The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global non-governmental organisation with the broad aims of promoting sexual and reproductive health, and advocating the right of individuals to make their own choices in family planning. It was first formed in 1952 in Bombay (present-day Mumbai), India at the Third International Conference on Planned Parenthood and now consists of more than 149 Member Associations working in more than 189 countries. The IPPF is highly developed and organised into six regions. The organisation is based in London, England.
Video International Planned Parenthood Federation
Purpose
Member Associations provide non-profit family planning services, sexual health and abuse prevention training and education. Their goals include giving clients the information necessary to make informed sexual health decisions, promoting continuing sexual health, making available high quality sexual health services, improving the overall health of low income individuals, and using democratic organisation and the leadership of volunteers to promote these goals. Over 40% of the organisation's resources are aimed at serving the needs of young people; as the IPPF explains, individuals under 25 (and especially females) are at a much higher risk of getting infected with HIV.
Maps International Planned Parenthood Federation
Funding
The IPPF is financially supported by governments, trusts, and foundations including the European Commission and the United Nations Population Fund for special projects. Half of the balance of their funding comes from government official development assistance programmes. To achieve their goals as an organisation, the IPPF often collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The IPPF is a prominent lobbyist in the European Union: specifically, for the European Council and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is the only non-governmental organisation (NGO) that focuses on sexual health and reproductive rights to qualify for Consultative Status with the Council of Europe. This allows the IPPF to sit in on the Parliamentary Assembly.
Canadian funding
In April 2011, it was revealed that IPPF, which had applied for an $18 million grant more than a year previously, had been denied funding by a Conservative Party government due to lobbying efforts by "pro-life" groups.
On 22 September 2011, the Canadian International Development Agency granted IPPF $6 million over three years. The money is for services yet to be rendered in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mali, Sudan, and Tanzania. Many anti-abortion activists have been critical of the spending including conservative MP Brad Trost who criticised his own party for supporting the "pro-choice" group.
United States funding
IPPF is a "pro-choice" organisation that advocates for access to contraception and safe abortion services. This has led IPPF into conflict with conservative social forces, including the Roman Catholic Church and the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, who reinstated the Mexico City Policy in 2001. This policy required non-governmental organisations in receipt of U.S. funds to refrain from providing birth control and/or abortion-related services, and was first instituted by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 after lobbying from the Vatican following's Reagan's establishment of official diplomatic relations with the Holy See. IPPF opted not to alter its method of operation, and, as a result, lost 20% of its funding during the time the Mexico City Policy was in effect. The policy was rescinded by President Barack Obama in January 2009, but was reinstated by President Donald Trump in January 2017.
Selected affiliates
- Category:International Planned Parenthood Federation affiliates
- IPPF/Western Hemisphere Region (Caribbean and the Americas)
- Family Planning Queensland
- Pro Familia (Germany)
- IPPF European Network
- Mouvement français pour le planning familial (France)
Conferences
The International Planned Parenthood Federation was established after earlier efforts to organise the post-World War II family planning and population control movements. The first conference was organised by the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education in Stockholm, in August 1946. Two years later another meeting was held, the International Congress on Population and World Resources in Relation to the Family, in Cheltenham, England in August 1948, predated the establishment of the IPPF.
- Third International Conference on Planned Parenthood, Bombay (present-day Mumbai), India (24-29 November 1952)
- Fourth International Conference on Planned Parenthood, Stockholm, Sweden (17-22 August 1953)
- Fifth International Conference on Planned Parenthood, Tokyo, Japan (24-29 October 1955)
- Sixth International Conference on Planned Parenthood, New Delhi, India (14-21 February 1959)
- Seventh International Conference on Planned Parenthood, Singapore (February 1963)
- Eighth International Conference on Planned Parenthood, Santiago, Chile (April 1967)
- Ninth International Conference on Planned Parenthood, Brighton, England (October 1973)
See also
- Avabai Bomanji Wadia
- Birth control movement in the United States
- Dhanvanthi Rama Rau
- Cecile Richards
- Margaret Sanger
References
External links
- Official website
- IPPF's organisation by regions
Source of article : Wikipedia