We are overjoyed to announce the opening of the first of two locations of the International Planned Parenthood Federation -  Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office (ACRO), in Bogota, Colombia. IPPF Director-General Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, IPPF ACRO's Regional Director Eugenia López Uribe, Deputy Regional Director Dona Da Costa Martinez, and IPPF Director of External Relations Mina Barling were joined by team members from the ACRO and London Offices to reinforce the commitment to the fight for rights and access to sexual and reproductive services in the region. This is an especially exciting time as Colombia stands as the latest champion to step forward to protect the bodily autonomy of everyone with the possibility of gestation, with a recent Constitutional Court victory legalizing access to abortion until 24 weeks. The new IPPF Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office serves Member Associations and Collaborative Partners in over 24 countries across the region, and which are growing in their movement building and service delivery capabilities, including comprehensive sex education, provision of contraceptive, safe abortion, and maternal care and responding to humanitarian crisis. IPPF pride ourselves on being local through our members and global through our network. At the heart of our mission is the provision of – and advocacy in support of – integrated healthcare to anyone who needs it regardless of race, gender, sex, income, and crucially no matter how remote. Volunteerism is central to our healthcare delivery. It underpins the vital work of our members and their teams, whether through community outreach and distribution of contraceptive care or the regional Youth Action Movements championing change.  

In a groundbreaking decision on the 21st of Feburay 2022, Colombia's Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. IPPF Americas and The Caribbean (ACRO) stands with Member Association Profamilia as we celebrate this historic decision and recognize the fight of the feminist movement in Colombia for this achievement! In a statement to the Guardian Newspaper Eugenia Lopez Uribe, Regional Director for IPPF ACRO reminded us “While today we are celebrating this historic decision, the Green Wave is strong and growing, and the fight for reproductive rights and justice will not end until every person can access high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare when and where they need it. From now on a combined system for accessing abortion is considered:  1)Free and legal until 24 weeks of gestation, after this time: 2) the 3 causals (C-355/06) and are as follows: When the pregnancy represents a risk to the physical or mental health of the woman or person with the possibility of gestation. When it is product of sexual violence.  And for fetal malformations incompatible with life.

The IPPF ACRO Team is excited to Welcome Two New Member Associations in Antigua and Dominica!  The Antigua and Barbuda Planned Parenthood Association and Dominica Planned Parenthood Association join our growing family, which spans 28 countries across the Americas and Caribbean region, together we are united in the fight towards Reproductive Justice for ALL.  The mission of the Antigua Planned Parenthood Association (APPA) is “to ensure that the community is afforded good sexual reproductive health through education, counseling, and affordable family planning services.” Lyndale Weaver-Greenaway, Executive Director  The Dominica Planned Parenthood Association (DPPA) was founded in 1976 and provides a wide range of SRHR services as well as an established community outreach program that provides family planning through volunteers and shop owners, and an extensive program of information and education activities. 

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The Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) of St. Lucia Planned Parenthood Association (SLPPA) was recently recognised by the St. Lucia Government - Ministry of Youth Development and Sport, they received an award for Outstanding Youth Organization, which is given to an outstanding organization/group which has for the past 2 years achieved community, national or regional recognition in promoting youth development through its programmes and or policies. Currently, the organization is conducting exciting grassroots initiatives in Saint Lucia, such as youth training programmes within under-served communities island-wide and tackling a wide range of issues such as parenting, self-awareness, and gender-based violence. Now more than ever we support and encourage our young leaders as they educate and innovate in their communities, making sexual and reproductive education and health more accessible.  Follow them at www.instagram.com/yam_slu SLPPA aims to promote family welfare and reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancies, particularly among adolescents, through a strengthened family life education programme and quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services that complement government provision.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) welcomes the news of President Biden’s decision to keep his promise and repeal the harmful Global Gag Rule (GGR) - also known as the Mexico City Policy.    Since its expanded reintroduction in 2017 by the previous administration, the Global Gag Rule has contributed to an increase in unintended and high-risk pregnancies, unsafe abortions – culminating in unnecessary maternal deaths. For IPPF, 53 healthcare projects in 32 countries were impacted by GGR, with some Member Associations losing up to 60% of their funding.   IPPF’s Director-General, Dr Alvaro Bermejo said:    “I welcome the decision by President Biden to repeal the Global Gag Rule.   “The expanded reintroduction of the gag was callously designed to deny women the right to decide what happens to their body. Whilst we know this policy is intended as a tool to attack abortion care by the anti-choice movement, not only has it led to reproductive coercion, it has cut deeper into healthcare provision: from HIV prevention programs to maternal health to contraceptive access – no one was spared the fallout of this policy.     “What lies ahead of us is years of work to undo the harm caused by Global Gag Rule, and to build back a better and stronger relationship with the U.S. – one where our work is not under threat from future anti-sexual and reproductive health administrations. To protect the rights of future generations of women and girls, we ask that the Biden-Harris administration take the necessary steps to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule. Without a permanent repeal, the global gag remains a constant threat to women, girls, youth and marginalized communities. Reproductive rights, bodily autonomy and the human right to decide what happens to your body cannot be at the mercy of a pen stroke.     “IPPF looks on with hope and welcomes the opportunity to work closely with the Biden-Harris administration to protect and advance sexual and reproductive healthcare for all.”   And President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Alexis McGill Johnson said:  “Over the past four years, the United States didn’t just fail to support global reproductive health care access — it actively blocked it. Today, we applaud the beginning of a new chapter, as the Biden-Harris administration puts an end to the devastating global gag rule, which has prevented millions of people around the world from receiving essential health care. We look forward to working alongside the administration and Congress to pass the Global HER Act, to permanently protect access to sexual and reproductive health care across the globe from changes in White House political control. It is long past time that the United States proudly declares to the world that reproductive rights are human rights.”     IPPF would like to thank the international community who stepped in and stepped up to help fill the funding gap that was left by the Global Gag Rule. Together, we will continue to fight and deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights.   For media inquiries please contact [email protected] (+44) 2079398227