Over the past two decades, global forced displacement has consistently increased, affecting an estimated 114 million people as of mid-2023. Over half were women and girls, and in some emergencies, they made up nearly 90 per cent of the population. When a crisis strikes, women and girls are disproportionately disadvantaged and less prepared or empowered to survive or recover. Disasters reinforce, perpetuate, and increase gender inequality, making bad situations worse for women.

Love wins! The fight for marriage equality has seen incredible progress worldwide, with a recent surge in legalizations. Across the world, 36 out of 195 countries have legalized equal marriage: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay. In 2023, three new countries legalized same-sex marriage (Andorra, Estonia and Slovenia), and three more solidified legislative progress towards decriminalizing same-sex unions: a Japanese court ruled it is unconstitutional for the nation not to legally recognize same-sex unions. And the Supreme Courts of Nepal and Namibia recognized marriages of same-sex couples registered abroad. So marriage equality marches on! Already in 2024, two more countries have said "I do" to equal rights.   According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, even more countries could legalize equal marriage in 2024. In particular, the Czech Republic, India, Japan, Nepal and Philippines show signs of growing support for marriage equality. The fight for marriage equality isn't over, but the momentum is undeniable. IPPF stands with those working to make love win everywhere.

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.

What does 2024 hold for us? Some trends are already emerging for the opportunities and  battles ahead for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice in 2024. Around the world, 2024 will see a historic number of elections, casting a shadow of political uncertainty that could lead to geopolitical instability. The climate crisis continues, threatening the livelihoods and human rights of affected populations. Sexual rights are integral to  the fight for our planet, which is why IPPF is continuing  environmental advocacy in 2024. At the same time, we continue to mobilize to ensure SRHR services during humanitarian crises, especially sexual and reproductive health services, for communities and displaced populations. 2024 also holds great promise: the fight for abortion rights continues, and we applaud the expansion of the Green Wave and liberalization of abortion laws in other regions that have historically been the most restricted, including in Africa. In Europe, we saw a turnaround in Poland: the results of the parliamentary elections showed growing support for democratic values and reproductive freedom. 2024 had a strong start with the victory of Marta Lempart in her libel case against the ultra-conservative organization Ordo Iuris. This is a clear win for freedom of speech and for all those who stand for women's rights.  But democracy remains at risk in 2024. Our identities and freedoms are being attacked by more state and non-state actors. They have been excluding and marginalizing LGBTIQ+ aiming  to strip away reproductive rights and to criminalize sexuality and gender, as in Uganda, Russia, Indonesia. In some countries, however, they failed and we celebrated great victories. In particular, in 2023, several countries decriminalized same-sex marriage. And we hope to see the wave of marriage equality continue to spread. In line with our Strategy 2028, the Federation is committed to continuing its work to ensure and extend access to sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for and with the people we serve.

Week after week, heavy Israeli bombardment from air, land, and sea, has continued across most of the Gaza Strip. According to the Ministry of Health, at least 21,320 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7th, about 70% of whom are women and children. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced from their homes, forced to live in extremely overcrowded and unsanitary shelters. The Ministry of Health says that 50% of pregnant women in the shelters suffer from thirst and malnutrition, and there is a lack of health care and vaccinations for newborns.  The suffering is unimaginable, yet it is all too real.  Many of those bearing witness to the seemingly endless death and misery are frontline healthcare workers - including those delivering sexual and reproductive healthcare. But they, too, are at risk of being killed just for doing their jobs. Israel continues to bombard Gaza’s health facilities and residential areas, despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire - something IPPF and many other humanitarian organisations have been demanding for months. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there have been more than 200 Israeli attacks on hospitals and ambulances since Oct. 7, with many medical workers detained during Israeli raids. At least 300 healthcare workers have been reported killed, according to the UN. This is more than the total number of health worker deaths recorded across all countries in conflict last year, and in any single year since 2016.   Staff at IPPF's local member association, the Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA), are among the heroic healthcare workers in Gaza that continue to provide care as best they can in the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. We fear for their safety - and that of the 2.3 million civilians in Gaza - every single day. In their own words, PFPPA and other health workers describe what it's like to provide care under bombardment and blockade in Gaza and in the West Bank - offering glimpses of terror, devastation, and even some hope. 

In our work, we are constantly striving to advance human rights while at the same time preserving and protecting what we have already achieved. In this momentum, setbacks sometimes get most of our attention and we forget to celebrate our victories and the progress made.   As the year draws to a close, we have decided to take the time to highlight the defining moments of 2023 and celebrate the extraordinary work that members of the Federation and their partners do every day around the world.