IPPF was formed in 1952. It was the result of campaigning by a handful of brave and angry women, including Elise Ottesen-Jensen from Sweden and Dhanvanthi Rama Rau from India, who were imprisoned for their assertion that women had the right to control their own fertility.
They were determined to work with different cultures, traditions, laws and religious attitudes to improve lives for women around the world.
National family planning associations from eight countries formed the new Federation, including: Hong Kong, India, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, West Germany.
In Brief
1952 - The fledgling organization operated on a tiny budget of $5,000 and kept in touch with its supporters via a monthly ‘Around the World News of Population & Birth Control’.
Circulation rapidly reached 12,000 copies to 30 different countries.
1956 - The IPPF had a directory listing in 43 countries in which family planning advice was obtainable.
1961 - The contraceptive pill went on sale.
After receiving a research grant from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the work of Gregory Pincus (Director of the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology) resulted in the development of an oral pill that prevented ovulation.
1966 – Sweden was the first country to provide a government grant to IPPF.
1981 - The ‘Family Planning in the 80s’ conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, was the first world conference on the subject to be jointly sponsored by the three major players – IPPF, UNFPA and the Population Council.
1994 - The landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt is chaired by IPPF President Dr. Fred Sai. Somee 80 government delegations include members of family planning associations.
1995 - The IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights is launched. IPPF participates in the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
2005 - 2005 is a pivotal year for ensuring that sexual and reproductive health are fully addressed in the implementation and monitoring of the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
Today – IPPF is still leading a ‘brave and angry’ stance with regard to people’s right to access to good sexual and reproductive health care and services.
As these important choices and freedoms are seriously threatened, we are needed now more then ever.