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Ukraine

Articles by Ukraine

EUKRAINE
06 April 2022

Ukraine: putting sexual and reproductive health and rights at the heart of the EU response

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, humanitarian needs have been increasing by the hour. Millions of people across Ukraine are fighting for their lives. As of 6th April 2022, around 11.4 million people have been forcibly displaced, with 7.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and nearly 4.3 million who have fled the country, seeking a safe haven in neighbouring countries. The majority of displaced people and refugees are women and children. The EU must put SRHR and protection from sexual and gender-based violence at the heart of its response to the crisis, in order to respond to the SRHR needs of Ukrainian people, especially of all women, girls and vulnerable and marginalized populations fleeing the war, whether they are in third countries or in EU Member States. Our brief includes recommendations that the EU can adopt within external and internal action in order to deliver on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of refugees and displaced persons. Credit photo: Fine Acts

ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-Fj3Uf_2HWq8-unsplash.jpg
18 March 2022

Ukraine crisis: sexual and reproductive health and rights are non-negotiable and lifesaving

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, humanitarian needs have been increasing by the hour. Millions of people across Ukraine are fighting for their lives. Anyone who has been forced to flee or who lives in an area of active fighting is particularly vulnerable, even more so women and girls. People’s access to health services may be suspended or the quality may be low, and they will not have access to lifesaving reproductive health care. They are in a dire state of emergency and further exposed to risk of sexual violence, sexually transmitted infections including HIV and unintended pregnancies. Amid the terrifying devastation experienced through a humanitarian crisis, people need first and foremost safety and protection. Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services can save lives and prevent further suffering. Read below about the urgent actions to be taken by European humanitarian donors and actors.

ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-PWa6lW6toG4-unsplash.jpg
17 March 2022

Call To Action On Ukraine

In a Call to Action, IPPF EN joined more than 90 human rights organizations to urge the European Union, Member State governments, the United Nations, other donor governments, and the broader international community to urgently implement measures protecting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people fleeing the war in Ukraine.  The Call to Action urges European decisionmakers to include SRHR services, such as maternal health care, emergency contraception, and medication abortion in their measures to meet the needs of people in Ukraine and refugees in five neighboring countries.  In Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia a range of pre-existing legal and policy restrictions on SRHR and cost barriers are severely impeding access to urgent and essential sexual and reproductive health care for those fleeing Ukraine. In particular, these barriers are undermining access to emergency contraception and other contraceptive methods, abortion care including medical abortion, antenatal care, post-exposure prophylaxis, STI treatment and antenatal care.  

Ukranian flag in hands
03 March 2022

Statement on the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine

Over the past few days, the world has watched in horror and disbelief at the events unfolding in Ukraine. It is estimated that over 500,000 people have now fled – many of whom are women and children – into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania. The UN anticipates 4 million refugees by July 2022. During Humanitarian crises, sexual and reproductive healthcare is often overlooked. But the reality is daily sexual and reproductive healthcare needs such as essential care for pregnant people, access to menstruation products for people who menstruate, as well as ensuring people who need sexual and reproductive health assistance have access to the right information, remains an urgent priority. IPPF is working with partners on the ground in Poland to link those fleeing the conflict with critical sexual and reproductive health services as well as provide them with essential items.  Julie Taft,  Director of Humanitarian for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said:  

yehor-milohrodskyi-syuhhPwu-hk-unsplash.jpg
24 February 2022

Statement on the escalating conflict in Ukraine

Following the disturbing reports coming out of Ukraine, IPPF has released a media statement on behalf of the Federation and its Member Association in Ukraine.   Despite the fact that sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRHR) needs increase significantly during conflict and humanitarian situations, the significant vulnerabilities of affected populations and displaced people are often overlooked, especially the experiences of women, girls and marginalised populations who are at increased risk of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and sexual and gender-based violence. IPPF’s Director-General, Dr Alvaro Bermejo, said:   "The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict in Ukraine. We take our responsibility to preserve the enormous gains made in life-saving sexual and reproductive healthcare across the country very seriously, especially for women, girls and marginalised populations, whose vulnerability and experiences are so often overlooked in humanitarian situations.  For 20 years, IPPF has consistently worked to strengthen and protect the reproductive rights of people in Ukraine, working in the frontline conflict zones of Lugansk and Donetsk since 2014, training medical specialists to provide life-saving reproductive healthcare, psychosocial support and quality care to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Our teams are now contingency planning across the region to address not only the needs of those still in Ukraine, but also the millions who are likely to be displaced by the conflict and who will require critical support to continue accessing healthcare. We will work closely with partners and other NGOs to ensure the least possible disruption to services. IPPF stands in solidarity with the international community and the brave people of Ukraine who for the last eight years have faced terrifying and difficult circumstances that nobody should ever have to suffer through.

Women Health and Family Planning - Ukraine

For 20 years WHFP has been consistently and actively working in the field of reproductive health, strengthening and protecting the reproductive rights of people in Ukraine.

Its main spheres of activity include: independent expertise and strategic development relating to national legislation and development of the legal framework in the field of reproductive health and family planning, in line with key international documents (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, recommendations of the World Health Organisation and European Regional Strategy on Reproductive Health); education programs on sexuality education and healthy lifestyles; training for medical professionals; public awareness campaigns on cancer prevention among women; and rehabilitation programs for breast cancer survivors.

 

 

 

EUKRAINE
06 April 2022

Ukraine: putting sexual and reproductive health and rights at the heart of the EU response

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, humanitarian needs have been increasing by the hour. Millions of people across Ukraine are fighting for their lives. As of 6th April 2022, around 11.4 million people have been forcibly displaced, with 7.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and nearly 4.3 million who have fled the country, seeking a safe haven in neighbouring countries. The majority of displaced people and refugees are women and children. The EU must put SRHR and protection from sexual and gender-based violence at the heart of its response to the crisis, in order to respond to the SRHR needs of Ukrainian people, especially of all women, girls and vulnerable and marginalized populations fleeing the war, whether they are in third countries or in EU Member States. Our brief includes recommendations that the EU can adopt within external and internal action in order to deliver on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of refugees and displaced persons. Credit photo: Fine Acts

ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-Fj3Uf_2HWq8-unsplash.jpg
18 March 2022

Ukraine crisis: sexual and reproductive health and rights are non-negotiable and lifesaving

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, humanitarian needs have been increasing by the hour. Millions of people across Ukraine are fighting for their lives. Anyone who has been forced to flee or who lives in an area of active fighting is particularly vulnerable, even more so women and girls. People’s access to health services may be suspended or the quality may be low, and they will not have access to lifesaving reproductive health care. They are in a dire state of emergency and further exposed to risk of sexual violence, sexually transmitted infections including HIV and unintended pregnancies. Amid the terrifying devastation experienced through a humanitarian crisis, people need first and foremost safety and protection. Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services can save lives and prevent further suffering. Read below about the urgent actions to be taken by European humanitarian donors and actors.

ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-PWa6lW6toG4-unsplash.jpg
17 March 2022

Call To Action On Ukraine

In a Call to Action, IPPF EN joined more than 90 human rights organizations to urge the European Union, Member State governments, the United Nations, other donor governments, and the broader international community to urgently implement measures protecting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people fleeing the war in Ukraine.  The Call to Action urges European decisionmakers to include SRHR services, such as maternal health care, emergency contraception, and medication abortion in their measures to meet the needs of people in Ukraine and refugees in five neighboring countries.  In Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia a range of pre-existing legal and policy restrictions on SRHR and cost barriers are severely impeding access to urgent and essential sexual and reproductive health care for those fleeing Ukraine. In particular, these barriers are undermining access to emergency contraception and other contraceptive methods, abortion care including medical abortion, antenatal care, post-exposure prophylaxis, STI treatment and antenatal care.  

Ukranian flag in hands
03 March 2022

Statement on the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine

Over the past few days, the world has watched in horror and disbelief at the events unfolding in Ukraine. It is estimated that over 500,000 people have now fled – many of whom are women and children – into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania. The UN anticipates 4 million refugees by July 2022. During Humanitarian crises, sexual and reproductive healthcare is often overlooked. But the reality is daily sexual and reproductive healthcare needs such as essential care for pregnant people, access to menstruation products for people who menstruate, as well as ensuring people who need sexual and reproductive health assistance have access to the right information, remains an urgent priority. IPPF is working with partners on the ground in Poland to link those fleeing the conflict with critical sexual and reproductive health services as well as provide them with essential items.  Julie Taft,  Director of Humanitarian for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said:  

yehor-milohrodskyi-syuhhPwu-hk-unsplash.jpg
24 February 2022

Statement on the escalating conflict in Ukraine

Following the disturbing reports coming out of Ukraine, IPPF has released a media statement on behalf of the Federation and its Member Association in Ukraine.   Despite the fact that sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRHR) needs increase significantly during conflict and humanitarian situations, the significant vulnerabilities of affected populations and displaced people are often overlooked, especially the experiences of women, girls and marginalised populations who are at increased risk of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and sexual and gender-based violence. IPPF’s Director-General, Dr Alvaro Bermejo, said:   "The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict in Ukraine. We take our responsibility to preserve the enormous gains made in life-saving sexual and reproductive healthcare across the country very seriously, especially for women, girls and marginalised populations, whose vulnerability and experiences are so often overlooked in humanitarian situations.  For 20 years, IPPF has consistently worked to strengthen and protect the reproductive rights of people in Ukraine, working in the frontline conflict zones of Lugansk and Donetsk since 2014, training medical specialists to provide life-saving reproductive healthcare, psychosocial support and quality care to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Our teams are now contingency planning across the region to address not only the needs of those still in Ukraine, but also the millions who are likely to be displaced by the conflict and who will require critical support to continue accessing healthcare. We will work closely with partners and other NGOs to ensure the least possible disruption to services. IPPF stands in solidarity with the international community and the brave people of Ukraine who for the last eight years have faced terrifying and difficult circumstances that nobody should ever have to suffer through.

Women Health and Family Planning - Ukraine

For 20 years WHFP has been consistently and actively working in the field of reproductive health, strengthening and protecting the reproductive rights of people in Ukraine.

Its main spheres of activity include: independent expertise and strategic development relating to national legislation and development of the legal framework in the field of reproductive health and family planning, in line with key international documents (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, recommendations of the World Health Organisation and European Regional Strategy on Reproductive Health); education programs on sexuality education and healthy lifestyles; training for medical professionals; public awareness campaigns on cancer prevention among women; and rehabilitation programs for breast cancer survivors.