We will not allow the rollback of our rights by Eugenia López Uribe, Regional Director at IPPF ACRO   Last week, deputies from Mexico’s right-wing political party Acción Nacional (PAN) approved an amendment to the penal code to limit access to abortion from 12 to 6 weeks. This is a grave violation of the principle of non-regression of human rights for women and people who have abortions. The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) has already established that the right to decide and access legal abortion are key components of reproductive autonomy and the right to privacy.  Aguascalientes, a state in the Bajío region of Mexico, is known as a stronghold of anti-rights groups, and the PAN has governed there since 1998. The current governor, Teresa Jiménez, proposed this amendment to further restrict access to abortion and increase the criminalization of those who seek abortions.  Since 2021, the Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to criminalize abortion absolutely. It unanimously declared that restricting abortion violates the right of women and pregnant persons to decide about their own bodies. This marked the first time the Court issued a guideline to harmonize abortion legislation with its ruling.  In 2023, following an injunction filed by local feminist organizations, the Court ruled that the Congress of Aguascalientes must eliminate the articles criminalizing abortion in the state. Ignoring the secular nature of the constitution, Governor Jiménez responded by declaring that “in her government… they are pro-life.” She criticized the fact that Aguascalientes’ deputies had to comply with the Court’s ruling to avoid administrative sanctions.  A week ago, local legislators debated the governor’s initiative. With 19 votes in favor, they once again modified the penal code, reducing the time limit for abortion access from 12 to 6 weeks and narrowing the grounds on which abortion services could be requested.  In their arguments, legislators claimed that “the laws established… should find a fair and reasonable balance” between the right to decide and the right to life. Misinterpreting the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling, they set the 6-week limit, citing “the period in which it is possible to detect the heartbeat of the product.”  The legislators also referenced a 2012  ruling, which stated that “there are no absolute human or fundamental rights.” They used this to justify restricting abortion, even though the 2021 Supreme Court ruling affirmed that abortion is key to reproductive autonomy and the right to privacy, and these are absolute rights that should take precedence over earlier interpretations.  Let’s be clear: this reform, and the strategies of anti-rights groups, are a direct attack on the autonomy, rights, and freedom of individuals to decide about their own bodies and lives. These are attacks that should not be happening, especially in a country where Article 4 of the constitution guarantees the right of all people to decide when and how many children to have. Globally, these rights are supported by the Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Cairo Programme of Action, and the Beijing Platform for Action.  Contrary to legislators’ claims, the “pro-life” or rather, anti-rights narrative, is one that constrains, limits, coerces, and punishes. This reform is further evidence of that. The imposition of a double medical screening process increases the risk of medical complications, unsafe procedures, and criminalization. Fear of prosecution can deter medical personnel from providing appropriate care, further exacerbating the vulnerability of those seeking abortions.  At IPPF, we are proudly pro-abortion—proud to stand with the people, their choices, their dreams, and their futures. This is what it truly means to be pro-life: to support the right to health, the freedom to build the families we want, and to love who makes us feel whole.   So how can we prevent what happened in Aguascalientes from being repeated in other states and across the region? The deputies in Aguascalientes exploited a legal vacuum because the Supreme Court did not clearly establish a minimum standard for abortion legislation. Abortion should be removed from penal codes and recognized as key part of absolute rights to health, to privacy, guaranteed to all people regardless of their circumstances. Otherwise, anti-rights groups and their conservative allies will continue to find loopholes to restrict access to abortion.  No set of exceptions or time limits will be enough. We need to end the criminalization of abortion. It is time to move beyond exceptions and legal barriers, and to stop treating the lives and bodies of women and other identities who have abortions as matters to be governed by penal codes and laws.  It is our needs, our realities, that should shape legislation, not the other way around. With one in four women having had an abortion, it is clear how the law should progress: toward the total decriminalization of abortion. 

Today, the Congress of Aguascalientes, a state in Mexico, has taken a serious step backward for sexual and reproductive rights by reducing the legal limit for abortion from 12 to 6 weeks of gestation. This decision directly violates the rights of women and people who seek abortions and contradicts the ruling of the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice, which mandates the repeal of laws criminalizing voluntary abortion in the State Penal Codes. We reaffirm IPPF ACRO's commitment to the sexual and reproductive rights of all people and will continue to advocate for the freedom to choose an abortion without time restrictions. With deep solidarity, we embrace the local organizations, collectives, and activists who have fought to guarantee access to safe abortion in Aguascalientes and across the country. We join their efforts: we will not allow a regression in rights that have already been recognized, and we will move forward together to ensure that cis women, trans men, non-binary people, and other dissidents are included in abortion legislation. Together, we will continue to build networks of rights, care, and resistance!    

Haz click aquí para leer este posicionamiento en español. Clique aqui para ler essa posição em português.   Gestos, IPPF Collaborative Partner in Brazil, expresses its deep indignation at the urgent approval of Bill 1904/2024, which equates legal abortion and homicide if performed after 22 weeks of gestation. For such a bill to pass to the plenary for a vote, without being analysed by the Commissions of the Chamber of Deputies, is a direct attack on the rights of all women, girls and people who have abortions in Brazil.   The right to abortion is permitted in Brazil in three cases: risk to the life of the pregnant woman, pregnancy resulting from rape and anencephalic fetuses. This bill, which has the support of the Chamber President, Arthur Lira, represents another serious violation of rights, increasing the conditions of suffering and impotence. It is unjust, ineffective and will cause further damage to the health (including mental) of women, girls and pregnant people.  In Brazil, about 60% of rape cases occur against girls up to the age of 14. According to the Unified Health System (SUS), in 2022 there were more than 17,000 pregnancies of girls up to 14 years old, which represents an average of 39 girls giving birth every day. Data indicates that girls take longer to realise the violence they have suffered, most often committed by male family members, and do not immediately identify the pregnancy.   Brazil is already considered a country that has failed to guarantee the right to legal abortion. The last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Brazil conducted by the UN Human Rights Committee in September 2023 expressed serious concern about the violation of access to legal abortion in the country. Several recommendations made to the country call for the repeal of laws that criminalise people in need of legal abortion and the health professionals who assist them.  Civil society organisations, research institutes and the World Health Organisation itself have warned about the seriousness of the reversals in reproductive rights. In 2019, five years ago, Gestos launched the campaign "Legal abortion: don't judge, support", which highlighted the urgent need to offer support and solidarity to people who need abortions in the cases provided for by law.     There is no shortage of evidence that abortion is a public health issue and that it must be discussed considering the multiple structural inequalities faced by women, girls and people who have abortions. That is why we reject those representatives who, in the National Congress and/or in the different executive bodies, represent fundamentalism, sexism, misogyny and irresponsibility towards the people they are supposed to protect in their public functions.  For this reason, Gestos joins the different demonstrations and activities of feminist organisations, social movements and civil society: we will not stop until Bill 1904/2024 is stopped in Congress.        Gestos is a Collaborative Partner of IPPF in Brazil. Since1993 they have effectively contributed to guaranteeing the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. They also help to form new civil society organizations, such as the National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (RNPVHA - 1995), the Positive Work Group - GTP+ (2000), the Group of Positive Actions (2003), the Group of Support to HIV Positive People (GASP) 2003, Acts of Citizenship (2006). From 2007 to 2011, Gestos created and coordinated the UNGASS-AIDS Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health, where it oversaw the implementation of agreements signed at the UN in sixteen developing countries. The UNGASS-AIDS Forum has established itself as a space for political debate on issues related to HIV and AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights. They are also a consultative NGO at the UN, with ECOSOC status since 2017.     

Haz click aquí para leer este texto en español.     Women's health in the age of climate change  By Eugenia López Uribe, IPPF ACRO Regional Director      Can you imagine a world where all women are free to make decisions about their sexuality and well-being?  Gender-based violence, lack of investment in quality health services resulting in limited services, obstructive health workers, insufficient supplies and little or inaccurate information are just some of the barriers women face in accessing their right to sexual and reproductive health. As we commemorate International Day of Action for Women's Health, I would like to emphasise how women's health is further threatened by the climate crisis.   Let’s start by answering what is sexual and reproductive health? When we talk about sexual and reproductive health for women, we mean, among other things, that they can: Have safe and satisfying sex lives. Decide about their reproduction: decide whether they want to be mothers or not, as well as the number and spacing of their children. Decide their sexual and romantic partners. To live and explore their sexual orientation and gender identity with freedom and safety. Access affordable and quality sexuality-related health services.   For women's right to health to be guaranteed, it is vital that they have access to quality, accessible and affordable sexual and reproductive health services. These services should include contraception, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), prenatal care, childbirth and postpartum care, sexual violence care and counselling, abortion care, fertility care, cervical cancer prevention and treatment, accurate information, among others. For a variety of reasons, women and girls still face barriers to receiving these services in a comprehensive manner. This is even more complex in the context of the current climate emergency.       How does the climate crisis affect women's access to health? Gender inequalities, poverty, discrimination and the lack of policies that guarantee access to education and health services are factors that limit women's enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health. Today, the consequences of the climate crisis have become an additional obstacle. According to UN data, 80% of people displaced by climate change are women and girls. The gender-differentiated effect cannot go unnoticed.   Here are some examples:  The destruction of critical infrastructure, such as health clinics and transportation routes, caused by extreme weather events can prevent women and girls from reaching health services or make them unavailable to them. In humanitarian response work during emergency situations, sexual and reproductive health services are often underfunded. Because they are not considered priority services, women are forced to go through their pregnancies, childbirths, postpartum and menstrual cycles under the worst conditions.  In addition, research has found significant associations between air pollution and heat exposure and risk pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth.  Extreme weather events caused by climate change increase the lack of access to clean and safe water. As well as being vital to people's overall health, lack of water presents a profound challenge to menstrual management, pregnancy care, the administration of certain contraceptive methods and the provision of safe abortion.    The climate crisis has many other harmful impacts on women's lives. When women are displaced, they are at greater risk of violence, including sexual violence. Living in emergency camps or crossing migration routes exposes them to dangers such as human trafficking, early and forced marriages and unions, and exploitative labour.  A terrible example is the current crisis in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where massive flooding has forced more than 600,000 people to flee their homes and has affected more than 2.3 million Brazilians. In addition, as of May 25, 165 people have been killed, 130 are missing and 2.1 million people have been affected. Gestos, IPPF's Collaborating Partner in Brazil, notes with indignation and concern in this statement the cases of sexual violence against women - including minors - in shelters.         An urgent call to action   At this moment in history, we all understand that inequalities and marginalisation are key factors that increase vulnerability to the impacts of the climate crisis. Addressing gender inequality and other forms of marginalisation is therefore crucial in the context of the current climate emergency.  A key tool for doing so is to mandate governments to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which articulates with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and explicitly targets access to reproductive health services among important measures to improve resilience and empower people disproportionately affected by disasters. This declaration, also signed in 2015 by UN Member States, commits ‘to promote universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health services with a view to fostering healthy societies.    Thus, on this International Day of Action for Women's Health, we call on governments to remind them it is urgent to invest in strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity, both to the slow impacts of the climate crisis and to its more immediate effects. We need to prioritize women, youth and girls in all their diversity, as they are the ones who bear the weight of the crisis.     At IPPF, we are committed to, and are making significant progress to:   Strengthen evidence linking Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the climate crisis; Support communities to adapt to the impacts of the crisis;    Reduce our own carbon footprint and the impacts of our internal policies.    However, our efforts as a Federation and as part of civil society alliances will not be enough. Governments and decision-makers must recognise and support access to sexual and reproductive health and rights as fundamental to climate change adaptation and resilience. It is imperative that they place human rights, environmental justice and gender equality at the centre of efforts to address the climate crisis.   We must address today the responsibility of countries to reduce their emissions and advocate for low- and middle-income countries to have the financial conditions necessary to respond and adapt to the climate crisis. Women and girls can wait no longer.        This text was written by Eugenia López Uribe, Regional Director at IPPF ACRO. Eugenia is an experienced advocate for gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights, promoting innovation in the delivery of health services from a human rights perspective. She has worked with rural and indigenous people, adolescents, youth, LGBTQI+ populations, sex workers and women with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Haz click aquí para leer este texto en español. When was the last time you erotically touched your body to pleasure yourself?    Months ago? Today? Was it the last time you were alone at home? Do you remember? Let's speak without shame or fear: masturbation is  gooooood. Some people do it to get off, others to sleep better, others to prepare the scene for more sexual activities with partners. The reason doesn’t matter, May is the month dedicated to Masturbation, so it is a good time to take a deeper dive into it.   The perfect touch  Masturbation is the erotic stimulation of our bodies, more specifically, the genitals. We can do it with our hands, pillows, sex-toys and many other ways. Our creativity is our limit. And we can do it alone or by allowing other people to do it for us. Through masturbation, we can learn about our body, what arouses us, what we like and what we don’t.   It is also a great way to feel sexual pleasure.  The purpose can vary. There are people who don't feel ready to have sex and there are times when we don't want to be with other people. It doesn’t matter. With or without a partner, the reason that makes us want to masturbate is that it can give us a lot of pleasure. Yes! It feels good.   We feel pleasure when we touch ourselves, when we find our own right movement and the level of pressure to fill our nervous system with the “happy hormones” – endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. That’s why masturbating is good not only at that moment, but also after the orgasm, helping us to lower the stress, to block pain, and to relax throughout the day. Moreover, allowing ourselves to achieve this level of pleasure is a firm sign that we are taking good care of our body and mind.       Reclaiming our power to pleasure ourselves  Picture this: you walk into your favourite coffee shop, straightforward to the counter and very sure of yourself and you order your preferred drink, whatever it is. You choose the beverage, the size, the syrup flavour, the sweetener, and temperature. You pay the bill and wait at the end of the counter. They call out your name and, finally, you take that first sip that you desired so much. What does it taste like? How does it feel?   There are few things that can compare to this feeling, the empowerment that comes with asking exactly for what you want--- and getting it.   In a coffee shop, in life, and in sexual practices, getting to the point where you know exactly what you want can be a little tricky, and sometimes it takes time. Masturbation is a journey to understand our sexual preferences and desires. Claiming our power to pleasure ourselves is about adding more possibilities rather than only experiencing it with others. It’s about developing the power of knowing what works best for us and being able to make it happen.  Let’s not forget that pleasure is also a political issue, which has to do with our right to our bodies. Hence, masturbation is too. Societies often feel geared towards norms and end up imposing impose shame, fear and misinformation about masturbation. In many countries and cultures our sexuality has been turned into a taboo. However, acts of self-enjoyment, like masturbation, can be a form of resistance against this system. By reclaiming our time and our bodies, and the use of both for our pure pleasure, we recover our right to decide about our lives.       An act of self-care  Self-care has been addressed in different ways over time. Recently, mostly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been used to refer to acts of self-enjoyment, hobbies, and new habits, such as adopting organic food, exercise practices, greater water intake, and encouraging a more positive and healthy way of living.  And YES, we’re here for it. This rise of the self-care movement has underpinned the importance of carrying out activities that centre our well-being.  Masturbation then, encompasses self-care very well.  Besides reducing the stress and improving sleep, it also boosts our immunity system, and it is linked to lower prostate cancer in people with penis and reduced risk of urinary infections in people with vulvas, while also improving cognitive functioning and self-image.  And let’s not forget: pleasure is also a vital aspect of our mental and physical well-being.   Along with masturbation, there’s other decisions and acts we can take to achieve our pleasure and self-care, such as making informed decisions on the contraceptive method that best suits our needs, planning on reproductive choices, on our career, and on leisure activities, as well as deciding on having abortions or continuing pregnancies when we’re faced with a positive pregnancy test.   Did you ever think about it?  Finishing off  Masturbation is an act of pleasure, but also a reminder that you are the expert: what feels right and what doesn’t is up to you. You have - literally- the power in your hands.  In bed, or in society, alone, in a group or with a partner, you will always be the one who knows what is the best for you. 😉 Happy Masturbation May! 

IPPF ACRO participates in the C20 Conception Meeting in Brazil. Kamilah Morain, Director of Member Association Support and Development at ACRO, participated in the inaugural meeting of the C20 Engagement Group in Recife, Brazil. This group plans and proposes policies for the upcoming G20 forum, which will take place in November 2024, focusing on issues such as health and education. As the co-facilitator of the Women's Rights and Gender Equality working group, she will, on behalf of IPPF ACRO, seek to ensure that the voices of women and girls are heard by the G20 leaders. This is crucial because the G20 represents a large portion of the global economy and trade.   Profamilia ready to host the Seventh International Conference on Family Planning in November 2025. For the first time in history, the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) will be held in Latin America, and Profamilia Colombia will be a co-host! Alongside the William H. Gates Sr. Institute for Reproductive Health and Population and the Government of Colombia and the Valle del Lili Foundation, Profamilia will welcome thousands of family planning professionals from November 3rd to 6th, 2025, in Colombia. The ICFP serves as a gathering point for governments, institutions, researchers, activists, and professionals seeking to promote collaboration and innovation in sexual and reproductive health. On this occasion, Colombia has been chosen as the venue due to the government's commitment and the efforts of social movements that have resulted in significant advances in access to sexual and reproductive health for Colombian people. See you there!   Gestos succeeds in canceling the HIV and other STI testing requirement in the city of Lagoa do Carro, Brazil. Thanks to a complaint from Gestos' legal team, and in collaboration with Caop Cidadania and the Public Ministry of Carpina, the municipal government of Lagoa do Carro canceled the requirement to undergo HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B and C testing in its contests. This significant victory for human rights and the advancement of sexual and reproductive health is a reminder that demanding STI test results is a discriminatory practice that violates human rights. Furthermore, in Brazil, the right to confidentiality is guaranteed by law. Congratulations to the Gestos team for their hard work in guaranteeing the rights of people living with HIV!   Kamala Harris visits a Planned Parenthood clinic and becomes the first Vice President of the United States to visit an abortion clinic. The sixth stop on Vice President Kamala Harris's "Fighting for Reproductive Freedom" Tour was a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. It has been a great opportunity for the Vice President to see the great work that Planned Parenthood does every day to provide sexual and reproductive health care, including safe abortion. In the months leading up to the presidential elections, she has positioned herself as an advocate for access to abortion in a complicated context following the Supreme Court's recent decisions on this issue. "It is right and just that people have access to the health care they need," Kamala Harris said at a press conference.   If you want to receive SRHR news directly from the ground to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter "Rising the Tide". Subscribe

Two years ago, Colombia took a historic step on a path that has been trodden for decades by thousands of women and whose goal has always been equity, guaranteed rights and recognition of their full citizenship. Two years ago, abortion permeated our society with the force of solid arguments that demanded its guarantee as a matter of human rights, public health and social justice.  Two years ago, a sentence by Annie Ernaux, Nobel Prize in Literature (2022) echoed in my head because of the power and significance of the coincidence that reminded us that: "the impossibility of imagining that one day women could decide to have an abortion freely" had ended in Colombia with Ruling 055 of 2022. It only took a few months to prove that the Constitutional Court was right in its decision, that the decriminalisation of abortion was the way forward, and that the weighting of women's rights brings us ever closer to that society with true gender equality for which so many of us are working. You got it right, Court! At the time, one of the main arguments used by opponents of decriminalising abortion in the country was that the 24-week time limit was too long, which would mean that women and pregnant women would wait until they reached the maximum permitted limit to have an abortion. The truth is that no woman, of her own free will and intention, would seek to continue her pregnancy in order to terminate it at advanced gestational age. On the contrary, the balance of the first two years indicates that 9 out of 10 abortions performed at Profamilia were performed before the 12th week of gestation, that is, 92% of the total number of voluntary terminations of pregnancy were performed in the first trimester and by means of medication. It was a good decision, Court! The same balance sheet shows an 18.7% increase in the number of abortions in the last two years, and not because women are having more abortions for the sake of it. The increase, as well as being expected, is positive because it represents the registration in the system of those who without decriminalisation would have resorted to unsafe, clandestine procedures that would put their lives at risk, but today, at least under the law, can do so legally, safely and with the opportunity to do so.

1 year anniversary of the historic decision to decriminalize abortion in Colombia February 21, 2023 Profamilia – an IPPF Member Association and a leading organization in the defence and guarantee of Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Colombia - celebrates the first year of the Constitutional Court decision that allowed the decriminalization of abortion in Colombia up to 24 weeks of gestation. This represents a historic step for the guarantee of the rights of women and pregnant people in the country and Latin America, as well as a transcendental advance towards the recognition of their autonomy and full citizenship. Thanks to the ruling, those who are faced with an unwanted pregnancy and decide to have an abortion will not be prosecuted or criminalized for accessing what is now considered a health service and a matter of social justice. Similarly, the organization recognizes the issuance of Resolution 051 of 2023, with which the Ministry of Health regulates comprehensive care to provide abortion services throughout Colombia. This resolution recognizes that both women and pregnant people (transgender men, trans masculinities, non-binary people, among others) can access the service without restrictions and reiterates that abortion is an essential and urgent health service that must be guaranteed and not suspended. Since its enactment, Profamilia has guaranteed the implementation of Ruling C-055 of 2022 in its network of more than 53 clinics specialized in sexual and reproductive health nationwide.  In this sense, the Organization shares with public opinion an analysis of what has been evidenced in the first year of the Sentence, as well as recommendations to move towards a society that respects and guarantees the application of the current jurisprudence in favour of the rights and reproductive autonomy of women and pregnant people in the country. The Positive side: Decriminalization increases access and engagement ·   Women, trans men and non-binary people who decide to terminate their pregnancies do so early. During this first year, 97.2% of the abortions performed through Profamilia were performed before the 16th week of gestation and of these, 86% before the 12th week and only 1.1% of the procedures were performed after 24 weeks, under one of the grounds of Ruling C-355 of 2006. ·   After Ruling C-055, access to safe abortion has improved. The Organization recorded a 65.9% increase in procedures. This information coincides with evidence from other countries (Uruguay, France, Portugal, Spain, Mexico City, Mexico) in which, after the legalization of voluntary interruption of pregnancy, there is no long-term increase in procedures, but rather an initial increase that then stabilizes and even decreases. ·   Profamilia has strengthened its MIA service, which accompanies and performs self-managed abortions up to 12 weeks of gestation through telemedicine. This service has reached women who wish to terminate their pregnancies in hard-to-reach municipalities such as: Leticia, in Amazonas, Bahía Solano, in Chocó, San Vicente del Caguán, in Caquetá, Dibulla, in La Guajira, among others. ·   Different authorities have fulfilled their obligations and reiterated their commitment to abortion rights. In August 2022, the National Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, communicated that Colombia officially withdrew from the Geneva Consensus Declaration - recognized for seeking to undermine reproductive autonomy and family diversity - and reiterated that the country recognizes, respects and protects the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls and that, in accordance with the Political Constitution and the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court, the right to legal and safe abortion is an integral and indivisible part of sexual and reproductive rights and health. ·   Resolution 051 of 2023 of the Ministry of Health guarantees the service for migrant women in Colombia and recognizes this right as an essential and urgent service that can never be suspended. It also eliminates co-payments and moderating fees in EPS and medical centers. It reaffirms that minors under 14 years of age may decide autonomously about an abortion, without their parents' permission and even when their decision is contrary to their parents'. The resolution urges to modernize the protocols as an advance for the welfare of women and pregnant people. ·   On February 2, 2023, the Council of Bogota approved Agreement 023, which aims to guarantee the right to abortion without barriers and promote knowledge and access to information on rights and prevention of early motherhood and fatherhood, which not only impacts the right to health, but also strengthens the sector and becomes a benchmark for other cities in the country in the commitment they must make to ensure access to abortion as a health service. ·   The National Development Plan for the period 2022-2026 included the guarantee of the right to abortion (Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy) in the framework of the formulation and implementation of the National Policy on Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Rights that must be updated for the next 10 years, with this it is possible to ensure resources to promote the materialization of all measures and actions to ensure the guarantee of the right to abortion in Colombia. Still concerning: Barriers and violence persist ·   Despite Ruling C-055 of 2022, Profamilia has received users, with less than 24 weeks of gestation, who report having encountered barriers in health professionals who have limited the right and service of abortion. ·   On the other hand, Profamilia's statistics on the provision of IVE (Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy) services in its network of clinics throughout the country reveal a worrying increase in sexual violence against minors under 14 years of age, with an increase from 47.3% in 2021 to 2022. This data coincides, unfortunately, with the report of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences which indicates that there was a 23% increase by 2022 of sexual crimes against minors, compared to previous year. ·   The legalization of abortion in Colombia has shown limitations in the quality of services, it is essential to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence, training and sensitization of health personnel, the elimination of curettage as the main technique and the definitive closure of sites where unsafe procedures are practiced. What are the challenges? ·   It is necessary to fully comply with the orders of Ruling C-055 of 2022. That is why it is essential to support the approval of legislative and public policy initiatives that seek the implementation and strengthening of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in all educational institutions in the country, in order to prevent gender-based violence, promote the safe and responsible exercise of sexual and reproductive autonomy, knowledge and empowerment in rights, effective and timely access to contraceptive methods, as well as the search for a society with gender equity. ·   With the management of abortion as a public health issue, the country has the possibility of ending the preventable death of 70 women who lose their lives each year due to unsafe abortions, as well as reducing and avoiding 132,000 complications derived from this type of procedure. The legalization of abortion represents the opportunity to place the protection of the health and lives of girls and women at the center as the main objective of all public health policy. ·   The elimination of barriers to access to safe abortion services should be a priority for local health authorities, who are responsible for the inspection, surveillance and control of the health system in their jurisdictions. It is necessary to implement intersectoral mechanisms for follow-up and monitoring of barriers and technical accompaniment of health care providers to ensure an orderly and systematized implementation of the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court and the regulatory norms that have been issued. ·   Territorial entities, at all levels, must take the initiative and leadership to make sexual and reproductive rights a reality in their jurisdictions. The example of the Bogotá Council and its agreement on the elimination of barriers to safe abortion is an example of how local measures can be adopted to facilitate the implementation of constitutional and regulatory mandates on abortion with actions. "After one year it is possible to see the progress, the country has made in terms of reproductive autonomy and rights for women and pregnant people. However, we must move from text to action, ensuring that Ruling 055 of 2022 is implemented. Profamilia's commitment will always be to provide comprehensive, humanized and safe services that allow free and informed decision making, and we reiterate this today,” said Marta Royo, Executive Director of Profamilia. “Colombia has set a standard for the region, women and pregnant people deserves to choose the best decision for them and their families. In IPPF we are committed to grow the green wave to ensure that all the countries have equal rights for all, especially in Central America and the Caribbean“ said Eugenia López Uribe, Regional Director of IPPF for the Americas and The Caribbean.  

On this World Day Of Social Justice, we demand that states be proactive in Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice.  In 2022 activists won a major victory with the decriminalization of abortion in Colombia, reminding us that despite the obstacles in much of the region there is hope as the green wave spreads thanks to grassroots activism everywhere. In The Caribbean, physical and sexual violence towards trans people often goes unreported as there are no legal mechanisms to acknowledge a change in gender markers - which in itself is a form of violence. And even with arguably some of the largest activist populations both Brazil and Mexico remained the most violent places for Trans people to live in 2022. The United States is the third most dangerous, a statistic which may well increase given the record number of 300+ anti-LGBTQ+ legislation which has been introduced in the first two months of 2023.       Despite all of these challenges, LGBTQI+ communities across the region continue to be at the forefront of movements and activism across the region. Local Caribbean activists saw their hard work rewarded in the repeal of colonial-era laws banning same-sex intimacy in 3 countries - Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Barbados in 2022.  These activists must be protected in order to continue their fight for rights and justice.  There are solutions that include all of us, and all eyes are on the governments of our region to provide protection from discrimination and violence.  

15 February 2023  For immediate release: Statement on the Penal Code of The Dominican Republic  International Planned Parenthood Federation - Americas and The Caribbean Regional Office (IPPF ACRO)  Two decades' worth of attempts by national feminist movements to reform the Dominican Republic's brutal Criminal Code has failed. The Caribbean country is one of the five countries in the world where ending a pregnancy is strictly prohibited under any circumstances. Abortion is now the third leading cause of maternal death in the country. The current Criminal Code dates back to 1884 and despite the Chamber of Deputies approving a revision to the Criminal Code in 2014 to allow abortion in the following three circumstances: where the pregnancy poses a risk to the life of a pregnant person, where the fetus could not survive outside the womb, and where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. The revision was struck down by the Constitutional Court in 2015. Despite President Luis Abinader vocal support of decriminalising support in certain circumstances, the decision today fails all pregnant people and will undoubtedly force more to turn to unsafe abortion methods that could be fatal.   Eugenia Lopez Uribe – IPPF Americas and Caribbean Regional Director said: “ For twenty years the strong feminist movements in the Dominican Republic have fought to reform the barbaric Criminal Code that denies pregnant people access to safe and legal abortion. The Criminal Code is 140 years old, it did not serve the population then and it does not serve them now. IPPF will continue to stand side by side with the movement in the Dominican Republic to fight for reform, freedom and justice. All people must have the freedom to decide what happens to their body and that includes being able to end a pregnancy safely. Noone should have to die because of this Criminal Code that has caused so much harm and death.”  IPPF - Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office stands in firm solidarity with the people of Dominican Republic and the feminist movements as we continue to fight for bodily autonomy, freedom, and reproductive justice. We acknowledge the enormous contribution of the Dominican leadership to the social justice movements in the region including the struggle for racial justice.