Bookmark this page

Get News News News

International sexual and reproductive health and rights news

Free to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Subscribe now

 

The Five A's

Abortion, Adolescents, HIV/AIDS, Advocacy, Access

These are part of our strategic framework. Introduced in 2004, they represent the focal points of our work until at least 2009. Gender equality is an implicit aspect of our work.

 

ABORTION -  working to maintain the protection and emphasising the promotion of every woman's right to legal and safe abortion.

A woman’s fundamental right to decide whether and when to have a child is at the core of sexual and reproductive rights and this is one of IPPF’s central beliefs. A belief strengthened by the knowledge that the mortality and morbidity associated with unsafe abortion are so easily preventable.

We focus on increasing access to safe abortion services for all women who require them, especially poor and young women who are often forced to resort to unqualified practitioners in unhygienic conditions. IPPF is committed to providing – to the fullest extent permitted by national laws – sensitive, non-judgmental, affordable and high quality abortion and abortion-related services. Where abortion is permitted we train providers in safe and appropriate procedures, including medical abortion and counselling. Our clinics also care for women suffering from injuries due to unsafe abortion. Read more on IPPF EN Regional Office coordinated projects

 
Young people

ADOLESCENTS - making sure that all young people are aware of their sexual and reproductive rights, and are empowered to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health

We are strengthening our commitment to young people; they are sexual beings with the right to access services and contraceptives. We challenge practices and cultural norms that are harmful to young people, as well as acting as a catalyst for a global youth movement, which aims to change attitudes and improve the knowledge of legal and political policy-makers, and community leaders.

We are faced with societies that prefer to deny that young people have sex at all, despite the evidence of very real results. Young pregnant women are expelled from school, others are killed by their male relatives.Young women are resorting to backstreet abortion, the level of sexually transmitted infections is increasing and the under 25s account for half of all new HIV infections. Read more on IPPF EN Regional Office coordinated projects

 
HIV and AIDS awareness work

HIV and AIDS - responding to the epidemic and supporting the rights of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Our work in HIV/AIDS is in the context of sexual and reproductive health. Existing institutional strength allows our expansion into broader areas, such as prevention and care, treatment, and support. We work to remove the barriers that make people vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, and to reduce stigma and discrimination. An increasingly disproportionate share of the world’s total HIV/AIDS burden affects the young, the vulnerable and women.

Our goal is a reduction in the global incidence of HIV/AIDS and the full protection of the rights of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.To achieve this goal we aim to integrate HIV/AIDS services into existing sexual and reproductive health policies and programmes, offering comprehensive services and the opportunity to learn lessons about HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Read more on IPPF EN Regional Office projects

 
Advocacy project

Advocacy - campaigning for public, political and financial commitment and support for sexual and reproductive health information, education and high quality services, while being able to exercise their rights to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.

As advocates for health, choice and rights we are the voice for those who so often go unheard. Advocacy is a broad term for the many ways in which we build up political, public and financial support for our issues. Whether it is through international meetings, campaign events, advertising or encouraging public debate – by keeping our issues topical we aim to bring about social change.

One of our major priorities must be, therefore, to regain leadership of the issues surrounding sexual and reproductive health and rights. Read more on IPPF EN Regional Office coordinated projects

 
Young woman

Access - ensuring that particularly the vulnerable and underserved have access to sexual and reproductive health information, education and high quality services, while being able to exercise their rights to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.

The goal of our access strategy is to ensure that all people – particularly poor, marginalized and under-served communities – have the opportunity to exercise their rights and to make free and informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

Our members work at a community level, with local leaders and the media, to overcome barriers based on misinformation, prejudice and gender discrimination. Read more on IPPF EN Regional Office coordinated projects