Resources

The Survey looks at the relevant legislation on abortion care in 42 countries, but crucially it also explores how these laws are interpreted by providers and experienced by women and girls. It is designed to provide an overview of women’s and girls’ experience around accessing abortion care, to highlight current threats to their reproductive health and rights, to identify ‘best-fit’ practices and to stimulate further debate and research. The Survey is not a research paper, but rather a synthesis of the expertise and understanding of our Members and Partners working in the field and serving women every day. The report begins by situating abortion care as an essential component of women’s reproductive health, as defined within the broader framework of international human rights law, specifically the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health. It then examines to what extent current provision within national borders aligns with or deviates from state obligations to care for and value equally women and girls. It covers four key areas: the criminalisation of abortion; the various grounds available to women and girls to access abortion care and the time limits imposed thereon; the additional institutional and procedural hurdles to abortion care; and finally, the significant financial burden inflicted on women and girls when accessing care across the region. For each section, the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ country scenarios have been referenced to highlight how differently a particular barrier to care might be implemented and then experienced by women and girls across Europe and Central Asia.  

Young people are often denied care in societies where sex is taboo and parents can control their children’s access to medical providers. These challenges are amplified in conservative contexts where women and girls are made to feel uncomfortable when talking about contraception. The Tajikistan Family Planning Association (TFPA) has pioneered a phone application - available free of charge - that allows young people to gain crucial knowledge about modern contraception and sexually transmitted infections/HIV and connects them with health care providers. Through its innovative app, TFPA has created a safe space for young people to access stigma-free care, and to explore methods of sexual and reproductive self-care. This app has changed attitudes towards people living with STIs/HIV and inspired young people to have open and honest conversations about sexual and reproductive health care with their peers. "Before using the app, she thought STIs could only be caught by sex workers or people lacking morals, and that something like that could never happen to her or to her close friends. But now she realises that it can happen to anyone, even by accident. Now she tries to understand people who might have an STI." Young person in Tajikistan recounting an interview with a 19-year old woman as part of TFPA’s project

IPPF European Network is breaking down barriers to contraceptive freedom, helping to ensure that all people can lead safe and dignified reproductive lives. Across Europe and Central Asia, women are being denied control over their sexual and reproductive lives as a result of hostile chauvinist policies, gender inequality and social oppression. Many governments are not doing enough to ensure that women and girls have true access to contraceptive care, and it is the poorest and most marginalised who bear the brunt of this neglect. Too often, contraception is the privilege of the few, and women from low-income backgrounds are five times more likely to be forced into pregnancy through denial of care. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the level of modern contraceptive use (meaning all non-emergency, reversible methods) is alarmingly low. And overall in Europe, 43% of pregnancies are unintended (EPF, 2018), a result of denial of contraceptive care and of governments refusing to ensure sex and relationships education for all young people. Young people are also being let down by health care systems in which they face institutionalised stigma and discrimination when seeking contraception.  IPPF EN is working across Europe and Central Asia to break through these barriers. We are fighting to redefine contraceptive care as a policy priority and to offer stigma-free care to all, especially to those who are most in need.

Investing in family planning is the only way women and girls can have the freedom to create their own futures. The Countdown 2030 Europe consortium is calling on governments and decision-makers everywhere to put women and girls at the top of the agenda #BecauseSheCounts! The clock is ticking... www.countdown2030europe.org Read the Countdown 2030 Europe gazette, Her Chronicles, for more stories on family planning, access to contraception and more.  

Women’s sexual and reproductive rights are under threat in Europe, in a climate of growing attacks on human rights, democracy and civic space. Ultra-conservative forces are trying to stifle people’s reproductive freedom and impose a coercive worldview about gender roles in family and public lives. Their cruelest tactic is forcing women through pregnancy by promoting refusal of abortion care. IPPF European Network champions reproductive freedom and access to abortion care, adapting our approach to the reality and needs of women from Norway to Tajikistan. Our work ranges from ensuring women have a voice in decision-making spaces to supporting grassroot activists and civil society movements. From providing abortion care services, to supporting health care professionals to provide the safest, highest quality care. Our members and partners are campaigners, care providers and advocates.  Read Keti's story and our latest blog series to find out how women in Georgia are being denied safe and dignified reproductive lives, and how IPPF's Georgian member, HERA XXI, is helping to tackle this.

In the EU all young women are free to decide about their own bodies, lives and futures. Or are they? Being denied sex and relationships literacy, stigma, gender inequalities and high costs stop girls from accessing contraception. IPPF EN cares for all women, men, children and young people across Europe and recognises their right to lead safe and dignified reproductive lives, free from harm and descrimination.  You can see the rest of our videos from this series here.