Resources

When vulnerable communities, volunteers and professionals unite for reproductive freedom, they are a powerful force for change. Our short film features five stories that show how IPPF members in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia are supporting the lifelong reproductive health and safety of Roma girls, women and young people, working on the multiple fronts necessary to improve access and uptake of quality family planning and maternal health care. Learn more about the My Body, My Rights project here. 

Civil society sent a letter to EU Commissioners to raise concerns regarding the deterioration of the rule of law and fundamental rights in Poland. In light of recent developments and continued and persistent attacks against the rule of law and human rights in Poland, we believe it is critical for the European Commission to issue an update to its Reasoned Proposal under Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) expanding the scope of the ongoing procedure to include violations of EU values as set out in Article 2 TEU. We commend the European Commission’s efforts to hold the Polish government to account for violations of EU law. Further action, however, is urgently needed, on account of the continued deterioration of the rule of law and fundamental rights in Poland, and repeated failures by the Polish government to comply with the Commission’s Recommendations and with the decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). We now respectfully request the European Commission to: issue an update to its Reasoned Proposal of December 2017 to extend EU scrutiny to recent developments and all Article 2 TEU violations; urge the Council to move forward with the ongoing procedure under Article 7(1) TEU, as requested also by the European Parliament in its September 2020 resolution;[1] call on Poland to implement all previous Commission Recommendations and CJEU decisions, and to restore the independence and legitimacy of the Polish judiciary, including the Constitutional Tribunal, without further delay.   For more information on the context in Poland please read the full letter above and the related content.  [1] European Parliament resolution of 17 September 2020 on the proposal for a Council decision on the determination of a clear risk of a serious breach by the Republic of Poland of the rule of law (COM(2017)0835 – 2017/0360R(NLE)), https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0225_EN.pdf.

In Romania, more than 600 girls aged 10-15 become mothers every year, and almost 10% of new mothers are younger than 19! This video by our Romanian member SECS tells the story of the tens of thousands of young "pigeons" in their country who become parents too early because they are denied contraceptive care and sexuality education. #idecide  

Meet Marian and Nicoleta. Their unique love story highlights the importance of ensuring that everyone, everywhere has the love and happiness they deserve.

Meet Eugenia Behar, a clinical psychologist working with young people with learning difficulties in Romania, a country where there is still no obligatory sexuality education across all schools, particularly for those with learning difficulties.