COVID-19 – European countries’ response must be based on care, equality and solidarity


As Europe has become the second epicentre of the pandemic, COVID-19 is increasingly endangering the sexual and reproductive health and safety of women and girls and marginalised people in the region.
The current crisis is a stress test bringing to light the cracks in our societies, exacerbating existing inequalities.
Now it’s time for Europe to come together to build more equitable, caring and resilient societies and demand that our governments and the European Union place the values of care, equality and solidarity at the core of all public policy responses.
Women and girls in Europe

Women and girls around the world

Brief: Advocacy good practices & lessons learned
July 13, 2020: IPPF Member Associations have been actively engaging in advocacy with decision makers at national, regional and international levels to ensure that access to SRHR is safeguarded and available to all who need it. Read more.
Press release: Opponents of sexual and reproductive health and rights step-up pressure during COVID-19
June 8, 2020: The latest IPPF survey of its worldwide membership on COVID-19 reveals that opponents of SRHR are employing a range of tactics to try to undermine sexual and reproductive rights. Read more.
Call to action: Recommendations for the EU on how to protect sexual and reproductive health and rights in COVID-19 times
May 27, 2020: The EU should seize the opportunity to “build back better” by creating more sustainable, resilient and inclusive societies where SRHR are well recognized and integrated. Read more.
Call to action: Asks for European donor governments on their international response to COVID-19
April 23, 2020: Under the Countdown 2030 Europe umbrella, advocates for universal access to family planning are calling for the prioritisation of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Universal health care, human rights, equality and solidarity should be at the core of any public policy and funding decision. Read more.
Blogs on the international response to the pandemic and the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights from: The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark.
Press release: COVID-19 pandemic cuts access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women
April 9, 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on the delivery of sexual and reproductive healthcare around the world, according to a survey of its national members conducted by IPPF. Read more.
Read our stories on the impact of COVID-19 from across the globe.
Read more on our work on how the European Union can deliver on reproductive freedom.