IPPF has been actively pushing messages on the SRHR impact of COVID-19 through a number of media channels. Below is a list of pieces published in the media that were either written by IPPF or that mention IPPF’s and MAs’ C-19 response.
Tribune I L’IPPF Région Afrique soutient le plaidoyer et le leadership exercés par les filles
(Burikina24.com, October 11)
Aujourd’hui, la Fédération internationale pour la planification familiale – Région Afrique (IPPFRA) se joint au reste du monde pour célébrer la Journée internationale de la fille sous le thème : “Ma voix, l’égalité pour notre avenir”.
Pandemic could trigger a ‘baby boom’ as millions of women lose access to contraception and abortion
(Telegraph, August 19)
The pandemic is predicted to result in 900,000 unintended pregnancies, 1.5 million unsafe abortions and more than 3,000 maternal deaths.
It was Meant to Be a Ground-breaking Year for Gender Equality but COVID-19 Widened Inequalities
(Inter Press Service, July 24)
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It was supposed to have been a ground-breaking year for gender equality, but the coronavirus pandemic has instead widened inequalities for girls and women across every sphere.
Coronavirus and aid
(The New Humanitarian, June 11)
The coronavirus is hitting emergency responses in vulnerable communities across the globe, from refugee camps and disaster displacement sites to border crossings and conflict zones.
Social Distancing: Have We Ever Been Close? (Medium, May 4)
Billions are being instructed to stay physically distanced from each other –but have we ever been close? Close enough to feel the pain of fellow human beings experiencing poverty, violence, discrimination, injustice? IPPF’s Director of Advocacy Anamaria Bejar discusses how this pandemic is an opportunity to build a better future not only with hope but most importantly, with determination.
COVID-19 and UHC (IPPF Blog post, May 01)
Alarmingly, the worst outcomes of COVID-19 are yet to be seen as the virus spreads across the most fragile settings, incl. humanitarian crises & refugee camps. Now more than ever, we need Universal Health Coverage. Our advocacy colleagues discuss how COVID-19 amplifies the need for rapid progress towards Universal Health Coverage.
Unsafe abortions could skyrocket as coronavirus closes clinics worldwide (Reuters, April 16)
COVID-19 pandemic cuts access to SRH for women around the world (IPPF Blog Post, April 9)
Our news release on the early impacts of COVID-19 on Member Associations across the Federation featured in more than 490 news publications around the world, which between them have a monthly online reach of more than 1 billion readers. Related stories include:
- Covid-19 Lockdowns Mean Millions of Women Can’t Reach Birth Control (Times of India, April 09)
- Millions of Women Lose Access to Birth Control Due to Coronavirus Lockdowns (Time, April 09)
- Lockdowns mean millions of women can’t reach birth control (AP, April 09)
- Lockdowns shut off health care to millions of women (The New Humanitarian, April 10)
- Declare abortion a public health issue during pandemic, WHO urges (The Guardian, April 10)
Coronavirus can’t be an excuse to undermine women’s abortion rights (Marie Claire, April 08)
IPPF/EN’s Regional Director Caroline Hickson is quoted in this article about safeguarding women’s access to abortion.
La pandemia desde el sur global (El País, April 04)
In this piece, IPPF/WHR discusses the effects of COVID-19 as both a consequence and a driver of social inequalities. Building on the alarming situation of Ecuador and other Latin American countries, we reflect on the social protection responsibilities of Global South states. An English version of this piece is available here.
Patronas, empleadas y coronavirus (El País, March 20)
In this piece, IPPF/WHR analyzes the impact of COVID-19 and the unequal distribution of care work, focusing on the effects of the pandemic on paid domestic workers in Latin America and the Caribbean. As they are mostly informal workers with no social security coverage, these women are are left with the absurd choice of risking their health to go to work or losing their livelihoods. An English version of this piece is available here.
La salud tiene fronteras (El País, March 11)
In this piece, IPPF/WHR compares the global responses to the Zika epidemic and to the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that although Zika was quickly forgotten because it mainly affected vulnerable populations – poor young black and indigenous women of tropical countries -, both cases show how public health crises can be instrumentalized for authoritarian purposes: Zika for patriarchal control of women’s sexuality and reproduction, Covid-19 for xenophobic persecution of foreigners, just to name a few examples.