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Nairobi, 23 September 2024 – A groundbreaking £75.125 million project has been announced by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and its partners, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Options, Ipas, and Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programmes, to transform sexual and reproductive health services across East and Southern Africa. This large-scale initiative will benefit seven countries, supporting millions of women, girls, and vulnerable communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Zambia. This programme, known as Women’s Integrated Sexual Health 2 (WISH 2) Lot 2, is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). As part of FCDO WISH Dividend, it builds on the successes of FCDO’s £272 million Women’s Integrated Sexual Health (2018-2024) programme, which spanned 27 countries across Africa and Asia. Over its lifespan, the first WISH programme supported over an estimated 16.9 million women and girls, helping them gain access to critical SRHR services. FCDO’s continued partnership with IPPF for this next phase of WISH was unveiled by FCDO's Chris Carter, on behalf of the UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) side event, “SRHR: Securing reproductive choice for the next generation.” Announcing FCDO’s partnerships with IPPF, MSI Reproductive Choices and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Chris Carter noted the new programme will play a critical role in increasing women's voice, choice and control across 13 countries in Africa.” With the goal of delivering over seven million ‘couple years protection,’ the programme will address critical healthcare gaps, promote reproductive choice, and tackle harmful social norms. It will also provide urgent support to improve policies, strengthen health systems, and safeguard the reproductive rights of women and girls, especially in areas affected by conflict and displacement. At the heart of this initiative is a focus on reaching the most marginalised groups, including young women and girls under 20, those living in poverty, people with disabilities, and communities in conflict zones. Importantly, WISH2 will also work to improve access to safe abortion care and counteract the growing threats to women’s and girls' sexual and reproductive health rights. IPPF Director General Dr Alvaro Bermejo emphasised the critical need to protect and expand access to SRHR. “WISH2 will continue our mission of empowering women and girls across Africa to unlock their full potential. We will not only tackle the rollback of SRHR rights but also strengthen disability inclusion while delivering sustainable healthcare solutions,” said Dr Bermejo. “We’re grateful to the UK Government for their unwavering support in this important work.” Elshafie Mohamed Ali, Executive Director of Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA) said “WISH2 is essential given Sudan’s current circumstances, particularly the ongoing conflict since April 15, 2023. The programme addresses the growing need for sexual and reproductive health services, offering crucial support to vulnerable communities amidst increasing instability and humanitarian challenges.” Chris Carter, Deputy Director, Head of Human Development Department, highlighted the impact of this new initiative: “Access to sexual and reproductive health services saves lives, empowers women and girls, and supports education, transforming lives and entire livelihoods. This project will amplify women’s voice, choice, and control across Africa, and we are proud to partner with IPPF and African organizations in this critical mission.” For media enquiries, please contact [email protected]  

Nairobi, Kenya: 12 October 2023 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) notes with concern an internal memo sent by the Zambian Ministry of Health to all provincial health directors and cooperating partners dated 21 September 2023, which advises against the use of the term “sexual and reproductive health and rights” and to instead refer to “reproductive health and rights” only. The Zambian Ministry of Health’s rationale for the removal of the terms “sexual health and rights” is that “the inclusion of the words “sexual” and “rights” in the same phrase is the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Qveer (sic) rights” (MoH Zambia, 2023). This is correct, as “sexual rights are constituted by a set of entitlements related to the sexuality of all persons regardless of their gender, gender identity and/or expression, that emanate from the rights to freedom, equality, privacy, autonomy, integrity and dignity of all people” (IPPF, 2016) – and like all rights, sexual rights are interconnected, indivisible, and applicable to all.  “Removing reference to sexual health and rights has real-world implications for people, especially women, and girls, including an entrenchment of patriarchal norms and a framing of people's bodies as useful for reproductive purposes only. This has far-reaching negative implications that are demonstrated by an increase in female genital mutilation and child marriage, and forced treatments, including sterilisation, virginity examinations, and abortions. Removal of sexual rights could also lead to the subjecting of women’s access to sexual health services to external approval, for example from a husband or male relative.”, said Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry, IPPF Africa Regional Director. The inclusion of the term “sexual health and rights” protects the rights of women and girls to consent to sexual activity and treatments, and to access information that allows them to make informed decisions about their sexual health. In addition to offering equality for women in freely deciding the spacing of their children, sexual rights also protect the right to bodily autonomy and to make informed decisions about one’s body. Furthermore, sexual health and rights are closely associated with the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Removal of these terms could negatively affect the provision of services to, and rights of people living positively and needing access to treatment and other forms of support services. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry added that: “IPPF Africa echoes the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission report (2018), sexual health and rights are not just words, behind them are real people; especially women and girls who need to access services that aim to provide a state of complete physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. These services are protected by sexual rights that protect all people’s rights to fulfill and express their sexuality and enjoy sexual health free from coercion.” IPPFAR reiterates that the Government of Zambia is party to several commitments in which sexual and reproductive health and rights are central – including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the African Charter on People’s and Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Furthermore, as Lusaka will host the AU/UNECA ICPD+30 Africa Region Consultation in November 2023, it is critical to recall that the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) affirmed that Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights are Human Rights. If we are to achieve these commitments 30 years later, it is critical that Zambia recommits to the attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.   END For further information or to request an interview, please contact: -Mahmoud GARGA, Lead Specialist - Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) – email: [email protected] / Tel: +254 704 626 920   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. Supported by thousands of volunteers, IPPFAR tackles the continent’s growing SRHR challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs) in 40 countries. We do this by developing our MAs into efficient entities with the capacity to deliver and sustain high quality, youth focused and gender sensitive services. We work with Governments, the African Union, Regional Economic Commissions, the Pan-African Parliament, United Nations bodies among others to expand political and financial commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa. Learn more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube.