Resources

COVID-19 is endangering the sexual and reproductive health and safety of women and girls and vulnerable people across Europe. They are left without access to essential medical services such as contraception and abortion care, HIV and STI testing and reproductive cancer screenings, and respectful maternal healthcare. The huge reduction in these services is putting lives, health and wellbeing at risk, particularly those of vulnerable groups whose only access may be through subsidised services provided by civil society. Gender-based violence has surged, with lockdown making it harder to provide support and shelter to women desperately in need of it. This report has been compiled by IPPF EN and EPF from surveys that were conducted with their respective stakeholders on the impact of COVID-19 on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people, particularly women and girls, in Europe, and on Europe’s international cooperation on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).  The content of the report derives from what stakeholders in different countries reported as the situation in their country at the time of reporting – early April - and thus aims to provide an overall ‘snapshot in time’ of what was clearly already a significant effect of the pandemic on SRHR. However, the situation is highly dynamic and evolving daily, so be aware some of the situations reported may already have changed. We will be producing new information as data comes in, but in the meantime, we hope you find this a useful overview of the current context. 

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.  

The Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) between the European Union (EU) and the group of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries will expire in February 2020. Currently, a new agreement is being negotiated. As negotiations advance, some points of diversion between both parties progressively emerge such as the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights4 (SRHR) agenda. The EU negotiation directives for a post-Cotonou agreement provides strong commitments towards SRHR, whereas the ACP negotiating mandate discards the rights component which notably implies the risk of strictly putting the focus on “service delivery” (access to quality Sexual and Reproductive Health services for all) rather than on a holistic approach (SRHR). Attaining and maintaining reproductive and sexual health implies respecting and promoting fundamental human rights, such as the right to decide the number and spacing of one’s children, the right to consensual marriage and sexual relations, the right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to one’s sexuality, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. SRHR, in its comprehensive and holistic sense, is central and fundamental to people’s health and well-being. The comprehensive nature of the SRHR agenda must be duly reflected in the future EU-Africa pillar of the EU-ACP post-2020 agreement. This factsheet includes recommendations on how the EU-Africa partnership could integrate and recognise a fully SRHR perspective. For a full overview over the current status of implementation of continental commitments on women’s and girls’ rights in Africa read this report.

IPPF EN is fighting with and for young people so that they have the chance to develop the life skills needed to foster healthier and safer relationships, based on equality and respect. Over the past few decades we have seen increased support for relationship and sexuality education with several countries in Europe and Central Asia setting an ambitious tone. Nonetheless, access to relationship and sexuality education varies widely across countries, as many governments continue to deprive young people of crucial life skills that would enable them to have happy and healthy relationships and lives. At IPPF EN, we believe that the quality of someone’s sexuality education should not be reduced to a geographical lottery. Sexist and coercive movements are spreading misinformation about relationship and sexuality education. These movements oppose efforts to break down harmful and rigid gender norms around masculinity and femininity. They attack education that promotes awareness and respect for gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual pleasure and sexual rights. In this context, IPPF Member Associations are working tirelessly to enable young people to develop knowledge and life skills that support their health and well-being - through trainings for educators, the implementation of innovative programmes outside school settings, and advocacy for mandatory relationship and sexuality education. To learn more about the work done in different countries on ensuring young people access relationship and sexuality education, read our three blog series.

In 2019-2024, we call on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to ensure that all Europeans can lead free and safe private and family lives, in a society free from sexism and discrimination. This paper lays down the areas where the EU has internal competences and where MEPs have the power to act.   Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have a critical role in promoting SRHR in EU external action and upholding the right of young women and men around the world to lead safe and dignified lives, free from coercion and harm. These are just some of the steps MEPs can take to champion SRHR.

Income for the year for the group increased by US$9.5 million (9%)to US$111.9 million due to a large increase in restricted income from US$30.3 million to US$54.1 million netted off against a decrease in unrestricted income of US$14.3 million.  Total group expenditure increased by US$21.6 million to US$114.6 million which led to a group net operating deficit (combined for unrestricted and restricted funds) for the year of US$2.6 million. Total unrestricted expenditure of US$74.8 million includes grants to member associations and partners (US$42.0 million), group secretariat expenditure (US$28.9 million), and fundraising costs(US$3.3 million). The net operating unrestricted deficit for the year was US$17.0 million (2017 surplus: US$8.8 million). Total restricted expenditure of US$39.8 million includes grants to member associations and partners (US$25.2 million), group secretariat expenditure (US$14.0 million), and fundraising costs (US$0.5 million). There was a restricted surplus of US$14.4 million.