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Camilo Jimenez

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Latest news from across the federation and our partners

Latest press releases

A selection of stories from across the Federation

Alvaro with YAM Ghana

Ghana

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Ghana: From The Community Level, To The Highest Political Offices, IPPF Director General Advocates For SRHR For All

Accra, February 14, 2024 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Director General, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, concluded a three-day visit to Ghana this week hosted by IPPF member association Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG). High-level meetings with authorities and partners alongside community-level engagements underscored the two organizations’ commitment to expanding access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare. 
Alvaro in Cote d'Ivoire
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| 13 February 2024

Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Côte d’Ivoire: highlights from the IPPF Director General’s visit

Abidjan, February 13, 2024 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Director General, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, concluded a four-day visit to Côte d’Ivoire last week. Hosted by IPPF member association « Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Être Familial (AIBEF) », Dr. Bermejo met with key stakeholders to discuss priorities and challenges related to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the country.  “I want to thank the Ivorian government for its efforts and partnership with AIBEF over the years to expand access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare information and services. During my meetings, I emphasized IPPF’s commitment to continue investing and supporting the country’s SRHR efforts. An improved legal framework would facilitate our work and allow us to achieve greater impact,” said Dr. Bermejo.  Highlights from the visit included meetings with the Minister of Health, Dr. Pierre Dimba, the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Dr. Eugène Aka Aouélé, and the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Women, Family and Children, Mr. Moussa Diarrassouba. Discussions focused on ongoing collaboration and future opportunities to strengthen SRHR policy, programming and awareness in Côte d’Ivoire.  Dr. Bermejo also met with key partners including UNFPA, PSI, MSI, IPAS, PATHFINDER and local NGOs supporting AIBEF’s work on the ground. Partners highlighted impactful partnerships on various SRHR issues and exploring ways to enhance collaboration moving forward. The visit also included a meeting with UNAIDS Country Office to identify opportunities for closer collaboration between HIV and family planning services.  At the community level, Dr. Bermejo visited “Espace Confiance”, an AIBEF-supported clinic providing SRHR services to key populations, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, transgender people, and sex workers. He spoke directly with clients to better understand the services they access and persistent barriers faced. Finally, recognizing the importance of leaving no one behind, the Director General visited the National Ivorian Institute for the Promotion of the Blind (INIPA) which recently received support from AIBEF to translate a comprehensive sexuality education manual into braille so visually impaired young people can access this critical information.  “This visit allowed for critical high-level discussions about how we can work together to fully meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of all people in Côte d’Ivoire. It also revealed grassroots perspectives to ensure our programmes address barriers and gaps experienced by key populations and marginalized groups on a daily basis as we advance universal health coverage,” concluded Dr. Bermejo.   

Alvaro in Cote d'Ivoire
media_center

| 28 March 2024

Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Côte d’Ivoire: highlights from the IPPF Director General’s visit

Abidjan, February 13, 2024 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Director General, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, concluded a four-day visit to Côte d’Ivoire last week. Hosted by IPPF member association « Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Être Familial (AIBEF) », Dr. Bermejo met with key stakeholders to discuss priorities and challenges related to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the country.  “I want to thank the Ivorian government for its efforts and partnership with AIBEF over the years to expand access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare information and services. During my meetings, I emphasized IPPF’s commitment to continue investing and supporting the country’s SRHR efforts. An improved legal framework would facilitate our work and allow us to achieve greater impact,” said Dr. Bermejo.  Highlights from the visit included meetings with the Minister of Health, Dr. Pierre Dimba, the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Dr. Eugène Aka Aouélé, and the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Women, Family and Children, Mr. Moussa Diarrassouba. Discussions focused on ongoing collaboration and future opportunities to strengthen SRHR policy, programming and awareness in Côte d’Ivoire.  Dr. Bermejo also met with key partners including UNFPA, PSI, MSI, IPAS, PATHFINDER and local NGOs supporting AIBEF’s work on the ground. Partners highlighted impactful partnerships on various SRHR issues and exploring ways to enhance collaboration moving forward. The visit also included a meeting with UNAIDS Country Office to identify opportunities for closer collaboration between HIV and family planning services.  At the community level, Dr. Bermejo visited “Espace Confiance”, an AIBEF-supported clinic providing SRHR services to key populations, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, transgender people, and sex workers. He spoke directly with clients to better understand the services they access and persistent barriers faced. Finally, recognizing the importance of leaving no one behind, the Director General visited the National Ivorian Institute for the Promotion of the Blind (INIPA) which recently received support from AIBEF to translate a comprehensive sexuality education manual into braille so visually impaired young people can access this critical information.  “This visit allowed for critical high-level discussions about how we can work together to fully meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of all people in Côte d’Ivoire. It also revealed grassroots perspectives to ensure our programmes address barriers and gaps experienced by key populations and marginalized groups on a daily basis as we advance universal health coverage,” concluded Dr. Bermejo.   

Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry
media center

| 09 February 2023

Feminist Opportunities Now: Empowering Feminist Organisations Around The World

7 February 2023, Nairobi, Kenya – The International Planned Parenthood (IPPF) Africa Region in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, launches a new program which aims at strengthening feminist civil society organisations (CSOs) in 10 countries and over 3 continents – the Feminist Opportunities Now (FON) project. The Feminist Opportunities Now project will help small feminist local organisations become more diverse and resilient when addressing and responding to gender-based violence, inequalities, discrimination and other human rights violations related to gender. The program is funded by the French Government via the French Development Agency (AFD). This project will be implemented in 10 countries, including six in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Ethiopia, Kenya and potentially Niger). Others are Colombia, Mexico, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Speaking during the launch of the FON project held at the French Embassy in Nairobi on 7 February, the IPPF Africa Regional Director, Ms. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry said “gender-based violence in all its forms is recognised as a human rights violation by the international human rights framework and jurisprudence. Gender inequality, power imbalance and lack of respect for human rights are often the root causes of such heinous acts and prevent survivors from accessing and enjoying their full sexual and reproductive health and rights. As human rights defenders, we must all take a stand and put a stop to these inexcusable acts.” The Feminist Opportunities Now is a project which is grounded on feminist principles with a deep commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and the fight against inequalities and discrimination, especially against women and girls. END For media enquiries, please contact: Mahmoud Garga, Lead Specialist -Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) on [email protected] / Tel: +254 704 626 920 ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW (FON) PROJECT The objective of the project Feminist Opportunities Now (FON), is to build the capacity of women's movements, via sub-grants to feminist organisations, with a particular effort to reaching small, often non-registered, organisations to address and respond to gender-based violence. The programme is developed based on an ecological model, using multi-disciplinary gender-transformative approaches. In addition to direct sub-granting (for € 7 million), FON will also provide a unique opportunity for longer-term mentorship to support feminist organisations in their overall development, with trainings specifically tailored to their needs. FON will also uniquely support the organisations to identify other/diverse sources of funding and also includes a research-action component to understand how these approaches can be scaled-up and made sustainable. ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organization in Africa, and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube. ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW CONSORTIUM The consortium that will implement this project is composed of the International Federation for Family Planning Africa Regional Office as lead agency, Creating Resources for Empowerment and Action Inc. (CREA), Empow'Her (EH), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Médecins du Monde-France (MdM-FR).  

Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry
media_center

| 28 March 2024

Feminist Opportunities Now: Empowering Feminist Organisations Around The World

7 February 2023, Nairobi, Kenya – The International Planned Parenthood (IPPF) Africa Region in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, launches a new program which aims at strengthening feminist civil society organisations (CSOs) in 10 countries and over 3 continents – the Feminist Opportunities Now (FON) project. The Feminist Opportunities Now project will help small feminist local organisations become more diverse and resilient when addressing and responding to gender-based violence, inequalities, discrimination and other human rights violations related to gender. The program is funded by the French Government via the French Development Agency (AFD). This project will be implemented in 10 countries, including six in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Ethiopia, Kenya and potentially Niger). Others are Colombia, Mexico, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Speaking during the launch of the FON project held at the French Embassy in Nairobi on 7 February, the IPPF Africa Regional Director, Ms. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry said “gender-based violence in all its forms is recognised as a human rights violation by the international human rights framework and jurisprudence. Gender inequality, power imbalance and lack of respect for human rights are often the root causes of such heinous acts and prevent survivors from accessing and enjoying their full sexual and reproductive health and rights. As human rights defenders, we must all take a stand and put a stop to these inexcusable acts.” The Feminist Opportunities Now is a project which is grounded on feminist principles with a deep commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and the fight against inequalities and discrimination, especially against women and girls. END For media enquiries, please contact: Mahmoud Garga, Lead Specialist -Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) on [email protected] / Tel: +254 704 626 920 ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW (FON) PROJECT The objective of the project Feminist Opportunities Now (FON), is to build the capacity of women's movements, via sub-grants to feminist organisations, with a particular effort to reaching small, often non-registered, organisations to address and respond to gender-based violence. The programme is developed based on an ecological model, using multi-disciplinary gender-transformative approaches. In addition to direct sub-granting (for € 7 million), FON will also provide a unique opportunity for longer-term mentorship to support feminist organisations in their overall development, with trainings specifically tailored to their needs. FON will also uniquely support the organisations to identify other/diverse sources of funding and also includes a research-action component to understand how these approaches can be scaled-up and made sustainable. ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organization in Africa, and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube. ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW CONSORTIUM The consortium that will implement this project is composed of the International Federation for Family Planning Africa Regional Office as lead agency, Creating Resources for Empowerment and Action Inc. (CREA), Empow'Her (EH), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Médecins du Monde-France (MdM-FR).  

Alvaro in Cote d'Ivoire
media center

| 13 February 2024

Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Côte d’Ivoire: highlights from the IPPF Director General’s visit

Abidjan, February 13, 2024 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Director General, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, concluded a four-day visit to Côte d’Ivoire last week. Hosted by IPPF member association « Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Être Familial (AIBEF) », Dr. Bermejo met with key stakeholders to discuss priorities and challenges related to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the country.  “I want to thank the Ivorian government for its efforts and partnership with AIBEF over the years to expand access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare information and services. During my meetings, I emphasized IPPF’s commitment to continue investing and supporting the country’s SRHR efforts. An improved legal framework would facilitate our work and allow us to achieve greater impact,” said Dr. Bermejo.  Highlights from the visit included meetings with the Minister of Health, Dr. Pierre Dimba, the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Dr. Eugène Aka Aouélé, and the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Women, Family and Children, Mr. Moussa Diarrassouba. Discussions focused on ongoing collaboration and future opportunities to strengthen SRHR policy, programming and awareness in Côte d’Ivoire.  Dr. Bermejo also met with key partners including UNFPA, PSI, MSI, IPAS, PATHFINDER and local NGOs supporting AIBEF’s work on the ground. Partners highlighted impactful partnerships on various SRHR issues and exploring ways to enhance collaboration moving forward. The visit also included a meeting with UNAIDS Country Office to identify opportunities for closer collaboration between HIV and family planning services.  At the community level, Dr. Bermejo visited “Espace Confiance”, an AIBEF-supported clinic providing SRHR services to key populations, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, transgender people, and sex workers. He spoke directly with clients to better understand the services they access and persistent barriers faced. Finally, recognizing the importance of leaving no one behind, the Director General visited the National Ivorian Institute for the Promotion of the Blind (INIPA) which recently received support from AIBEF to translate a comprehensive sexuality education manual into braille so visually impaired young people can access this critical information.  “This visit allowed for critical high-level discussions about how we can work together to fully meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of all people in Côte d’Ivoire. It also revealed grassroots perspectives to ensure our programmes address barriers and gaps experienced by key populations and marginalized groups on a daily basis as we advance universal health coverage,” concluded Dr. Bermejo.   

Alvaro in Cote d'Ivoire
media_center

| 28 March 2024

Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Côte d’Ivoire: highlights from the IPPF Director General’s visit

Abidjan, February 13, 2024 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Director General, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, concluded a four-day visit to Côte d’Ivoire last week. Hosted by IPPF member association « Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Être Familial (AIBEF) », Dr. Bermejo met with key stakeholders to discuss priorities and challenges related to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the country.  “I want to thank the Ivorian government for its efforts and partnership with AIBEF over the years to expand access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare information and services. During my meetings, I emphasized IPPF’s commitment to continue investing and supporting the country’s SRHR efforts. An improved legal framework would facilitate our work and allow us to achieve greater impact,” said Dr. Bermejo.  Highlights from the visit included meetings with the Minister of Health, Dr. Pierre Dimba, the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Dr. Eugène Aka Aouélé, and the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Women, Family and Children, Mr. Moussa Diarrassouba. Discussions focused on ongoing collaboration and future opportunities to strengthen SRHR policy, programming and awareness in Côte d’Ivoire.  Dr. Bermejo also met with key partners including UNFPA, PSI, MSI, IPAS, PATHFINDER and local NGOs supporting AIBEF’s work on the ground. Partners highlighted impactful partnerships on various SRHR issues and exploring ways to enhance collaboration moving forward. The visit also included a meeting with UNAIDS Country Office to identify opportunities for closer collaboration between HIV and family planning services.  At the community level, Dr. Bermejo visited “Espace Confiance”, an AIBEF-supported clinic providing SRHR services to key populations, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, transgender people, and sex workers. He spoke directly with clients to better understand the services they access and persistent barriers faced. Finally, recognizing the importance of leaving no one behind, the Director General visited the National Ivorian Institute for the Promotion of the Blind (INIPA) which recently received support from AIBEF to translate a comprehensive sexuality education manual into braille so visually impaired young people can access this critical information.  “This visit allowed for critical high-level discussions about how we can work together to fully meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of all people in Côte d’Ivoire. It also revealed grassroots perspectives to ensure our programmes address barriers and gaps experienced by key populations and marginalized groups on a daily basis as we advance universal health coverage,” concluded Dr. Bermejo.   

Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry
media center

| 09 February 2023

Feminist Opportunities Now: Empowering Feminist Organisations Around The World

7 February 2023, Nairobi, Kenya – The International Planned Parenthood (IPPF) Africa Region in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, launches a new program which aims at strengthening feminist civil society organisations (CSOs) in 10 countries and over 3 continents – the Feminist Opportunities Now (FON) project. The Feminist Opportunities Now project will help small feminist local organisations become more diverse and resilient when addressing and responding to gender-based violence, inequalities, discrimination and other human rights violations related to gender. The program is funded by the French Government via the French Development Agency (AFD). This project will be implemented in 10 countries, including six in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Ethiopia, Kenya and potentially Niger). Others are Colombia, Mexico, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Speaking during the launch of the FON project held at the French Embassy in Nairobi on 7 February, the IPPF Africa Regional Director, Ms. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry said “gender-based violence in all its forms is recognised as a human rights violation by the international human rights framework and jurisprudence. Gender inequality, power imbalance and lack of respect for human rights are often the root causes of such heinous acts and prevent survivors from accessing and enjoying their full sexual and reproductive health and rights. As human rights defenders, we must all take a stand and put a stop to these inexcusable acts.” The Feminist Opportunities Now is a project which is grounded on feminist principles with a deep commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and the fight against inequalities and discrimination, especially against women and girls. END For media enquiries, please contact: Mahmoud Garga, Lead Specialist -Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) on [email protected] / Tel: +254 704 626 920 ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW (FON) PROJECT The objective of the project Feminist Opportunities Now (FON), is to build the capacity of women's movements, via sub-grants to feminist organisations, with a particular effort to reaching small, often non-registered, organisations to address and respond to gender-based violence. The programme is developed based on an ecological model, using multi-disciplinary gender-transformative approaches. In addition to direct sub-granting (for € 7 million), FON will also provide a unique opportunity for longer-term mentorship to support feminist organisations in their overall development, with trainings specifically tailored to their needs. FON will also uniquely support the organisations to identify other/diverse sources of funding and also includes a research-action component to understand how these approaches can be scaled-up and made sustainable. ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organization in Africa, and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube. ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW CONSORTIUM The consortium that will implement this project is composed of the International Federation for Family Planning Africa Regional Office as lead agency, Creating Resources for Empowerment and Action Inc. (CREA), Empow'Her (EH), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Médecins du Monde-France (MdM-FR).  

Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry
media_center

| 28 March 2024

Feminist Opportunities Now: Empowering Feminist Organisations Around The World

7 February 2023, Nairobi, Kenya – The International Planned Parenthood (IPPF) Africa Region in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, launches a new program which aims at strengthening feminist civil society organisations (CSOs) in 10 countries and over 3 continents – the Feminist Opportunities Now (FON) project. The Feminist Opportunities Now project will help small feminist local organisations become more diverse and resilient when addressing and responding to gender-based violence, inequalities, discrimination and other human rights violations related to gender. The program is funded by the French Government via the French Development Agency (AFD). This project will be implemented in 10 countries, including six in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Ethiopia, Kenya and potentially Niger). Others are Colombia, Mexico, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Speaking during the launch of the FON project held at the French Embassy in Nairobi on 7 February, the IPPF Africa Regional Director, Ms. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry said “gender-based violence in all its forms is recognised as a human rights violation by the international human rights framework and jurisprudence. Gender inequality, power imbalance and lack of respect for human rights are often the root causes of such heinous acts and prevent survivors from accessing and enjoying their full sexual and reproductive health and rights. As human rights defenders, we must all take a stand and put a stop to these inexcusable acts.” The Feminist Opportunities Now is a project which is grounded on feminist principles with a deep commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and the fight against inequalities and discrimination, especially against women and girls. END For media enquiries, please contact: Mahmoud Garga, Lead Specialist -Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) on [email protected] / Tel: +254 704 626 920 ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW (FON) PROJECT The objective of the project Feminist Opportunities Now (FON), is to build the capacity of women's movements, via sub-grants to feminist organisations, with a particular effort to reaching small, often non-registered, organisations to address and respond to gender-based violence. The programme is developed based on an ecological model, using multi-disciplinary gender-transformative approaches. In addition to direct sub-granting (for € 7 million), FON will also provide a unique opportunity for longer-term mentorship to support feminist organisations in their overall development, with trainings specifically tailored to their needs. FON will also uniquely support the organisations to identify other/diverse sources of funding and also includes a research-action component to understand how these approaches can be scaled-up and made sustainable. ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organization in Africa, and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube. ABOUT THE FEMINIST OPPORTUNITIES NOW CONSORTIUM The consortium that will implement this project is composed of the International Federation for Family Planning Africa Regional Office as lead agency, Creating Resources for Empowerment and Action Inc. (CREA), Empow'Her (EH), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Médecins du Monde-France (MdM-FR).