A proposal by the Nepal Government requiring consent from a guardian and local government for women under the age of 40 to travel abroad is an oppressive sexist diktat against women’s autonomy. IPPF Board Member Surakshya Giri said; “This rule penalizes women and overlooks the flaws in laws and recruitment systems which make women and girls vulnerable to trafficking and other forms of violence. Women are contributors to the economy of the country, and they must be treated as equal citizens. Human rights activists have for years highlighted exploitation of migrant workers and made valuable  recommendations. These restrictions are against Nepal’s commitments under the convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW).” According to national news reports, the proposed rule will be for “women under 40 traveling for the first time to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries on their own”. They will be required to obtain permission from family members and the local ward.  IPPF South Asia Regional Office Director Sonal Mehta said; “The Government of Nepal has clarified that this proposed rule is an attempt to curb trafficking of young girls and women. On the contrary, this rule inflicts violence by restricting movement and encouraging control over women. It reinforces regressive gender norms of approval and guardianship. I wish I was in Nepal to join the outrage of women and girls there, and we stand in solidarity with them.” End  For media queries, please contact Regional Manager Communications Himanshi Matta; [email protected]   

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) welcomes the news of President Biden’s decision to keep his promise and repeal the harmful Global Gag Rule (GGR) - also known as the Mexico City Policy.    Since its expanded reintroduction in 2017 by the previous administration, the Global Gag Rule has contributed to an increase in unintended and high-risk pregnancies, unsafe abortions – culminating in unnecessary maternal deaths. For IPPF, 53 healthcare projects in 32 countries were impacted by GGR, with some Member Associations losing up to 60% of their funding.   IPPF’s Director-General, Dr Alvaro Bermejo said:    “I welcome the decision by President Biden to repeal the Global Gag Rule.    “The expanded reintroduction of the gag was callously designed to deny women the right to decide what happens to their body. Whilst we know this policy is intended as a tool to attack abortion care by the anti-choice movement, not only has it led to reproductive coercion, it has cut deeper into healthcare provision: from HIV prevention programs to maternal health to contraceptive access – no one was spared the fallout of this policy.   “What lies ahead of us is years of work to undo the harm caused by Global Gag Rule, and to build back a better and stronger relationship with the U.S. – one where our work is not under threat from future anti-sexual and reproductive health administrations. To protect the rights of future generations of women and girls, we ask that the Biden-Harris administration take the necessary steps to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule. Without a permanent repeal, the global gag remains a constant threat to women, girls, youth and marginalized communities. Reproductive rights, bodily autonomy and the human right to decide what happens to your body cannot be at the mercy of a pen stroke.   “IPPF looks on with hope and welcomes the opportunity to work closely with the Biden-Harris administration to protect and advance sexual and reproductive healthcare for all.”   And President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Alexis McGill Johnson said:  “Over the past four years, the United States didn’t just fail to support global reproductive health care access — it actively blocked it. Today, we applaud the beginning of a new chapter, as the Biden-Harris administration puts an end to the devastating global gag rule, which has prevented millions of people around the world from receiving essential health care. We look forward to working alongside the administration and Congress to pass the Global HER Act, to permanently protect access to sexual and reproductive health care across the globe from changes in White House political control. It is long past time that the United States proudly declares to the world that reproductive rights are human rights.”     IPPF would like to thank the international community who stepped in and stepped up to help fill the funding gap that was left by the Global Gag Rule. Together, we will continue to fight and deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights. -ENDS- For media inquiries please contact Regional Manager Communications, Himanshi Matta; [email protected] or [email protected] - (+44) 2079398227   

The Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court in India has observed in a particular case that groping a child’s breast without 'skin-to-skin contact' does not amount to the offence of 'sexual assault' under Section 8 of the country’s child protection law - the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.  IPPF notes with grave concern that the judgment is deeply flawed in its understanding of child sexual abuse and fails to take into account the power hierarchy when an adult person abuses his/her authority over a child/minor. IPPF works with survivors of violence and fully understands the effect child sexual abuse has on the physical, mental and emotional health of the survivors. Amritananda Chakravorty, a Delhi-based lawyer said: "The definition of 'sexual assault' under POCSO is a comprehensive one that includes acts of touching breast with sexual intent, and there is no requirement of any "skin to skin" contact, as held by the Bombay High Court. Just because the punishment is stringent does not mean that the judiciary would insert elements in the offence that are not there. It is bizarre to say that sexual misconduct with a 12-year-old child would not be an offence under POCSO merely because she was clothed."   IPPF clearly states that any attempt to dilute the statutory regime of POCSO would be hugely detrimental to the child rights and a narrow interpretation of what constitutes sexual assault would harm years of work done by child right’s and women’s rights groups in the country. IPPF hopes that this egregious decision would be overturned by the higher courts by keeping the rights of the children at the centre of any discourse on child sexual abuse.    END  For media queries, please write to Regional Manager Communications Himanshi Matta; [email protected]

On the Trans Day of Remembrance, IPPF remembers the transgender people whose lives have been lost globally to transphobic violence. We salute the community which is severely affected by COVID-19, discrimination, political neglect, violence and exclusion from access to health services. IPPF demands an inclusive and safe society which recognizes everyone, including trans-people’s sexual freedom and reproductive rights. This year the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project added 350 trans and gender-diverse people to the list of people to be remembered worldwide. This project systematically monitors, collects and analyses reports of homicides of trans and gender-diverse people worldwide. The world needs to wake up and understand that transphobia and its violence is a destructive aggression of social prejudice that denies people their human rights. IPPF works to change laws in countries to support gender and sexual diversity. We spotlight the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (IPPA/PKBI) who are fighting for to halt the Penal Code revisions that criminalizes and stigmatizes gender and sexually diverse persons, including trans people. IPPA produced a short film "Emak Menolak", highlighting the challenges of trans people in Indonesia.  IPPF will continue to fight and stand in solidarity with the trans community until their rights are realized and respected, because trans rights are human rights.   

IPPF statement on Western Hemisphere Region 5 August 2020 IPPF regrets the decision of the Western Hemisphere Region, taken by its Board, to withdraw from the Federation, and is deeply sorry to see a number of Member Associations from the region resign from IPPF. As the largest global Federation working on sexual and reproductive health and rights, in more than 160 countries, IPPF is committed to continuing to work in all parts of the Americas to provide healthcare and fight for sexual and reproductive freedom for women, girls, men, boys and all people of all gender identities. This is more urgent than ever during a health pandemic and with continued opposition to sexual care and rights from repressive conservative forces in the Americas and around the world.  IPPF is completely open to all our current Western Hemisphere Region members remaining part of the global Federation while they also form a new regional relationship and pledges its continuous support to those in the region that have committed to remaining part of the Federation. Membership is voluntary and it is entirely up to individual members to decide on their own course. As a locally owned, globally connected movement however, IPPF has always believed that we are stronger together.  Over the last fifteen months, IPPF has been on a journey of reform. It has changed by choice, for choice. It has worked in partnership with members, donors and its regulator to develop best practice safeguarding policies and processes. It has dealt with and continues to deal with any cases of unacceptable behaviour. A safeguarding system is in place across the entire Federation to allow clients, staff, volunteers and any individual to report concerns confidentially. In November last year reforms to IPPF’s governance and funding model were agreed unanimously at a General Assembly of member delegates drawn from every region, including Western Hemisphere. Unfortunately, the Board of Western Hemisphere Region felt it could no longer support this new model. Discussions between the region’s Board and IPPF’s Board on a way forward had been ongoing. We are sorry these will not now continue.      IPPF has been a locally owned, globally connected Federation for 68 years, supporting all its members and the millions of women, girls and vulnerable clients they serve. That will not change, and we remain committed to working with members and partners across the globe.

While the global attention and efforts are focused on dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic, the ever-present human rights crisis named Gender Based Violence (GBV) is steadily peaking in its incidence and intensity!  The strategies to effectively delay the transmission of COVID 19 virus have led to lockdowns, loss of incomes, lack of access to many clinical services (even when these are essential services), lack of psychosocial support and multiple types of deprivations which lead to an overall human rights violation on a large scale. Family Planning Association of India has developed multiple types of interventions to reach out to these survivors and support them through existing mechanisms and designing new strategies. The incidence of violence is significantly increasing even after COVID 19 measures are relaxed, GBV intervention programmes will need to be redesigned and recalibrated to ensure that we reach the most underserved, who may be hidden in plain sight! Dr Kalpana Apte, Secretary General, Family Planning Association of India Tailoring Responses, Tailoring Screening Tools! In India, the reported incidences of violence received by the National Commission for Women (NCW) doubled[1] during the lockdown (started in last week of March 2020). As complaints surged, the NCW announced a WhatsApp number to receive complaints, to be more accessible to women who find themselves in abusive homes. Triggered by these increased cases due to the pandemic, Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) has moved swiftly to adapt its services to capture and respond to the specific forms of violence being reported. Gender based Violence screening and counselling is a standard practice in FPAI clinics, an integral part of the IPPF wide Integrated Package of Essential Services (IPES). Based on experiences shared by branches; front line workers and community mobilisers about women and girls experiencing newer forms of violence, FPAI has tailored its GBV screening tool to better meet the needs of the survivors. The adapted ‘GBV Screening -COVID 19 Response 2020’ form lists the new forms of violence and coercion being reported in the context of the pandemic. These pertain to: Lack of availability of essential commodities during the lockdown Forced to go out of the house for errands thereby increasing the risk of infection Threatened to be exposed to the infection Prevented from adopting prevention measures like use of mask, hand sanitizer Forced to adopt unscientific methods of infection prevention      FPAI intends to generate evidence against the shifting forms of violence and tailor its service delivery to best meet the needs of survivors. The data being provincially collected for the period April to July 2020 is currently being analyzed.  Counsellors are being trained using virtual forums to build their capacities to provide information and referral services on the new forms of violence being reported by women and girls. [1] https://www.epw.in/engage/article/covid-19-domestic-abuse-and-violence-where-do Keeping the Spotlight on One of the first and only organization of its kind in Bhutan, RENEW is dedicated to ensuring that the rights of women and families remain a priority and has taken a leadership role for the COVID response in the country. Setting the priority early, Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck RENEW Patron endorsed that the pandemic response must address gender- based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls. Such a pronouncement at the highest echelons of the government ensured that health sector response to gender-based violence services continue to receive priority throughout the crisis situation. Recognizing the need to build capacities of service providers and sensitizing the most vulnerable populations about the pandemic, RENEW in collaboration with Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan is developing a module on COVID 19 and Gender based Violence. This module includes range of COVID19 related information including how to stay safe at home and at the facility (shelter home), provision of legal, health and economic support and psychological first aid.  The module comes at an appropriate time wherein evidence from the National Commission of Women and Children has already alerted about an increase in GBV cases which is further corroborated by data from RENEW- an increase of almost 20% cases handled by the counselling center. Building on its coalition work with other partners in the country, notably the UN agencies, RENEW is part of the National Contingency Plan on Gender Based Violence developed in response to COVID 19.  The significance of the National Plan lies in the fact that it coordinates multi agency response avoiding duplication with thematic leads identified for each core sector. At the same time, it amplifies efforts; pools resources towards a common agreed goal and priorities GBV response to the pandemic. Besides RENEW, UNDP, UNICEF, Ministry of Health, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), UNFPA, Royal Court of Justice, Royal Bhutan Police and the National Commission on Women and Children are key members of this Plan. "The COVID-19 pandemic has been an exceptional experience exposing our vulnerability to the social issues such as sexual and reproductive health, mental health and abuse caused by gender-based violence. It has opened our eyes to understand the underlying complexities and the need for more specialized counseling and protection services. Post COVID-19 we look forward to a new world and a new era better prepared to address GBV."  Ms Tshering Dolkar, Executive Director, RENEW A COVID19 ready GBV responsive system On an average, one in four women experience emotional, physical, or sexual violence in Pakistan accounting for approximately eight million women grappling with various forms of violence every year[1]. The risk of violence has further increased as economic and social pressures mount amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Protection and response services are also under pressure[2]. As health systems try to respond to the pandemic, collaborative partnerships show how best this can be achieved. Rahnuma-Family Planning Association of Pakistan has been at the forefront both for responding to the COVID crisis, as well as to GBV.  Close coordination and relationships with all Provincial Women Development Departments, critical presence in Taskforce like the LSBE Task Force (Government of Punjab) and coalitions such as  National Parliamentarians Caucus, Pakistan Alliance for Post Abortion Care (PAPAC), National Youth Network, Alliance Against Child Marriage have been mobilized to keep the focus on GBV and ensure institutional response. Such coalesced efforts have resulted in the government, despite facing challenges in resources, to keep national helplines operational and publicizing it through various mediums so that it reaches the ones who need it the most.  [1] PDHS 2017-2018 [2] Connecting women with safety in Pakistan at a time of COVID-19 – and beyond, 19 April 2020, UNFPA A critical link between survivors and services The COVID 19 pandemic has compromised access to SRH information and education as social distancing measures and restrictions prevent the use of traditional face-to-face interaction between providers and clients. Under such circumstances, digital interventions through a range of channels and platforms including SMS, applications , social media, and hotlines characterize the new face of service delivery. Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB), like many other Member Associations in the South Asia Region has quickly adapted to this change.  It has invested in leveraging changes in service delivery as a response to the COVID-19 situation by expanding its teleconsultation and counselling for SRH and GBV services. These services are operational in all 21 clinics of FPAB. Besides, information on SRH services including contraception, abortion (both MMR and surgical); linkages to GBV services including referrals comprise an essential component. FPAB has effectively leveraged its cadre of committed 1260 Reproductive Health Promoters (RHPs) who function as frontline workers providing information and contraceptives to communities. The RHPs who are drawn from the same community where they function play an important role in linking women to these services. It is through their routine visits (though reduced in number now and with full protective measures) that they create awareness in the community on tele consultation facility available in clinics in their respective areas for GBV survivors. Given the trust and continued relationship that the RHPs have with the survivors in their community, many women who need such support services have been linked to the clinic and onward to referral services as required. For referral services, FPAB has relied on its partnership with organisations like Bangladesh Legal Services Authority, Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha and other NGO partners. A Hotline service for providing e-counselling for GBV and SRH has been set up as a COVID specific response. These calls are handled by trained counsellors of the clinics. There are ongoing efforts to strengthen these services and secure more resources to transition from a central hotline service to a more decentralized SDP level service.