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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. 

The European Commission is currently preparing a proposal for its next multiannual budget (or the Multiannual Financial Framework, MFF), which will determine the EU’s annual spending from 2021 to 2027.  Crucially for civil society, this is the first multiannual budget following the adoption of Agenda 2030, the universal global agenda on sustainable development. This global agenda has recognised access to quality education, health services, nutrition and social protection, as central to lifting people out of poverty and reducing inequalities. Thus, to fulfil these commitments the EU must prioritise health, education and social protection in its post-2020 multiannual budget. IPPF EN and partners make recommendations on how to include these priorities in the post-2020 EU budget and ensure that the most marginalised people and children - especially women and girls - are not left behind.  In addition, a balanced MFF is gender-responsive or, put differently, it delivers on gender equality. In a joint paper, IPPF EN and partners make the case for a gender-responsive EU planning and budgeting.