting - India
news_item

| 20 March 2020

IPPF welcomes the ruling to extend abortion care from 20 weeks to 24 weeks in India

The MTP (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed by the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) has indeed been a momentous victory for women and girls of India. The celebrations are incomplete without recognising the tireless efforts of Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) and all the Civil Society partners, activists and women who never stopped demanding women’s rights to safe and legal abortions.  IPPF applauds the Cabinet on this landmark decision which approved the bill allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. The Bill allows abortion up to 24 weeks of gestational age for vulnerable categories of women including rape survivors, victims of incest, pregnancies with foetal abnormalities and minors. Replacing the term’ married couple’ to woman and her partner highlights that the government is acknowledging the changing social fabric in the country. It also takes a positive step towards ensuring confidentiality of information for the woman, except to a person authorised in any law which is in force. The Bill can now be said to be truly woman-centric which recognizes and respects a woman’s autonomy, her choice and her rights. Dr Kalpana Apte (Secretary General, Family Planning Association of India) said: “It was a very long battle that we have fought along with other CSOs and women groups. Although, the amendments are not fully what we fought for, we are happy with many achievements. The gestation age is expanded, now unmarried women can access safe abortions and reduction in numbers of specialists required for second trimester are some of the important wins. The battle is indeed won, the fight is still on to ensure women's sexual and reproductive rights are supported and protected through enabling legislation!” IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo added: “This bill passing represents a huge shift for the rights of women in India to access safe abortion care- though there is more work to be done. This win would have not been possible without the hardwork and dedication of the Family Planning Association of India, civil society partners and activist. Let this win in India inspire other organizations and activists to continue their fight for safe and legal abortion.” While the increase in gestational limit is only for “vulnerable categories of women”, there is a need to improve accessibility to abortion service for all women who want/need it. In addition to addressing stigma, a key requirement is to increase access to safe abortion services in India – in each and every part of the country women get high quality, dignified and stigma free abortion services, only then we can claim universal health coverage for all. 

Courtesy photo - pride flag
news item

| 06 September 2018

IPPF welcomes India’s Supreme Court historic decision to free LGBTI communities from persecution

After generations of oppression under a colonial-era law, today the LGBTI community in India celebrated the scrapping of key provisions in Section 377 from the Indian Penal Code, which had previously outlawed consensual same-sex sexual relations. Following multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court finally recognised that “158 years ago, the law deprived people of love”, and ruled that all people should be free from prejudice and persecution. A historic win for communities that have been pushed into the shadows, Chief Justice Dipak Mishra made it clear that  “any discrimination on basis of sexual orientation amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.” Welcoming this ruling, IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “Today is a historical victory for the LGBTI community in India. No longer will their human right to love, and to show that love, be violated by archaic laws. IPPF hopes that is this the first step of many to ensure that the LGBTI community are guaranteed their full fundamental rights and that social, economical, financial cultural and political inclusion of the LGBTI community becomes woven into the fabric of India’s national identity.   Today's decision will bring new-found hope and energy to those LGBTI communities that are still suffering under repressive laws. I would like to thank the individuals and organizations that have fought tirelessly to make this happen. Without people fighting for change, change cannot happen.” Image by Courtesy Photo

Courtesy photo - pride flag
news_item

| 06 September 2018

IPPF welcomes India’s Supreme Court historic decision to free LGBTI communities from persecution

After generations of oppression under a colonial-era law, today the LGBTI community in India celebrated the scrapping of key provisions in Section 377 from the Indian Penal Code, which had previously outlawed consensual same-sex sexual relations. Following multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court finally recognised that “158 years ago, the law deprived people of love”, and ruled that all people should be free from prejudice and persecution. A historic win for communities that have been pushed into the shadows, Chief Justice Dipak Mishra made it clear that  “any discrimination on basis of sexual orientation amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.” Welcoming this ruling, IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “Today is a historical victory for the LGBTI community in India. No longer will their human right to love, and to show that love, be violated by archaic laws. IPPF hopes that is this the first step of many to ensure that the LGBTI community are guaranteed their full fundamental rights and that social, economical, financial cultural and political inclusion of the LGBTI community becomes woven into the fabric of India’s national identity.   Today's decision will bring new-found hope and energy to those LGBTI communities that are still suffering under repressive laws. I would like to thank the individuals and organizations that have fought tirelessly to make this happen. Without people fighting for change, change cannot happen.” Image by Courtesy Photo

Fiji
news item

| 22 March 2016

Emergency update from Fiji

One month on from Cyclone Winston, IPPF has helped hundreds of families, including new mothers and pregnant women. Thousands of people are disaplaced and 43 have now been confirmed dead in the worst tropical super-storm to have ever hit the Pacific.  IPPF’s humanitarian wing, the SPRINT Initiative, is solely funded by the Australian Government to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive health services following a humanitarian crisis. The Australian Government provided an additional AUD $100,000 to ensure SPRINT could respond to the worst affected populations.   IPPF’s assistance includes distributing hygiene and dignity kits to pregnant women and new mothers, providing maternal and neonatal healthcare, providing family planning and prevention programs to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.  There has been an urgent need to respond to the immediate sexual and reproductive health needs of communities, specifically vulnerable groups such as pregnant and lactating women and women & girls at risk of gender-based violence. In crisis settings rates of gender-based violence drastically increase, and SPRINT has provided survivors with emergency care and services. IPPF-SPRINT has reproductive health missions in the provinces of Nataleira, Natalecake, Vadravadra. The Ministry of Health, under the Fiji Government, has also committed their medical staff to IPPF's medical camps. A key partner to the humanitarian repsonse is IPPF's local member association, the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF). The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Julie Bishop paid a visit to IPPF-SPRINT’s SRH mission in early March to observe the work of the Australian-funded response. The Minister also distributed hygiene kits to the affected population in Rakiraki hospital in western Fiji. Apart from providing key sexual reproductive services, IPPF-SPRINT is also providing basic medical assistance to those affected.  

Fiji
news_item

| 22 March 2016

Emergency update from Fiji

One month on from Cyclone Winston, IPPF has helped hundreds of families, including new mothers and pregnant women. Thousands of people are disaplaced and 43 have now been confirmed dead in the worst tropical super-storm to have ever hit the Pacific.  IPPF’s humanitarian wing, the SPRINT Initiative, is solely funded by the Australian Government to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive health services following a humanitarian crisis. The Australian Government provided an additional AUD $100,000 to ensure SPRINT could respond to the worst affected populations.   IPPF’s assistance includes distributing hygiene and dignity kits to pregnant women and new mothers, providing maternal and neonatal healthcare, providing family planning and prevention programs to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.  There has been an urgent need to respond to the immediate sexual and reproductive health needs of communities, specifically vulnerable groups such as pregnant and lactating women and women & girls at risk of gender-based violence. In crisis settings rates of gender-based violence drastically increase, and SPRINT has provided survivors with emergency care and services. IPPF-SPRINT has reproductive health missions in the provinces of Nataleira, Natalecake, Vadravadra. The Ministry of Health, under the Fiji Government, has also committed their medical staff to IPPF's medical camps. A key partner to the humanitarian repsonse is IPPF's local member association, the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF). The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Julie Bishop paid a visit to IPPF-SPRINT’s SRH mission in early March to observe the work of the Australian-funded response. The Minister also distributed hygiene kits to the affected population in Rakiraki hospital in western Fiji. Apart from providing key sexual reproductive services, IPPF-SPRINT is also providing basic medical assistance to those affected.  

Jokaveti in front of her destroyed house
news item

| 26 February 2016

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.”

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.” Jokaveti Bavou lives in the village of Drauniivi, in the Fijian province of Ra. It was right in the path of Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm to ever strike the Southern Hemisphere. A week on from the disaster, Jokaveti, her son Jim and her grandchildren are safe. But there is no longer a roof on her house, and precious little left inside. In a village of 910 people, 75 houses were completed destroyed and about 65 damaged. Jokaveti was in her house with her grandchildren when Cyclone Winston arrived. “On Saturday night the winds started to increase. I told Jim that I was not sure of the house; I didn’t believe that it would be able to keep us safe. I told him that if the house started to collapse, we would run to his house for safety.” “The wind was getting stronger and when I looked at the back door, it had blown open. I took a hammer and nail to it. But when I got back to the other room, the main door had blown open and the wind was really strong. Then the wind took the roof off my house.”  “I told my granddaughter that everything was terrifying and we needed to go and hide somewhere. It was not safe to be in the house because of the flying debris.” “I got out and my son called out from his house and told us that we should go and hide underneath our house. He tried to come out of his house to save us, but the wind was so strong and roofing iron was flying around.” “I went underneath my house with my grandchildren holding a lamp and stayed there until the wind died. My son’s eyes never left us. Luckily for us a corrugated roofing iron flew and covered where we were hiding. I just cried and continued to thank God for keeping us safe.” “I could sense fear from all of us including my grandchildren. They were crying too. My son kept on calling to check on us until the wind died down.” Miraculously, no-one from Jokaveti’s family or the village was killed or seriously injured. IPPF is establishing centers in the Northern and Western parts of Fiji to provide medical services, especially those that deal with maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health.  It is working closely with the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (IPPF’s member in Fiji), UNFPA Pacific, Empower Pacific, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Donate now!  

Jokaveti in front of her destroyed house
news_item

| 26 February 2016

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.”

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.” Jokaveti Bavou lives in the village of Drauniivi, in the Fijian province of Ra. It was right in the path of Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm to ever strike the Southern Hemisphere. A week on from the disaster, Jokaveti, her son Jim and her grandchildren are safe. But there is no longer a roof on her house, and precious little left inside. In a village of 910 people, 75 houses were completed destroyed and about 65 damaged. Jokaveti was in her house with her grandchildren when Cyclone Winston arrived. “On Saturday night the winds started to increase. I told Jim that I was not sure of the house; I didn’t believe that it would be able to keep us safe. I told him that if the house started to collapse, we would run to his house for safety.” “The wind was getting stronger and when I looked at the back door, it had blown open. I took a hammer and nail to it. But when I got back to the other room, the main door had blown open and the wind was really strong. Then the wind took the roof off my house.”  “I told my granddaughter that everything was terrifying and we needed to go and hide somewhere. It was not safe to be in the house because of the flying debris.” “I got out and my son called out from his house and told us that we should go and hide underneath our house. He tried to come out of his house to save us, but the wind was so strong and roofing iron was flying around.” “I went underneath my house with my grandchildren holding a lamp and stayed there until the wind died. My son’s eyes never left us. Luckily for us a corrugated roofing iron flew and covered where we were hiding. I just cried and continued to thank God for keeping us safe.” “I could sense fear from all of us including my grandchildren. They were crying too. My son kept on calling to check on us until the wind died down.” Miraculously, no-one from Jokaveti’s family or the village was killed or seriously injured. IPPF is establishing centers in the Northern and Western parts of Fiji to provide medical services, especially those that deal with maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health.  It is working closely with the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (IPPF’s member in Fiji), UNFPA Pacific, Empower Pacific, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Donate now!  

hiv-test
news item

| 01 December 2023

IPPF marks World AIDS Day by announcing the launch of a special program to roll out new biomedical HIV prevention methods

IPPF provides comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to clients around the world. HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services are essential parts of our integrated sexual and reproductive health care package. To expand the choices individuals have to protect themselves from HIV, IPPF is excited to announce a special program to provide the newest methods of HIV prevention - injectable PrEP (a 2-monthly injection of cabotegravir-LA) and the vaginal ring (a monthly vaginal ring of dapivirine), as well as expanding where oral PrEP is offered. This program is being launched through a consortium of IPPF Member Associations called the Consortium to Advance Access to new HIV Prevention Products (CAAPP) - led by Family Planning Association of India, and including the Family Life Association of Eswatini, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, Family Planning Association of Malawi, Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia, Family Planning Association of Nepal, and Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand. We hope this program will increase access to the number of ways people can protect themselves from HIV, supporting individual's choice to find an HIV prevention method that works for them.

hiv-test
news_item

| 01 December 2023

IPPF marks World AIDS Day by announcing the launch of a special program to roll out new biomedical HIV prevention methods

IPPF provides comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to clients around the world. HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services are essential parts of our integrated sexual and reproductive health care package. To expand the choices individuals have to protect themselves from HIV, IPPF is excited to announce a special program to provide the newest methods of HIV prevention - injectable PrEP (a 2-monthly injection of cabotegravir-LA) and the vaginal ring (a monthly vaginal ring of dapivirine), as well as expanding where oral PrEP is offered. This program is being launched through a consortium of IPPF Member Associations called the Consortium to Advance Access to new HIV Prevention Products (CAAPP) - led by Family Planning Association of India, and including the Family Life Association of Eswatini, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, Family Planning Association of Malawi, Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia, Family Planning Association of Nepal, and Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand. We hope this program will increase access to the number of ways people can protect themselves from HIV, supporting individual's choice to find an HIV prevention method that works for them.

Woman sitting - India
news item

| 20 March 2020

IPPF welcomes the ruling to extend abortion care from 20 weeks to 24 weeks in India

The MTP (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed by the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) has indeed been a momentous victory for women and girls of India. The celebrations are incomplete without recognising the tireless efforts of Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) and all the Civil Society partners, activists and women who never stopped demanding women’s rights to safe and legal abortions.  IPPF applauds the Cabinet on this landmark decision which approved the bill allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. The Bill allows abortion up to 24 weeks of gestational age for vulnerable categories of women including rape survivors, victims of incest, pregnancies with foetal abnormalities and minors. Replacing the term’ married couple’ to woman and her partner highlights that the government is acknowledging the changing social fabric in the country. It also takes a positive step towards ensuring confidentiality of information for the woman, except to a person authorised in any law which is in force. The Bill can now be said to be truly woman-centric which recognizes and respects a woman’s autonomy, her choice and her rights. Dr Kalpana Apte (Secretary General, Family Planning Association of India) said: “It was a very long battle that we have fought along with other CSOs and women groups. Although, the amendments are not fully what we fought for, we are happy with many achievements. The gestation age is expanded, now unmarried women can access safe abortions and reduction in numbers of specialists required for second trimester are some of the important wins. The battle is indeed won, the fight is still on to ensure women's sexual and reproductive rights are supported and protected through enabling legislation!” IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo added: “This bill passing represents a huge shift for the rights of women in India to access safe abortion care- though there is more work to be done. This win would have not been possible without the hardwork and dedication of the Family Planning Association of India, civil society partners and activist. Let this win in India inspire other organizations and activists to continue their fight for safe and legal abortion.” While the increase in gestational limit is only for “vulnerable categories of women”, there is a need to improve accessibility to abortion service for all women who want/need it. In addition to addressing stigma, a key requirement is to increase access to safe abortion services in India – in each and every part of the country women get high quality, dignified and stigma free abortion services, only then we can claim universal health coverage for all. 

Woman sitting - India
news_item

| 20 March 2020

IPPF welcomes the ruling to extend abortion care from 20 weeks to 24 weeks in India

The MTP (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed by the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) has indeed been a momentous victory for women and girls of India. The celebrations are incomplete without recognising the tireless efforts of Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) and all the Civil Society partners, activists and women who never stopped demanding women’s rights to safe and legal abortions.  IPPF applauds the Cabinet on this landmark decision which approved the bill allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. The Bill allows abortion up to 24 weeks of gestational age for vulnerable categories of women including rape survivors, victims of incest, pregnancies with foetal abnormalities and minors. Replacing the term’ married couple’ to woman and her partner highlights that the government is acknowledging the changing social fabric in the country. It also takes a positive step towards ensuring confidentiality of information for the woman, except to a person authorised in any law which is in force. The Bill can now be said to be truly woman-centric which recognizes and respects a woman’s autonomy, her choice and her rights. Dr Kalpana Apte (Secretary General, Family Planning Association of India) said: “It was a very long battle that we have fought along with other CSOs and women groups. Although, the amendments are not fully what we fought for, we are happy with many achievements. The gestation age is expanded, now unmarried women can access safe abortions and reduction in numbers of specialists required for second trimester are some of the important wins. The battle is indeed won, the fight is still on to ensure women's sexual and reproductive rights are supported and protected through enabling legislation!” IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo added: “This bill passing represents a huge shift for the rights of women in India to access safe abortion care- though there is more work to be done. This win would have not been possible without the hardwork and dedication of the Family Planning Association of India, civil society partners and activist. Let this win in India inspire other organizations and activists to continue their fight for safe and legal abortion.” While the increase in gestational limit is only for “vulnerable categories of women”, there is a need to improve accessibility to abortion service for all women who want/need it. In addition to addressing stigma, a key requirement is to increase access to safe abortion services in India – in each and every part of the country women get high quality, dignified and stigma free abortion services, only then we can claim universal health coverage for all. 

Courtesy photo - pride flag
news item

| 06 September 2018

IPPF welcomes India’s Supreme Court historic decision to free LGBTI communities from persecution

After generations of oppression under a colonial-era law, today the LGBTI community in India celebrated the scrapping of key provisions in Section 377 from the Indian Penal Code, which had previously outlawed consensual same-sex sexual relations. Following multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court finally recognised that “158 years ago, the law deprived people of love”, and ruled that all people should be free from prejudice and persecution. A historic win for communities that have been pushed into the shadows, Chief Justice Dipak Mishra made it clear that  “any discrimination on basis of sexual orientation amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.” Welcoming this ruling, IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “Today is a historical victory for the LGBTI community in India. No longer will their human right to love, and to show that love, be violated by archaic laws. IPPF hopes that is this the first step of many to ensure that the LGBTI community are guaranteed their full fundamental rights and that social, economical, financial cultural and political inclusion of the LGBTI community becomes woven into the fabric of India’s national identity.   Today's decision will bring new-found hope and energy to those LGBTI communities that are still suffering under repressive laws. I would like to thank the individuals and organizations that have fought tirelessly to make this happen. Without people fighting for change, change cannot happen.” Image by Courtesy Photo

Courtesy photo - pride flag
news_item

| 06 September 2018

IPPF welcomes India’s Supreme Court historic decision to free LGBTI communities from persecution

After generations of oppression under a colonial-era law, today the LGBTI community in India celebrated the scrapping of key provisions in Section 377 from the Indian Penal Code, which had previously outlawed consensual same-sex sexual relations. Following multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court finally recognised that “158 years ago, the law deprived people of love”, and ruled that all people should be free from prejudice and persecution. A historic win for communities that have been pushed into the shadows, Chief Justice Dipak Mishra made it clear that  “any discrimination on basis of sexual orientation amounts to a violation of fundamental rights.” Welcoming this ruling, IPPF Director-General Dr Alvaro Bermejo said: “Today is a historical victory for the LGBTI community in India. No longer will their human right to love, and to show that love, be violated by archaic laws. IPPF hopes that is this the first step of many to ensure that the LGBTI community are guaranteed their full fundamental rights and that social, economical, financial cultural and political inclusion of the LGBTI community becomes woven into the fabric of India’s national identity.   Today's decision will bring new-found hope and energy to those LGBTI communities that are still suffering under repressive laws. I would like to thank the individuals and organizations that have fought tirelessly to make this happen. Without people fighting for change, change cannot happen.” Image by Courtesy Photo

Fiji
news item

| 22 March 2016

Emergency update from Fiji

One month on from Cyclone Winston, IPPF has helped hundreds of families, including new mothers and pregnant women. Thousands of people are disaplaced and 43 have now been confirmed dead in the worst tropical super-storm to have ever hit the Pacific.  IPPF’s humanitarian wing, the SPRINT Initiative, is solely funded by the Australian Government to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive health services following a humanitarian crisis. The Australian Government provided an additional AUD $100,000 to ensure SPRINT could respond to the worst affected populations.   IPPF’s assistance includes distributing hygiene and dignity kits to pregnant women and new mothers, providing maternal and neonatal healthcare, providing family planning and prevention programs to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.  There has been an urgent need to respond to the immediate sexual and reproductive health needs of communities, specifically vulnerable groups such as pregnant and lactating women and women & girls at risk of gender-based violence. In crisis settings rates of gender-based violence drastically increase, and SPRINT has provided survivors with emergency care and services. IPPF-SPRINT has reproductive health missions in the provinces of Nataleira, Natalecake, Vadravadra. The Ministry of Health, under the Fiji Government, has also committed their medical staff to IPPF's medical camps. A key partner to the humanitarian repsonse is IPPF's local member association, the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF). The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Julie Bishop paid a visit to IPPF-SPRINT’s SRH mission in early March to observe the work of the Australian-funded response. The Minister also distributed hygiene kits to the affected population in Rakiraki hospital in western Fiji. Apart from providing key sexual reproductive services, IPPF-SPRINT is also providing basic medical assistance to those affected.  

Fiji
news_item

| 22 March 2016

Emergency update from Fiji

One month on from Cyclone Winston, IPPF has helped hundreds of families, including new mothers and pregnant women. Thousands of people are disaplaced and 43 have now been confirmed dead in the worst tropical super-storm to have ever hit the Pacific.  IPPF’s humanitarian wing, the SPRINT Initiative, is solely funded by the Australian Government to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive health services following a humanitarian crisis. The Australian Government provided an additional AUD $100,000 to ensure SPRINT could respond to the worst affected populations.   IPPF’s assistance includes distributing hygiene and dignity kits to pregnant women and new mothers, providing maternal and neonatal healthcare, providing family planning and prevention programs to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.  There has been an urgent need to respond to the immediate sexual and reproductive health needs of communities, specifically vulnerable groups such as pregnant and lactating women and women & girls at risk of gender-based violence. In crisis settings rates of gender-based violence drastically increase, and SPRINT has provided survivors with emergency care and services. IPPF-SPRINT has reproductive health missions in the provinces of Nataleira, Natalecake, Vadravadra. The Ministry of Health, under the Fiji Government, has also committed their medical staff to IPPF's medical camps. A key partner to the humanitarian repsonse is IPPF's local member association, the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF). The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Julie Bishop paid a visit to IPPF-SPRINT’s SRH mission in early March to observe the work of the Australian-funded response. The Minister also distributed hygiene kits to the affected population in Rakiraki hospital in western Fiji. Apart from providing key sexual reproductive services, IPPF-SPRINT is also providing basic medical assistance to those affected.  

Jokaveti in front of her destroyed house
news item

| 26 February 2016

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.”

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.” Jokaveti Bavou lives in the village of Drauniivi, in the Fijian province of Ra. It was right in the path of Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm to ever strike the Southern Hemisphere. A week on from the disaster, Jokaveti, her son Jim and her grandchildren are safe. But there is no longer a roof on her house, and precious little left inside. In a village of 910 people, 75 houses were completed destroyed and about 65 damaged. Jokaveti was in her house with her grandchildren when Cyclone Winston arrived. “On Saturday night the winds started to increase. I told Jim that I was not sure of the house; I didn’t believe that it would be able to keep us safe. I told him that if the house started to collapse, we would run to his house for safety.” “The wind was getting stronger and when I looked at the back door, it had blown open. I took a hammer and nail to it. But when I got back to the other room, the main door had blown open and the wind was really strong. Then the wind took the roof off my house.”  “I told my granddaughter that everything was terrifying and we needed to go and hide somewhere. It was not safe to be in the house because of the flying debris.” “I got out and my son called out from his house and told us that we should go and hide underneath our house. He tried to come out of his house to save us, but the wind was so strong and roofing iron was flying around.” “I went underneath my house with my grandchildren holding a lamp and stayed there until the wind died. My son’s eyes never left us. Luckily for us a corrugated roofing iron flew and covered where we were hiding. I just cried and continued to thank God for keeping us safe.” “I could sense fear from all of us including my grandchildren. They were crying too. My son kept on calling to check on us until the wind died down.” Miraculously, no-one from Jokaveti’s family or the village was killed or seriously injured. IPPF is establishing centers in the Northern and Western parts of Fiji to provide medical services, especially those that deal with maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health.  It is working closely with the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (IPPF’s member in Fiji), UNFPA Pacific, Empower Pacific, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Donate now!  

Jokaveti in front of her destroyed house
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| 26 February 2016

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.”

“I have never experienced such a strong cyclone in my 77 years of life.” Jokaveti Bavou lives in the village of Drauniivi, in the Fijian province of Ra. It was right in the path of Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm to ever strike the Southern Hemisphere. A week on from the disaster, Jokaveti, her son Jim and her grandchildren are safe. But there is no longer a roof on her house, and precious little left inside. In a village of 910 people, 75 houses were completed destroyed and about 65 damaged. Jokaveti was in her house with her grandchildren when Cyclone Winston arrived. “On Saturday night the winds started to increase. I told Jim that I was not sure of the house; I didn’t believe that it would be able to keep us safe. I told him that if the house started to collapse, we would run to his house for safety.” “The wind was getting stronger and when I looked at the back door, it had blown open. I took a hammer and nail to it. But when I got back to the other room, the main door had blown open and the wind was really strong. Then the wind took the roof off my house.”  “I told my granddaughter that everything was terrifying and we needed to go and hide somewhere. It was not safe to be in the house because of the flying debris.” “I got out and my son called out from his house and told us that we should go and hide underneath our house. He tried to come out of his house to save us, but the wind was so strong and roofing iron was flying around.” “I went underneath my house with my grandchildren holding a lamp and stayed there until the wind died. My son’s eyes never left us. Luckily for us a corrugated roofing iron flew and covered where we were hiding. I just cried and continued to thank God for keeping us safe.” “I could sense fear from all of us including my grandchildren. They were crying too. My son kept on calling to check on us until the wind died down.” Miraculously, no-one from Jokaveti’s family or the village was killed or seriously injured. IPPF is establishing centers in the Northern and Western parts of Fiji to provide medical services, especially those that deal with maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health.  It is working closely with the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (IPPF’s member in Fiji), UNFPA Pacific, Empower Pacific, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Donate now!