IPPF Americas & the Caribbean, The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) and Fòs Feminista launched this past September the first Latin American & the Caribbean Contraception Policy Atlas which benchmarks and evaluates 33 countries on political leadership, access to contraceptives, national and international policies, and funding.

Alvaro Bermejo, IPPFs General Director attended the event with several member associations from the Americas and the Caribbean to celebrate the launch of the document which he says is a necessity in our region. 

"We are a diverse continent. Within this diversity that makes us unique, there are also problems that must be addressed collectively". - Alvaro Bermejo, General Director

The document sheds light in the state of the SRHR policy framework across the region and highlights key needs:

1. 17 out of 33 countries affirm the fundamental right to choose family size, timing and spacing of children; however, only 7 regulate conscientious objection.

2. 26 countries lack user-friendly government websites on contraception.

3. 21 countries lack public budget transparency for contraceptives, while a lack of provision for emergency contraception within the public health systems affects 12 countries within the region.

The Atlas shows that, while most countries have taken concrete steps at the policy level to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health for everyone, more needs to be done to further strengthen the mechanisms in place and reach the principles listed in the Montevideo Consensus.  

In light of this, the Atlas aims to guide policies by engaging decision-makers, civil society, media, and the public. It emphasises the policy's impact on real outcomes, encouraging improvements for better SRHR services.

You can download the documents both in Spanish and English here.