Nairobi, Kenya, 08 January 2024 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) condemns in the strongest terms the brutal knife attack on Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist Steven Kabuye. This shocking act of violence is an affront to basic human rights and dignity. “What happened to Steven is unacceptable and inexcusable,” said Marie-Evelyne PETRUS-BARRY, IPPF Africa Regional Director. “No one should face threats, violence or persecution because of who they are or who they love. Steven was exercising his basic right to live openly and authentically - a right that belongs to everyone.” Kabuye was stabbed multiple times by unknown assailants and left for dead on his way to work on January 3rd, 2023. This comes after Kabuye reported receiving death threats related to his LGBTQ+ advocacy work. Sadly, this brutal attack reflects a broader climate of intolerance and hostility towards LGBTQ+ people in Uganda. Just last year, Uganda instituted one of the world’s most oppressive anti-LGBTQ+ laws, criminalizing same-sex relations and “aggravated homosexuality.” “Such regressive legislation breeds discrimination and violence,” said Marie-Evelyne PETRUS-BARRY. “We call on the Ugandan authorities to urgently investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. But more broadly, the government must reconsider laws that deny LGBTQ+ people their basic human rights and dignity - universal rights. No one deserves to live in fear because of who they are.” IPPFAR stands firmly with the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda and across Africa. All people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, deserve to live freely and safely. We believe reproductive rights and broader human rights are interlinked and universal. IPPFAR calls on civil society, faith institutions, cultural leaders and policymakers to: Unequivocally condemn violence against LGBTQ+ individuals Advocate repeal of laws criminalizing homosexuality Push for legal protections against LGBTQ+ discrimination Support health, psychosocial and security assistance for LGBTQ+ people Amplify LGBTQ+ voices and stories in national discourse “Only by embracing our shared dignity can we build a just society. There is no room for homophobia, transphobia or exclusion of any kind,” Marie-Evelyne PETRUS-BARRY concluded. IPPFAR stands ready to support efforts toward a more equal, inclusive Uganda where everyone can enjoy their rights and freedoms in full. Most urgently, our hearts remain with Steven Kabuye and the entire LGBTQ+ community in Uganda during this difficult time. Violence and dehumanization will not silence your voices or quash your spirit. Hatred cannot defeat love if we stand united for one another’s humanity. END For more on IPPFAR's statements on the Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda: 23 March 2023 - Uganda: IPPF Africa Region strongly urges the government not to enact the new harmful anti – LGBTIQ+ law 10 May 2023 - Uganda: IPPF Africa Region Urges President Museveni to Veto Harmful New Anti-Rights Law Targeting LGBTIQ+ Community 30 May 2023 - IPPF Africa Condemns Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act as a Violation of Human Rights And Sexual And Reproductive Rights For further information or to request an interview, please contact: - Moctar MENTA, Media Advisor - IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFAR) – email: [email protected] / Tel: +254 0113 896 555 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, and 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.

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.

Nairobi, Kenya, 10th September 2023 – The International Planned Parenthood Federation African Region (IPPFAR) proudly presents 'Common Senses', a digital campaign for Sub-Saharan African youths, aiming to challenge stereotypes about Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), gender, and people with disabilities, in English, French, and Portuguese. Let’s change the narrative! Difference in all of its forms is not understood and often feared. What if, instead of focusing on differences, we focus on what we have in common? To raise awareness and sensitize adolescents and youth on stereotypes related to SRHR and gender, the campaign will stimulate people to experience empathy in a way they have never been able to before. The movement, grounded in common sense and human values, aims to break common misconceptions, inviting the audience to think, discuss, and debunk these myths. It highlights stereotypes rooted in social constructs like culture, education, dogmas, society, educators, and family values. “At IPPF we believe lasting change comes through understanding one another’s perspectives. #CommonSenses seeks to unite us through our common humanity rather than divide us by our differences,” said IPPF Africa Regional Director Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry at the campaign launch. Using the power of empathy and shared human experiences, Common Senses aims to transform topics once seen as taboo into an open, judgement-free conversation. It aims at: Celebrating the common senses that humanise and bond us beyond our differences, through the values of Ubuntu. Changing the narrative around Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression, and roles by creating and supporting a new narrative towards what is just, honest, and undeniably human. Empowering the audience by informing and educating them on simple terms relatable to women & young girls, persons with disabilities, and LGBTIQ+ Community. Campaign Overview Rooted in the Ubuntu philosophy, this campaign invites African youths to embrace the common senses and fundamental principles that unite us all: freedom, passion, togetherness, and humanity. Take the challenge, challenge your #CommonSenses! We’re all just #UndeniablyHuman. Our "Common Senses" campaign unfolds across six major social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Linkedin. Common Senses campaign has been launched since the 1st of September 2023 and will run for 3 months until November 2023. To mark the inception of the campaign, we're excited to unveil a compelling launching video that encapsulates the essence of "Common Senses." This video sets the tone for the transformative journey ahead, inviting all African youths to join hands in reshaping narratives and breaking stereotypes. At the heart of the campaign will be a series of three impactful video series showing the world through the eyes of marginalized groups, including LGBTQI+ and transgender individuals, people with disabilities, and victims of sexual harassment. By evoking empathy, these stories will encourage audiences to reconsider preconceived notions around topics like gender identity, sexual orientation, and women’s rights. IPPF is inviting people across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond to join Common Senses by opening their eyes, ears and minds. “This is not about pointing fingers or assigning blame. It is about realizing we have more in common than we think. Let’s just approach each other with empathy first,” Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry stated. CONTEXT BEHIND THE MAKING OF ‘COMMON SENSES’ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is a human rights concept applied to sexuality and reproduction, encompassing a range of fundamental human rights, such as the right to life, health, privacy, education, and freedom from discrimination. These principles ensure that everyone is entitled to accessible reproductive healthcare, information, and facilities without discrimination. Despite these rights, gender stereotypes often obstruct access to SRHR, especially for women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals ('key populations'). These stereotypes persist in many Sub-Saharan countries, underlining the need for a shift in mindset and youth engagement to reshape narratives regarding SRHR and gender. Figures of Women & Young Girls Facing Stereotypes:  Gender inequality and stereotypes deny women access to reproductive healthcare. With 31% of African females aged 20-24 married before 18, addressing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights is vital.[1] A 2021 UNFPA study revealed that approximately 49 million sexually active women in East and Southern Africa lack access to modern contraception and family planning services, resulting in adolescent pregnancy rates in the region being twice the global average, at 92 births per 1,000 girls. 37% of ever-partnered women above the age of 15 in low and middle-income countries in the African region had experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.[2] Figures of Persons with Disabilities Facing Stereotypes: Persons with disabilities face a myriad of demand and supply-side barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health care in Sub-Saharan Africa because of systemic discrimination and denial of their needs. Figures of LGBTIQ+ Community Facing Stereotypes: According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA), 33 of the 54 African states recognised by the UN have laws that criminalise same-sex sexual acts. In most of the 21 other African countries, homosexuality is not criminalised in legislation. However, in some, provisions penalising ‘acts against nature’, ‘indecency’, or ‘debauchery’ are used against LGBTIQ persons. TESTIMONIALS Women & Young Girls “Our church doctrine is that girls must marry when they are between 12- and 16-years-old to make sure they do not sin by having sexual relations outside marriage. As soon as a girl reaches puberty any man in the church can claim her for a wife.”- women, South Sudan, 2015[3]. Persons with Disabilities “Most of the ladies like to tease me and they say, “Come, I want to marry you”. Then they say, “If I marry you, how are you going to satisfy me sex-wise?” I said, “That’s the problem with you people when you look at people with spinal cord injuries, people with physical disabilities, you still have that mindset of saying that they can’t have sex, they can’t do this or they can’t do that. That is your big mistake. We can have sex. We can live a normal life like everyone else. So, that thing must come out of your mind.”— Mandla, February 2021 - South Africa[4] LGBTIQ+ Community “I am a human being before who I have sex with. I could be a doctor giving services at the health care centre, but the media portrays me just as a sex addict.” - Jam Session, 2023. NOTES TO EDITORS: For more information, please visit africa.ippf.org or follow us on @Facebook, @Instagram, and @Twitter. ABOUT IPPFAR The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organization and sexual and reproductive rights advocacy voice in Africa through its Member Associations (MAs) in 40 countries. All people are free to make choices about their sexuality and well-being, in a world without discrimination. To continue the mission of safeguarding universal access to SRHR for all as a fundamental right in Sub-Saharian Africa, there is the need to work strategically on demystifying the harmful stereotypes related to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and gender. For enquiries please contact: Moctar MENTA, Media Advisor, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) – email: [email protected] -Phone +254 113 896 555 [1] Global causes of maternal death: a WHO systematic analysis. Lale Say, Doris Chou, Alison Gemmill, Özge Tunçalp, Ann-Beth Moller, Jane Daniels, A Metin Gülmezoglu, Marleen Temmerman, Leontine Alkema. 6, 2014, Lancet Global Health, Vol. 2 [2] World Health Organization. Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and nonpartner sexual violence. 2013 [3] Human rights watch https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/12/09/ending-child-marriage-afric [4] Physical Disability and Sexuality Stories from South Africa, Palgrave Macmillan Cham, 2021

On 16 August 2023, Japanese House of Representatives member Dr Toshiko Abe visited head office and the Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services Centre of IPPF’s Member Association in Mozambique, the Associação Moçambicana para Desenvolvimento da Família (AMODEFA). Dr Abe visited one of AMODEFA’s eight youth centres in a particularly marginalised and high poverty density area, where youth friendly health services is difficult to reach for the local youth who need them most. Their youth centre functions as the hub of youth target activities such as provision of a range of services from HIV testing and treatment to SRHR counselling and other information and services around sexual health and rights. In 2022, 23.57 % of AMODEFA’s family planning services were provided to clients under 20 years. AMODEFA was established in 1989 and has been IPPF’s Full Member Association since 2010. It is an independent, non-profit, and non-governmental association working in 10 provinces in Mozambique. As the leading service provider in Mozambique, AMODEFA provides comprehensive and diverse sexual and reproductive health, including that related to SGBV. Their focus is on vulnerable people such as women, girls, people with disabilities.  

As advocates for Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, it is essential to mark significant milestones that have helped shape and protect the rights of women. In this spirit, International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is proud to introduce the Maputo Tea Party Campaign, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Maputo Protocol.  This campaign aims to raise awareness among young people who may have been too young to grasp the significance of this pivotal document when it was first enacted. By initiating impactful conversations, the campaign strives to ensure that all women are aware of their rights as enshrined in the Maputo Protocol. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, better known as the Maputo Protocol, is an international human rights instrument established and adopted by the African Union in 2003 that went into effect in 2005. It guarantees comprehensive rights to women, including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, improved autonomy in their reproductive health decisions, and an end to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.    Creating Awareness and Igniting Conversations Through compelling storytelling, impactful visuals, and interactive elements, the campaign seeks to educate and empower the younger generation regarding their sexual and reproductive health rights. The power of social media lies in its ability to transcend borders and connect people across diverse communities. The campaign will leverage this potential to reach a wide audience, fostering a space for open dialogue, sharing experiences, and addressing the challenges faced by women in realizing their rights. By using the hashtag #maputoteaparty, the campaign aims to ignite conversations on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, ensuring that the voices of young people resonate strongly.   Key Objectives of the Campaign Awareness: By sharing the historical significance of the Maputo Protocol, the campaign aims to ensure that all women, especially young individuals, are aware of their rights, thereby empowering them to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Education: Through informative and accessible content, the campaign will demystify the provisions of the Maputo Protocol, making it relatable and comprehensible to the younger generation. Advocacy: The campaign will encourage young individuals to become advocates for women's rights within their communities, urging them to take action and create positive change. Campaign Activities IPPFAR and RHNK hosted the Maputo Tea Party on Thursday 6th July 2023. The event was attended by over 75 guests and live-streamed to internal stakeholders across Africa. The team launched the #MaputoTeaParty digital campaign which includes social media content, influencer posts, and individual posts. The campaign started on Friday 7th July 2023 and will continue until 2nd August 2023. The hashtag #maputoteaparty trended on Twitter; on Tuesday 11th July 2023, from 7.30 am - 11.30 am, the hashtag reached number one on the trending list! The University Street Shoot took place on Tuesday, July 11th, 2023, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The shoot aimed to assess students' awareness of the Maputo Protocol's 20th Anniversary and promote the campaign's message of "Got the Maputo Tea?" A total of 30 students shared responses. Together, let us foster a future where every woman can exercise her rights and live a life of dignity, equality, and freedom.  The Maputo Tea Party Panel discussion video: https://youtu.be/SVDbASAHE3c