IPPF DG Announces Commitments to the Generation Equality Forum
Statement by IPPF Director General, Alvaro Bermejo
It is a real pleasure to be here as one of the co-leads of the Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and SRHR.
IPPF is wholeheartedly committed to make the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action a reality because we are convinced that there is no gender equality without SRHR.
That is why we decided to embark in this journey with the Generation Equality Forum and support its multi-stakeholder approach, where CSOs, Governments, UN Agencies, Foundations and Private Sector sat at the same table to agree and commit to the same goals and priorities.
But we want the GEF to be more than just an alliance committing to a set of beautiful and progressive words. We want action to make a difference on every one’s life, especially the most forgotten women, adolescents and girls.
And for that we need a solid Accountability Framework, where all commitment makers report progress periodically. We want to develop effective monitoring mechanisms, to make sure that the GEF does not become a mere bouquet of empty promises. IPPF will foster collaboration to achieve that.
The Commitment
I am honored to announce that by 2026, IPPF commits to work to accelerate universal access to safe abortion care centered on three principles – rights-based, reproductive justice and gender transformative – with a focus on the following strategies:
- Expand and improve the provision of abortion care through 102 Member Associations, including quality medical and surgical abortion, person-centred abortion self-care support; and abortion care beyond 12 weeks of gestation through a simplified outpatient model using task-shifting to mid-level providers, including self-managed medical abortion.
- Fully integrate abortion care into humanitarian preparedness and response as full realization of SRHR, with all IPPF emergency responses providing abortion care as a standard part of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP).
- Advocate for the decriminalization of abortion and the removal of coercive policies and legislation on abortion in 25 countries, and advocate to donor governments and agencies to remove restrictions preventing work and dialogue on abortion, including the permanent repeal of the Global Gag rule.
I am pleased to inform that IPPF has joined the two collective commitments of this Action Coalition on abortion and CSE. And I am also excited to announce that Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands agreed to work together with IPPF in realizing universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and comprehensive sexuality education.
I would like to thank Mexico, France and UN Women for their leadership despite the Pandemic and all the challenges, and to recognize the important contribution of many women rights’ defenders, grass roots and feminist groups who fight every day for gender equality and could not participate in this Forum.
I thank you.
See also the commitment on IPPF.org