She Decides’ future discussed in Belgian parliament
During a meeting with the ‘Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda’ Deputy Prime Minister De Croo discussed his plans for She Decides, the global fundraising initiative in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
As part of the She Decides-Initiative, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation, Alexander De Croo visited Benin and Senegal, partner countries of the Belgian Development Cooperation. In Benin, the Minister signed two programmes promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Of the €10 million additional support for SRHR Belgium promised during the She Decides International Conference of March 2st, €2 million will go to additional core support for UNFPA, and €1.5 million to UNFPA’s country programme in Benin. IPPF member associations in partner countries of the Belgian development cooperation will receive €4 million in support.
US and conservative countries torpedo UN Commission on Population and Development
UN member states spent more than 10 days negotiating at the CPD. The final version of the draft resolution contained important references to the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people and comprehensive sexuality education. The final version was rejected though when the US and a number of African countries wanted to have sections on SRHR deleted.
The Trump-Pence administration has ceased all support to UNFPA. In 2016 only US support to UNFPA helped to prevent 2.340 maternal deaths, 947.000 unplanned pregnancies and 295.000 unsafe abortions. It allowed an estimated 800.000 people to freely decide about their number of children.
CSW recognizes importance of SRHR for women's independence
An important win for women’s rights activists at the 61st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women as the Commission recognized sexual and reproductive health and rights as human rights of women, including their right to control and decide freely on all matters related to their sexuality.
CSW delegation witnesses debates over traditional family values
“It is proving increasingly difficult to discuss sexual and reproductive health and rights in UN texts. Sexual orientation, gender identity and sexuality education are also hard to address. These concepts are seen as a threat to so-called ‘traditional family values’", Senator and Prof. Dr. Petra De Sutter, member of the CSW delegation explained.