This short video provides useful tips to people who want to educate others about abortion, including ideas on how to create a safe and respectful space for discussion, how to present facts and how to make your session practical. Read our guide for more information:     Voir cette vidéo en français   Ver el video en español    Using these resources? Let us know how!

On 23 January 2017 President Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Global Gag Rule, or the Mexico City Policy.  The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) believes in the right of every individual to decide about their own health and well-being.  As an organisation that seeks to protect and improve the lives of women, men and children around the world, IPPF and its partners in 170 countries will not sign a policy that denies human rights and puts the lives of women at risk.   The Global Gag Rule denies U.S. funding to organisations like IPPF if they use money from other donors to provide abortion services, counselling or referrals—even if abortion is legal in a country. It blocks critical funding for health services like contraception, maternal health, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment for any organisation that refuses to sign it. When it has been enacted by previous Republican Presidents, evidence has shown that the Global Gag Rule has not reduced the number of abortions; rather, by eliminating access to contraception, it has led to more unintended pregnancies and more unsafe abortions.     IPPF is the largest non-governmental provider of contraception in the world. It has worked with the U.S. government for decades. Our global network of local partners delivers more than 300 services every minute of every day, including 70 million contraceptive services every year.  The Global Gag Rule’s reinstatement will result in additional unintended pregnancies and countless other needless injuries and deaths. It means IPPF will lose $100 million USD for proven programs that provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for millions of women and youth who otherwise go without these vital services, including women suffering the burden of health and humanitarian crises.  Over the years USAID has been a huge supporter of family planning – with a budget of over $600 million per year. Reinstatement will mean that years of progress to increase access to essential services globally, will be lost. We cannot—and will not—deny life-saving services to the world’s poorest women.  We will work with governments and donors to bridge the funding and service gaps the Global Gag Rule creates. We will ensure that women can exercise their rights and access safe abortion and family planning.  WANT TO GET INVOLVED? SUPPORT OUR WORK WITH A DONATION     Subscribe to our updates!

On this International Safe Abortion Day, we celebrate mifepristone and Misoprostol: the tiny tablets making abortion safer and more accessible to women around the world. In June of 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back the constitutional right to an abortion with the Dobbs decision, many people took to the streets in protest — and many of the signs they carried featured wire hangers.   Why wire hangers? It harkened back to the years before Roe v. Wade when abortion was illegal, and women seeking to end their pregnancies often risked unsafe procedures that threatened their health and lives. Fortunately, the wire hanger has less relevance today in the US than it did in 1973. And that’s because of a game-changing advancement in reproductive care that was first introduced about 30 years ago: medication abortion, also known as medical abortion or the “abortion pill.” Abortion using medication, also known as medical abortion, usually involves taking two different drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, which are taken in sequence. Mifepristone stops further development of the pregnancy, and misoprostol induces uterine contractions to expel the pregnancy tissue. The use of misoprostol alone has also proven an effective and safe way to end a pregnancy, which is especially important in extending access in countries where mifepristone is more difficult to obtain. Around the world, these tiny pills are revolutionizing abortion access for several reasons: They are generally less expensive than a procedure, putting abortion within financial reach for people and communities that otherwise couldn’t afford it. They require less medical training and equipment. They can be taken in the comfort and privacy of one’s home. They offer the pregnant person choice in abortion services options in instances where both procedural abortion and medical abortion are available.

Election season is heating up. As headlines in the U.S. swirl with updates about presidential campaigns, pop star endorsements, implications for our democracy, and of course, for abortion rights, it is easy to forget that the United States is not alone. Ours is but one of at least 64 national, presidential, or parliamentary elections that will take place this year, with half the world’s population heading to the polls. That makes 2024 the biggest and most consequential global election year in history.   A consequential global election year. From Taiwan to Russia and from Malawi to France, each election will have significant implications for human rights, including women’s rights. It is fair to say that around the world, bodies are on the ballot. When it comes to the global movement for bodily autonomy, progress can look very different around the world. In some countries it can take the form of pro-abortion legislation, while in others it can be as basic as acknowledging that women have a right to make decisions about their own bodies. Regression, on the other hand, looks the same in every country: it looks like the far right. The political climate leading up to elections in several countries, including the U.S., has demonstrated a troubling resurgence of support for far-right parties and other anti-rights groups. This was especially true of the parliamentary elections in Europe earlier this year. Far-right parties made huge gains across all 27 member states, including Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. In France, a stunning 38% of votes were cast for far-right parties. The U.S. is a bold participant, perhaps even an agitator, of this global far-right resurgence. We are all too familiar with the regressive, anti-immigrant, anti-trans, anti-reproductive-freedom, and anti-progress rhetoric that is characteristic of a far right campaign. But one important thing sets our election apart from others experiencing similar stakes: The U.S. 2024 election has the power to impact the bodily autonomy of people around the world—not just those within our borders. And that’s because of a policy called the “Mexico City Policy,” also known as the Global Gag Rule.

It’s been two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, revoking the constitutional right to an abortion. With U.S. headlines dominated by the “abortion wars,” it’s easy to forget that on a global scale, the rollback of women’s health and rights has put the U.S. in a lonely category: it is one of only four nations to restrict abortion access in decades, alongside El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Poland. The vast majority of nations are on an opposite trajectory towards expanding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). In fact, over the past 30 years, more than 60 countries have brought down legal barriers to abortion. But the global trend towards liberalizing abortion is happening at the same time as a sinister counterforce: an anti-rights movement that wants to erode bodily autonomy. The fall of Roe has emboldened and invigorated these regressive forces around the globe, throwing a dangerous wrench in progress for many countries where activists, advocacy groups, and healthcare organizations have been fighting for years to chip away at stigmas and laws that stand in the way of abortion access. 

June 24th this year marks the second anniversary of the repeal of Roe v. Wade, a seismic shift in the landscape of reproductive rights that has reverberated far beyond the borders of the United States. In June 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 ruling which had established a woman's legal right under the US Constitution to have an abortion. This repeal has had global repercussions, further emboldening anti-abortion movements, and influencing reproductive rights debates, policies, funding, and services. In Africa, not only did it send shockwaves, but has also prompted a reflection and re-evaluation of our role as African stakeholders in shaping the future of reproductive rights everywhere on the continent. In many countries on the continent where access to abortion care is already fraught with challenges, this development serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of reproductive rights. It highlights the danger of complacency and the need for vigilance in protecting and advancing these rights and reminds us that abortion is not a moral issue for debate, it is healthcare, and a fundamental human right. While the repeal has sparked renewed activism and advocacy for rights actors on the continent, it has also further emboldened conservative factions and a growing anti-rights movement to push for more restrictive laws and policies through novel tactics to further their agenda. Under the guise of protecting the family, anti-abortion narratives are used as entry points to infiltrate political, legislative and advocacy spaces to roll back hard-won gains.   Even going as far as setting up alternative research institutions in Africa to generate quasi-scientific evidence to counter reputed research bodies like the Guttmacher Institute. Increasingly, a key tactic is the weaponizing of First Ladies to further the anti-rights agenda. In Kenya, the National Family Protection Policy, drafted by a major anti-rights group, Citizen Go was launched by the First Lady, despite not undergoing public participation and receiving lots of criticism from rights actors. In Uganda, the Geneva Consensus declaration, an anti-abortion joint statement is making inroads in the country through its affiliation with the First Lady, even though the “Consensus” has no legal or policy underpinning. This trajectory underscores a critical reality: Nothing is safe, our continent is a battleground for the ideological struggles taking place elsewhere in the world, sadly, our human rights, including SRHR are at the highest risk. We must forge our own path, grounded in the unique political contexts of our nations through our partnerships with local organizations and governments. As one of the leading voices on SRHR advocacy and services in Africa, IPPF believes now is the time for Africa to assert its leadership in the global fight for reproductive justice. In collaboration with other key actors on the continent and beyond, IPPF is committed to continue playing a pivotal role in the SRHR landscape of Africa. We will continue to expand access to abortion care, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized, comprehensive sexuality education, contraceptive services and reaching those in humanitarian settings. Despite these efforts, much work remains. The disparities in access and the entrenched stigma surrounding abortion care continue to hinder our progress. One of the key initiatives we are proud to be part of is the CATALYSTS Consortium,  which was born out of this landmark ruling in June 2022. Following the ruling, IPPF Africa Region, Ipas Africa Alliance, Centre for Reproductive Rights Africa, Population Council Kenya and FIGO came together to discuss the ruling’s implications on the continent and consider the case for an abortion consortium that might more effectively protect and promote abortion rights in Africa. Launching on June 27th, the Consortium has set an ambitious and unambiguously comprehensive vision for abortion care for all in Africa. This type of organic consortium on abortion has not yet been attempted. As African thought leaders, field builders and a vehicle for driving accountability, we are a Consortium of the brave with a track record of never backtracking. Our solution is powerful, impactful, and led by those doing the work while building an African critical mass that can effectively open doors, advocate more strongly and underpin bolder action. CATALYSTS is Africa-led, committed to decolonizing, and reframing the discourse around abortion rights in Africa by centring African perspectives, experiences, and voices. But we cannot achieve our goals in isolation. It is imperative that African governments, activists, youth groups and other civil society groups recognize the urgency of prioritizing reproductive rights. Governments must decriminalize abortion, ensure access to contraceptives, and protect the rights of individuals to make informed choices about their reproductive health and rights. Cross-border activist solidarity is imperative if we must move the needle on reproductive justice, and young people should be recognized as not just a passive group with SRHR needs but as critical actors at the centre of the journey towards reproductive justice. IPPF ARO stands ready to champion this charge, but we need the support and collaboration of governments, communities, and international partners. CATALYSTS launches on June 27th after close to two years of consultation, course correction, investment, and realignment. I invite you to join us in bringing this vision to life, which will be marked by the unveiling of the website, Theory of Change, and call to action. It promises to be a celebration of our collective achievements and a testament to the transformative power of collaboration. As we mark the second anniversary of the Roe v. Wade repeal, the stakes could not be higher for African SRHR actors. The urgent need for a unified and proactive approach to safeguard and advance reproductive rights on the continent is imperative as the path forward requires bold action, unwavering commitment, and a collective direction. For us, the lesson is clear: They are coming for us, bolder, stronger, and more organized, and we cannot depend on the legal frameworks or political will of foreign nations to safeguard our reproductive rights. Instead, we must strike back and reclaim our narrative, and enforce our own robust policies that reflect the needs and realities of our people.

This is a serious time. The results of the European elections mark a worrying turning point, with the rise of the far right across Europe and, above all, their sweeping victory in France. The results in France overwhelm us, with almost 38% of votes cast for far-right parties. We know that these parties undermine the rights of women, LGBTQIA+ people, gender equality and the rights of migrants and people far from the law. Their anti-choice, anti-feminist, racist and hateful political project endangers Le Planning Familial's actions towards all the people we support. These results come against a backdrop of increasing attacks on Le Planning Familial organization over the past few years, whether in the press, on social networks, through calls to cut our subsidies, or worse, directly against our local branches. When we attack Le Planning Familial organization, we jeopardize the reception of people who need to come to our clinics: those who come for an abortion, to access free contraception, those who are accompanied in their gender transition, women who are victims of domestic violence who come for support and a sympathetic ear, the young, the not-so-young, women in precarious situations... We are not fooled by these attacks, which are the work of a normalized extreme right and conservative anti-choice movements that are highly organized and ultra-funded! Our progressive actions are disturbing the extreme right, which is opposed to the evolution of society towards equal rights and access to healthcare for as many people as possible in France and Europe.  The European Parliament, the most progressive of the European Union's three institutions, has been a long-standing ally on gender equality issues. Planning familial was actively involved in the European elections, drawing up a manifesto with our recommendations for a feminist, supportive and inclusive Europe, meeting with various MEPs and analyzing the platforms of the main candidates. The new composition of the Parliament, with a more conservative majority, calls this dynamic into question. Nevertheless, we will continue to work with our new allied MEPs to advance sexual and reproductive rights in Europe. Despite these alarming findings, Le Planning Familial will not be silent, will proudly stand by its values and will continue its actions. We have 18 days left before the parliamentary elections to mobilize. It's important for many of us to take to the streets all over France this weekend, to show our support for our model of society and the values we defend. The challenges ahead are great, but Le Planning Familial will always be there to defend and advance human rights for all European citizens. Together, as feminists, in solidarity and in anger, we will resist! Thank you for your unfailing support.   Feminist solidarity,   Sarah Durocher President of Le Planning Familial   To support Le Planning familial click here

Over the past 30 years, more than 60 countries and territories have liberalized their abortion laws. Only four have regressed, including the United States. Abortion rights are increasingly becoming recognized as fundamental human rights for millions of people worldwide. The global landscape of abortion rights continues to evolve in 2024, with new legislation and feminist movements fighting for better access. Let's take a trip around the world to see the latest developments.