The overall group income of IPPF has risen by US$51.8 million (46 per cent) to US$163.7 million (2018: US$111.9 million). Unrestricted total income and restricted income rose by US$1.9 million and US$49.86 million respectively. IPPF’s main source of funding is government grants, which account for 88 per cent (2018: 81 per cent) of total income. In 2019 unrestricted government funding increased by US$2.2 million (4 per cent) to US$57.4 million. The main reason for the increase in funding in 2019 was the increase in funding from Germany which rose from €6 million to €12 million. Restricted government funding amounted to US$87 million, up from US$35.2 million in 2018. A full analysis of restricted projects balances. The following Governments were the major contributors to the restricted funding of IPPF: Government of United Kingdom,through the WISH programme in Africa, South Asia and the Arab World US$59.23 million, the European Commission supported the State of African Women Campaign US$4.6 million, Government of Canada US$4.3 million, Government of Australia continued to provide support (US$2.4 million) in relation to the global SPRINTInitiative to provide sexual and reproductive health services to crisisand post crisis areas in South East Asia, the Pacific, South Asia andGovernment of Belgium contributed to the SHE Decides project US$2.07 million. The governments of the Netherlands, Norway, UK and an anonymous donor also provided funding of US$5.64 million to the Safe Abortion Action Fund. Grants from multilateral donors and other sources decreased by 13 per cent from US$20.7 million to US$18.1 million. A significant factor in the decrease was US$0.6 million from GIZ, US$0.26 million from Anonymous donors, and US$0.7 million decrease from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Abortion in Italy was legalized in 1974. It was the result of a power struggle for safe abortion between the women’s movement, conservative forces and the Vatican. The text of the Law (N 194) seems liberal and quite progressive but in reality, the feminist victory was not enough to ensure women’s access to care. Activists have been fighting for a long time to make sure women and girls in Italy have access to safe, dignified, and timely abortion care.  At the moment, women who access medical abortion in Italy are forced to be admitted in the hospital for three days, following outdated national guidelines. On June 21, 7000 grassroots activists gathered in Perugia to ask for the respect of sexual and reproductive rights for all in Italy. “We see a terrible backlash against sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Women and men of every age demand to get what is written in our laws and want health care based on scientific evidence" said Marina Toschi, gynecologist and member of the Pro Choice RICA Network. And today activists gathered in front of the Health Ministry in Rome to ask for changes so that women could access medical abortion easier and be treated as out-patients as is the case in most European countries. “Accessing medical abortion in Italy is incredibly complicated. In France GPs and midwifes can deliver it in their private practice. In Portugal it can be done in ‘health centres’, where they give you the pills with guidance and send you home, knowing that you can always come back and in case of problems. We are wondering why is it so complicated in Italy?" continued Marina Toschi. Activists have been heard. The Minister for Health has asked that the guidance on providing medical abortion be changed so that women can access it easier.  Sandra Zampa, the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, has promised that these guidelines will be changed in the next month, adding: "The law [on abortion] is still under attack. We are a country that evidently has not yet digested, metabolized the abortion law N 194, and so at the first opportunity we try to put everything into question. And always at the expense of women". Next on the agenda for change Italian activists are also asking the government for free contraceptive care. Currently, only a few regions cover some costs for contraception for a few women, but this should be homogenized throughout the country. Contraceptive freedom should not depend on which country you live in, nor should it depend on your income. Women in Italy have been carrying for too long the financial burden of family planning. Access to contraception for all women in Italy is a matter of social justice and a prerequisite for achieving gender equality. Activists have gathered 80.000 signatures in support of this change. IPPF EN is proud to stand with Italian activists and support their continuous efforts to ensure that women and girls live free reproductive lives. Photo credit: Diana Crocetti Resources Press release RICA. Video of meeting between activists and the Ministry of Health on July 2. More on abortion care in Italy.   EPF Contraception Atlas 2019.     

Access to abortion care underpins women and girls’ reproductive health. And yet around Europe and Central Asia, they are faced with obstacles that threaten their safety, dignity and freedom. Governments and the international community should work to safeguard the right of women and girls to lead free and safe reproductive lives without discrimination and coercion.

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating gender inequalities and increasing levels of discrimination, insecurity and violence for women across Europe.   A Guide for Europe: Protecting the rights of women and girls in times of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath provides governments with a roadmap for taking necessary measures to protect the rights of women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, especially those experiencing intersecting and persistent forms of discrimination. European decision-makers must seize this moment to address both the immediate and long-term impact of the pandemic by implementing policies and other steps to eliminate further injustices and inequalities. Any short-, medium- or long-term measures taken to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic must uphold and protect human rights. Civil society organizations are calling for a recovery period that will deliver a shared vision of the future of Europe which is based on a just, feminist, sustainable, democratic and inclusive society. States must refrain from exploiting the pandemic to consolidate authoritarian power, to weaken democracy and the rule of law, or to trample on human rights. States must ensure that their responses include a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach in order to guarantee the rights of all women and girls to live free of discrimination and violence, and to access the essential sexual and reproductive health services they need. This briefing was drafted together with Amnesty International and Women's Link Worldwide.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences are having a significant impact on people’s lives. The crisis risks exacerbating already existing inequalities for women, girls, underserved and vulnerable groups. It is notably endangering their sexual and reproductive health and safety. The EU and its Member States must tackle these renewed threats to women’s human rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality as well as increased risks of domestic and sexual and gender-based violence, in their domestic and global response to the COVID-19 crisis. Read our asks towards the EU and Member States on how to safeguard reproductive freedom in their responses to COVID-19. EU leaders have committed to placing solidarity, resilience and sustainability at the heart of their response to the pandemic. To achieve this, they must protect the health and safety of those at greatest risk. This is our letter to them. 

A joint reaction from IPPF EN, the Center for Reproductive Rights, End FGM European Network, with the support of the European Women's Lobby. We welcome the publication of the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 by the European Commission. The adoption of this Strategy shows the political leadership and commitment of the Commission to promote gender equality within and outside the EU, with important objectives and actions for the next 5 years. As civil society organisations (CSOs) committed to advancing gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the EU and globally, we would like to make suggestions on how the Strategy can effectively promote and support the realisation of SRHR in the EU, as this is a precondition to the achievement of gender equality. This will be particularly essential in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, as we are already observing renewed threats to women’s human rights, SRHR and increased risks of gender-based violence. These challenges will require the adoption of targeted and specific responses and actions by the EU and Member States. We stand ready to share information and ideas about these new challenges and how they can be addressed. To read our full reaction, please see the above document.