Haz click aquí para leer este artículo en español.   The relationship between sexual and reproductive health, care burdens, and gender-based violence forms a structural system that perpetuates inequality and limits women's autonomy in Venezuela. The denial of essential rights, the unequal distribution of care responsibilities, and economic dependence create a fertile ground for violence, preventing women from leaving abusive relationships and limiting their ability to make decisions about their health and lives.  A study by the Venezuelan Association for Alternative Sexual Education (AVESA) reveals alarming data on the connection between access to sexual and reproductive health services and gender-based violence. Among women who have survived violence, 61% have little to no access to sexual and reproductive health services, compared to 43% of women who have not experienced violence. Additionally, 80% of women attend a gynecological consultation only once a year or never, despite 7 out of 10 having faced some gynecological condition. A striking 57% of pregnancies were unplanned, limiting reproductive autonomy and increasing women's dependence on their partners. Moreover, 32% of sexually active women do not use contraceptive methods, even though 87% of them do not wish to have children. In states like Lara, unmet contraceptive needs reach as high as 46%.  The lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services not only restricts women’s ability to exercise control over their bodies and lives but also exposes them to a greater risk of gender-based violence. While 58% of women have suffered some form of gender-based violence, 79% of them do not recognize themselves as survivors, highlighting the normalization of violence in society. Access to sexual and reproductive health information and services is, therefore, a crucial tool for preventing violence and strengthening women's autonomy.  However, the burden of unpaid care work reinforces these patterns of inequality and violence. AVESA’s research in vulnerable communities in Táchira and Zulia shows that women spend between 14 and 16 hours a day on unpaid care tasks, including house cleaning, food preparation, childcare, and caring for sick or elderly family members. Furthermore, 75% of these women also work outside the home, extending their daily workload to 18 hours or more. Economic dependence is also a key factor: 68.5% of married or cohabiting women depend financially on their male partners, while 10% of divorced women still rely on their ex-partners for financial support. This overwhelming burden not only limits women's time and energy to seek help or generate their own income but also reduces their ability to leave violent relationships.  The intersection of health, care, and violence creates a vicious cycle that is difficult to break. Women with less access to gynecological and contraceptive services are 22% more likely to experience gender-based violence. However, those who participate in care-sharing programs and have greater access to comprehensive sexual education report 17% fewer cases of violence in their lives. In communities where care redistribution programs have been implemented, women report significant improvements in their quality of life: more time for self-care, greater participation in economic activities, reduced stress and fatigue, and increased ability to recognize and respond to violence.  To address this issue comprehensively, concrete measures must be implemented to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services and promote the redistribution of care work. Expanding access to contraception, family planning, and gynecological care is urgent, as is implementing comprehensive sexual education programs in schools and communities. Additionally, public policies that promote shared caregiving responsibilities must be established so that domestic and dependent care work does not fall exclusively on women. Gender-based violence will not be solved solely through protection measures and support for survivors; a structural transformation is essential to guarantee women autonomy over their health, time, and economic security.   

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the regions where women and girls continue to be disproportionately left behind. The latest data from ECLAC, in their review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, reveal a bleak reality: by 2030, an estimated 20 million women and girls in the region will be living in extreme poverty. But economic hardship is just one layer of a complex web of systemic inequalities that continue to deny women their rights, safety, and dignity.  Women in Latin America and the Caribbean bear an unequal burden of unpaid care work, a structural challenge that perpetuates gender inequality and limits their economic autonomy. Shockingly, one in four women in the region has no income of her own, making financial independence an unattainable goal for many. This economic disparity intersects with a lack of access to health care, as the adolescent reproduction rate remains high, disproportionately affecting the poorest communities. In some countries, more than 35% of young women in the lowest income quintile have had a child during adolescence, perpetuating cycles of poverty and limited opportunities.  The failure to address systemic barriers to health care has had deadly consequences, and they will continue to happen if we do not act. Unlike other regions of the world where maternal mortality rates have improved, Latin America and the Caribbean have seen no such progress. Childbirth and postpartum complications remain among the top three causes of death for adolescent girls aged 15-19. Meanwhile, gender-based violence remains an urgent crisis, with a woman in the region dying a violent death every two hours. According to the report Femicidal violence in figures in Latin America and the Caribbean by ECLAC, national surveys indicate that between 63% and 76% of women and girls have experienced gender-based violence in their lifetime. It’s a harrowing reality that underscores the urgent need for change.  These statistics are unacceptable in a region where governments have signed commitments to gender equality and the eradication of violence against women, such as ECLAC’s Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development. Strategies, of which the Organization of American States’ Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) is an example, and regional agreements exist, yet the political will and tangible responses remain insufficient. The inaction of states is a form of structural violence, one that feminist movements and women’s organizations have long resisted.  For decades, social movements, collectives and non-profit organizations have filled the gaps left by government negligence, providing safe and inclusive health services, advocating for legislative change, and accompanying survivors of violence. IPPF Member Associations in 30 countries across the region continue this essential work, ensuring that no woman or girl is left without support.  Next week, we are actively engaging in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), where it is of utmost importance that governments and stakeholders listen to what we have to say. They must amplify our voices and back our needs at the negotiating table. This is a matter of life and death: we cannot survive unless we prioritize addressing violence, climate change and poverty from a gender standpoint. We call on you: our lives are at stake.  At IPPF, we are unwavering in our commitment to prioritizing women, girls, and vulnerable populations in all their diversity. We will continue to fight for their rights, no matter how long it takes. However, we cannot do it alone. Governments, multilateral agencies, and civil society must come together to take decisive action. The time for empty promises has passed—it is time for urgent, meaningful change.  

Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español. The High-Level Political Forum: Let’s rewrite the rules   From Monday, July 8th, to Wednesday, July 17th, IPPF ACRO, in collaboration with Gestos, our partner organization in Brazil, participated in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, to continue advocating for increased investment by governments in initiatives that are centered on and led by marginalized communities. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) serves as a critical platform for member-states, UN agencies, and civil society to evaluate progress, address challenges, exchange best practices, and promote policies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year it represents a significant advocacy opportunity to engage with the roadmap leading to the Summit of the Future, a pivotal United Nations debate scheduled for September, and offers a chance to enhance collaboration on essential issues around women and youth’s rights, in their diversity, and address gaps in global governance. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are deeply intertwined with the mission and objectives of IPPF as a Federation. Achieving reproductive justice globally requires that women, girls, and all individuals have control over their sexuality, gender, and reproduction. However, for this to become a reality, the basic human rights of all must be guaranteed and protected, including the right to a healthy environment. And only by making progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs, we can move closer to realizing this vision. As a monitoring body for the SDGs, during the High-Level Political Forums, governments present their National Volunteer Reports (VNRs). This facilitates the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2024, eight countries from our region—Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru—presented their VNRs. These reviews enable civil society, including IPPF ACRO, to closely monitor how governments have progressed in advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly in relation to the populations we work with, such as women, youth, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, and other marginalized communities.   Gestos- HIV, Communication and Gender, IPPF Collaborative Partner in Brazil, is the Latin America and the Caribbean Operative Partner of the Women’s Major Group and has been following the Agenda 2030 roadmap closely, as part of their country’s official delegation.   For Germana Aciolly, journalist and policy adviser at Gestos, this is a special year. Brazil is presenting their VNR for the second time and it responds directly to the reports that the Civil Society Working Group for the 2030 Agenda in Brazil has been publishing since 2017. “There is no VNR presented here with such a level of democratic dialogue between civil society and government. This is an important example because, at the same time, we are here to launch our own CSO Spotlight Report that monitors all SDG targets and, unfortunately, it shows that in Brazil only around 7% of the goals are making satisfactory progress. It opens the opportunity, for instance, to debate with the government the immense challenges for women and youth, in all their diversity, in our country that particularly increased by the actions from the previous government.”  

Haz click aquí para leer esta historia en español.     International Women's Day is one of the most relevant Human Rights mobilizations worldwide. In 2024, it marks over 100 years of marches, strikes, worker stoppages, and silent resistances, all of which continue to emphasize the urgency of ensuring equal conditions for women in society. This year, the UN invited the international community to reflect on "Investing in women: accelerating progress," to reaffirm that investing in and guaranteeing women's rights, in all their diversity, benefits all people and society as a whole. To eradicate poverty, transition to clean energy, address hunger and, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality must be a priority for all countries and institutions, whether public or private. And universal access and coverage in health, decent work, quality education, digital inclusion, and the construction of comprehensive and shared care systems are rights that cannot be denied to women and girls.   IPPF ACRO – A diverse, community-centered 8M In IPPF Americas and the Caribbean, our main advocacy on March 8th and every day of the year is to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health for all people. On this International Women's Day, Member Associations, Collaborative Partners, and Secretariat conducted commemorative activities in their services and shared with communities and groups to advocate for health and rights needs. Here are some of their actions:   Argentina In an unfavorable context following the election of an anti-rights president, Fundheg and allies took to the streets to join a social call against the government's extremist measures that endanger the laws and well-being of its people. Marching among feminist groups was, in this case, a powerful reminder that the Green Tide will  strive to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all people.

The Japan Trust Fund (JTF) represents a visionary partnership that began in 2000 between the Government of Japan and IPPF. Together, we invest in programmes that prioritize health equity, gender equality, and human security for all. Traditionally a driving force behind IPPF's efforts to support the integrated HIV prevention programmes of our Member Associations in Africa and Asia, JTF has adjusted to reflect changing global health priorities. We attach importance to universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights - an essential contributor to universal health coverage and the global development goals.     These projects have transformed the lives of people most vulnerable to HIV and high risk of maternal and child mortality. Equally, it ensures that as a donor, the GOJ’s response to HIV remains people-centred and contributes to human security.      

IPPF collaborates with UNAIDS and The PACT to implement ACT!2030 (formerly ACT!2015), a youth-led social action initiative which engages young people in 12 countries with advocacy and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other SRHR agreements/frameworks. ACT!2030 was initiated in 2013 as a way to increase youth participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and for two years focused on establishing alliances of youth-led and youth-serving organisations in 12 countries across the world. The project is currently in Phase 4, which runs until the end of 2017, and aims to establish youth-led, data-driven accountability mechanisms to ensure youth engagement with the implementation of the SDGs and build an evidence base for advocacy. Ultimately, Phase 4 of ACT!2030 seeks to identify, assess and address key policy barriers to young people’s sexual and reproductive data by using existing data, supplemented by youth-collected data, to advocate and lobby for policy change. This phase involves four main activities: indicator advocacy (persuading decision makers to adopt youth-friendly SRHR and HIV indicators, including on things like comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and access to youth-friendly services, into national/global reporting mechanisms); evidence gathering (creating national databases on quality of and access to youth-friendly services and CSE); communications (transforming this data and evidence into communications pieces that can be used to advocacy and lobby at national and international level); and global exchange (facilitating global visibility to share advocacy and engagement learnings and increase youth-led accountability in global and regional processes). ACT!2030 is implemented by national alliances of youth organisations in 12 countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

This programme addresses critical challenges faced by young women around sexual health and sexuality. It has produced a range of advocacy, education and informational materials to support research, awareness-raising, advocacy and service delivery.    Girls Decide is about the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women. Around the world, girls aged 10 to 19 account for 23% of all disease associated with pregnancy and childbirth. An estimated 2.5 million have unsafe abortions every year. Worldwide, young women account for 60% of the 5.5 million young people living with HIV and/or AIDS. Girls Decide has produced a range of advocacy, education and informational materials to support work to improve sexual health and rights for girls and young women. These include a series of films on sexual and reproductive health decisions faced by 6 young women in 6 different countries. The films won the prestigious International Video and Communications Award (IVCA). When girls and young women have access to critical lifesaving services and information, and when they are able to make meaningful choices about their life path, they are empowered. Their quality of life improves, as does the well-being of their families and the communities in which they live. Their collective ability to achieve internationally agreed development goals is strengthened. Almost all IPPF Member Associations provide services to young people and 1 in every 3 clients is a young person below the age of 25. All young women and girls are rights-holders and are entitled to sexual and reproductive rights. As a matter of principle, the IPPF Secretariat and Member Associations stand by girls by respecting and fulfilling their right to high quality services; they stand up for girls by supporting them in making their own decisions related to sexuality and pregnancy; they stand for sexual and reproductive rights by addressing the challenges faced by young women and girls at local, national and international levels.

Under the Evidence project, IPPF is undertaking innovative research on respecting, protecting and promoting human rights in family planning/reproductive health services and ensuring community voices are part of efforts to improve and strengthen family planning programming. The Evidence Project uses implementation science to improve family planning policies, programs, and practices. Led by the Population Council in partnership with INDEPTH Network, International Planned Parenthood Federation, PATH, Population Reference Bureau, and the project’s University Resource Network, the five-year project (2013–2018) is investigating which strategies work best in improving, expanding, and sustaining family planning services. IPPF is leading on two cross-cutting areas of research. Firstly under the Evidence project, we are undertaking research on how the respect and protection of human rights of women and girls can be instituted and operationalised, and how programs can be held accountable for providing high-quality services. http://evidenceproject.popcouncil.org/technical-areas-and-activities/equity-rights-and-accountability. In order to address the need for indicators and tools for rights based family planning, the Evidence Project has partnered with global experts on human rights and family planning, the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s Sustainable Network Project (SIFPO/IPPF) and with colleagues at Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) to develop and validate the Rights-Based Family Planning (RBFP) Service Delivery Index in Uganda. This is work is being undertaken in close collaboration with the Economic Policy Research Centre Uganda and University College London.  In addition, we are undertaking a variety of activities that aim to contribute to a deeper knowledge of whether and how the implementation of accountability mechanisms in family planning and reproductive health programs improves clients’ access to and quality of services.   For example, a multi-site case study in Uganda uses process evaluation methodology to explore the implementation of two social accountability programs, aiming to determine what hinders and facilitates engagement at the community level and its translation into improved social accountability processes and reproductive health outcomes.   http://evidenceproject.popcouncil.org/accountability-mechanisms-to-improve-family-planning-and-reproductive-health-programs/