IPPF European Network

A great listen on solidarity, collective power and coming together within and across social justice movements in the face of rising authoritarianism and anti-rights oppression.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are essential in humanitarian crises, yet they remain overlooked in many emergency responses. Our new report explores how Europe is supporting SRHR in crisis settings and highlights what needs to change to ensure lifesaving services reach those who need them most. No humanitarian response is complete without SRHR. 👉 Swipe to explore the key findings 📖 Check out the comments for the link to the full report

🔦 It is time for another 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁! The HIV Prevention Alliance celebrates the work of the 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (IPPF European Network)! IPPF is a global network present in 142 countries, with a mission to provide help, advice, services, and supplies related to any aspect of sexual and reproductive health and rights, including HIV prevention, detection, and treatment services. IPPF EN is one of its six regional networks present in almost 40 countries in Europe and Central Asia and working with socially excluded communities. 🇪🇺 The torch will soon be passed to the next holder of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Cyprus to Ireland – this marks the start of a new presidency trio: Ireland 🇮🇪, Lithuania 🇱🇹 and Greece 🇬🇷. IPPF EN has recently published a new Presidency Briefing, including recommendations for the incoming trio to 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨 𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀. 𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗙 𝗘𝗡 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼: 🟣 Elevate HIV prevention within the EU’s broader Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) agenda 🟣 Ensure equitable access to prevention services for key populations, especially LGBTIQ+ communities 🟣 Strengthen prevention systems, including access to medicines, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), and integrated SRHR services 🟣 Fund and support community-led responses, especially CSOs working with key populations 👉 Read the full briefing here: https://lnkd.in/eVrRqbWc

We are outraged by the decision of the right-wing Italian government to limit access to relationships and sexuality education (RSE) by requiring parental consent, and to deny it to children in pre-primary and primary schools.   At a time when young people are facing online violence, misinformation and disinformation, the damaging effects of rigid gender norms, high STI rates and increasing femicides, it is deeply disappointing to see Meloni's government adding to the harm instead of helping to prevent it.   Every child deserves care and guidance when it comes to understanding consent and personal boundaries, recognising that diversity is enriching, that violence is never justified, and that empathy and respect are important. Parents want their children to navigate the world safely and build confidence in understanding their bodies. RSE does just that and complements what parents teach at home. It supports families in guiding their children and helps them navigate important topics together, so it should be made more available, not limited.   RSE is not compulsory in Italy, and a 2025 Save the Children survey found that only 47% of Italian teenagers had received it. As a result, most young people are denied the chance to learn crucial skills for developing healthy, positive relationships and intimate lives based on equality and respect. Requiring parental consent will effectively amount to a ban by placing an additional burden on institutions that offer RSE as an extracurricular activity. If even one family opts their child out, the school will be required to organise a parallel session, discouraging schools from offering this type of activity.   This latest attack on the rights of young people is part of a broader pattern of efforts by the Italian right-wing government to restrict the rights to self-determination, abortion, and contraception care. All of these measures also confirm the government's intent to water down any commitment to actively work towards gender equality and address the systemic issue of gender-based violence. 

#WeekInReview ⚠️ New data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) shows that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are continuing to rise across Europe, with gonorrhoea and syphilis reaching their highest recorded levels in more than a decade. Gonorrhoea cases increased by 303% between 2015 and 2024, while syphilis cases more than doubled during the same period. Public health officials have linked the surge to gaps in testing, prevention and access to sexual health services, warning that untreated infections can lead to serious complications including infertility, chronic pain and neurological or cardiovascular damage. The ECDC also reported a sharp rise in congenital syphilis cases, highlighting growing concerns about reproductive and maternal health. Health experts are calling for expanded testing, improved sexual health education and greater access to prevention measures such as condoms and vaccination programmes: https://bit.ly/4x8VFyi 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ organisations in Türkiye have raised concerns over new legislative proposals being advanced by the ruling AKP government that could further restrict the rights and visibility of LGBTQ+ people. Measures reportedly under consideration as part of the country's upcoming judicial reform package include provisions affecting freedom of expression, civil society activity and legal recognition for transgender people. Human rights groups warn that the proposals form part of a broader pattern of anti-LGBTQ+ policies that risk deepening discrimination and limiting access to healthcare, legal protections and community support: https://bit.ly/4xc9UCk 🚨 Reproductive rights advocates in the UK have warned that abortion is becoming an increasingly prominent battleground in the country's culture wars following the recent decriminalisation of abortion in England and Wales. Analysis by openDemocracy and The Fuller Project found a significant increase in anti-abortion rhetoric among far-right political figures and influencers, with campaigners expressing concern that narratives and tactics seen in the United States are being imported into British political discourse. Rights groups warn that growing efforts to reopen debates around abortion access could threaten hard-won reproductive freedoms and increase stigma for those seeking care: https://bit.ly/4ucMPwQ 

We're pleased to help amplify this valuable resource from S.A.F.E. Supporting Abortions For Everyone for activists working to help people access abortion care across Europe. 👇   Abortopedia brings together decades of expertise on supporting access to care, building support networks and keeping everyone safe. More info below!

It was a pleasure to join friends and partners yesterday to celebrate 30 years of ILGA-Europe - and three decades of fighting for LGBTI rights, equality and justice.   At this time of growing attacks on rights, communities and civil society across Europe and Central Asia, your leadership, solidarity and persistence matter more than ever.   We're proud to stand together as partners and allies for dignity, freedom, and sexual and reproductive health and rights for all!   #EqualityFundraiser2026

🌟 Solidarity means listening, learning and acting together. 🌟 On International Sex Workers' Day, we recognise the leadership of sex workers and sex worker-led organisations across Europe and Central Asia, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. Over the past year, we have strengthened collaboration with sex worker-led organisations to improve SRHR services, identify barriers to care, create spaces for shared learning and strengthen partnerships rooted in trust and community expertise. This work reminds us that sex workers are not only service users, but partners, advocates and experts whose knowledge is essential to shaping inclusive, rights-based healthcare. At a time when stigma, criminalisation and shrinking civic space continue to affect many communities, meaningful allyship requires ongoing commitment, reflection and action. Today, we celebrate the leadership of sex workers and recommit to listening, learning and working together to advance rights, dignity, safety and access to healthcare — as defined by sex workers themselves. Swipe through to learn more. The Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN) ESWA International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)

#WeekInReview 🚨Human Rights Watch has warned that Russia is intensifying its crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights groups by designating multiple organisations as 'extremist' under the country’s expanding anti LGBTQ+ legislation. Since March, courts across several Russian regions have banned at least nine organisations providing legal aid, healthcare information, psychological support and community services to LGBTQ+ people. Human rights groups say the measures are part of a broader effort to criminalise solidarity, suppress independent activism and erase LGBTQ+ visibility in Russia. Under the law, participation in or support for organisations labelled 'extremist' can carry lengthy prison sentences, while even displaying rainbow symbols may trigger criminal penalties: bit.ly/4u4ltZL ⚧️Concerns are growing in Central Asia over rising rates of sex selective abortion and worsening gender imbalances linked to son preference in countries including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Demographic data cited by experts suggests birth ratios in some areas significantly exceed natural levels, raising fears that discriminatory social pressures and patriarchal norms are contributing to selective abortions targeting female foetuses. Advocates warn that long term consequences could include increased gender inequality, trafficking risks and social instability, while also highlighting the need for stronger protections for women’s rights, reproductive autonomy and gender equality across the region: bit.ly/3S6tpfy 🩸The UK government has published its response to the Women and Equalities Committee report on menstrual health, acknowledging widespread failures in care for girls and young women experiencing menstrual health conditions. The response outlines plans to improve menstrual health education, tackle stigma, strengthen workforce training and reduce delays in diagnosis for conditions such as endometriosis. The government also announced additional investment in menstrual health education and pledged to improve access to information and community based services through the renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England: bit.ly/4vjD692 📱Meta is facing criticism from sexual health educators, LGBTQ+ advocates and reproductive rights organisations over allegations that Instagram has restricted or removed accounts sharing sexual health and queer educational content. Campaigners argue that automated moderation systems are disproportionately censoring LGBTQ+ resources, HIV prevention information and sexual health education, while allowing harmful misinformation and discriminatory content to circulate more freely. Rights groups warn that inconsistent moderation practices risk limiting access to essential health information and disproportionately impacting marginalised communities already facing barriers to healthcare and online visibility: bit.ly/4eaGoFC

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