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Gynaecological

Articles by Gynaecological

Image of gynaecological medical setting
22 November 2022

Gynaecological and Obstetric Violence - a form of gender-based violence

The widespread and systemic mistreatment and violence against women experienced during childbirth and other reproductive health services has gained international visibility in recent years, following pioneering work in several Latin American countries to recognise and criminalise this form of gender-based violence.   International institutions have also spoken out on the issue. In 2014, gynaecological and obstetric violence was acknowledged by the World Health Organisation, and in 2019 the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women described it as a “serious violation of women’s human rights occurring across all geographical and income-level settings”. In Europe, the parliaments of the Council of Europe and of the European Union have very recently adopted resolutions drawing attention to this phenomenon and calling for national and European measures to tackle it. But to date, no national government has put in place legislation specifically to criminalise gynaecological and obstetric violence. This means that currently, people living in EU Member States have few legal protections or means of redress.  With this in mind, IPPF EN produced this research and policy paper to provide an outline of the systemic and widespread nature of gynaecological and obstetric violence across many countries in Europe, and make recommendations to European and national decision-makers to tackle this form of gender-based violence. On this page you can download our full research and policy paper, as well as a short summary of the report.  Check out IPPF EN's Safe From Harm campaign, highlighting the EU action we support to combat gender-based violence.  ***     This work was funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are those of IPPF EN and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union or the European Commission can be held responsible for them.   

18 February 2014

Pro choice victory in Switzerland

Last week in Switzerland a clear majority of voters (69.8%) rejected a conservative initiative that aimed at limiting equal access to abortion.  The proposed initiative would have excluded abortions from the healthcare reimbursement plan, making greater barriers to women and girls, especially women with limited economic means. All women should have access to reproductive health care, including pregnancy terminations, regardless of their economic status. However, discriminative restrictions on reimbursement plans make abortion services an unavailable choice for many low-income women, creating further inequality. Last week’s pro choice victory reaffirms the vote of 2002, when the overwhelming majority of Swiss voters supported a change in the legislation. This granted women abortion on request within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and later in pregnancy for medical reasons. By rejecting the conservative initiative, Swiss voters have shown that they will not accept any backward steps when it comes to women’s rights and reproductive health.

aaron-burden-xG8IQMqMITM-unsplash_2.jpg
30 November 2017

Photo Gallery: Rising HIV numbers and funding cutbacks - Macedonia at the crossroads

This article was written in September 2017. Since then, thanks to the work of NGOs including our member HERA, Macedonia’s government has committed to providing long-term funding for all HIV programmes for marginalised people. Although HIV prevalence is low in Macedonia, with only 151 people registered as living with HIV, these small numbers mask a complex picture, and one that is rapidly changing. In 2016, there were 40 new HIV diagnoses, the majority of them among men who have sex with men.  Macedonia is not alone in facing a rise in HIV cases. In many parts of Central and Eastern Europe, the rate of new infections is growing. Between 2010 and 2015, the region saw a 50 per cent rise in new HIV infections annually. Another looming problem that threatens to send Macedonian HIV rates spiralling upwards is a funding crisis precipitated by donor cutbacks and political uncertainty. Between 2004 and 2016, Macedonian HIV programmes received almost $25 million from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Much of this money was channelled into HIV prevention, funding NGOs that target those deemed most vulnerable to infection – sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and prisoners. But in 2016 this funding was phased out and NGOs on the frontline are left hoping that the new government will deliver fully on a recent commitment to step in with similar levels of funding in 2018. In the chasm left by the country’s public healthcare system, Macedonia’s sexual health and rights NGOs work tirelessly to plug the gap, often on a shoestring and in an increasingly uncertain funding landscape. HERA, IPPF's member in Macedonia, is a leading NGO providing free HIV testing services, sexual health support and advocacy. It works closely with smaller organisations around the country to ensure support for young people, sex workers, people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men. These NGOs are many people’s first port of call for HIV tests and other vital health care.  

Strengthening the Right to Access to Contraceptives Choice for People with Low Income. Pro familia launches petition to be presented to the German parliament.
12 March 2015

Strengthening the Right to Access to Contraceptives Choice for People with Low Income

Pro familia launches petition to be presented to the German parliament If you do not have much money in Germany, there are a lot of things you have to go without. When that includes contraceptives, it can be disastrous. Studies show that women change their contraceptive behaviour when they are in financial need: they switch to cheaper and less reliable forms of contraception or use no contraception at all, thus risking an unwanted pregnancy. pro familia wants to raise awareness of this with a public petition to parliament and is calling for a change in legislation.  “We need a lasting nationwide solution for people who cannot meet the cost of con- traception from their own means. After all, each individual has the right – regardless of their social status – to choose the method of contraception that does not present a risk to their health and provides the greatest possible reliability,” says Prof. Daphne Hahn, President of pro familia federal branch.  In the current situation, the choice of contraception is no longer determined by health and personal reasons but by financial reasons. Where you live is decisive, since there are projects in individual local authorities for covering costs, although these are most- ly short-term. And there are no legal grounds for claiming for costs to be covered.  Up until 2004, German social legislation included what was known as “Family Plan- ning Assistance”, through which the social welfare authority covered the cost of con- traceptives prescribed by a doctor. As a result of Hartz IV legislation, this option no longer exists. Now, women and men who receive Unemployment Benefit II (subsis- tence allowance) or Basic Security (for jobseekers) get by on an allowance of €17 said to be for “health care”. All spending on health, such as headache tablets, hay fever treatment and even the pill, needs comes under this item.  “It is often argued that even women on UB II are able to pay for the cheapest pill. Re- gardless of the fact that the cost of contraception was not taken in to account when the standard rate was laid down, this invalidates freedom of choice with respect to contraceptives. Added to that is the fact that many women are unable to take the pill,” says Hahn.  A monthly pack of pills costs between €4.50 and €22, while a vaginal ring costs bet- ween €16 and €22 per month. Coils and implants provide reliable contraception for several years and are more cost-effective in the long term. Hartz IV unemployment benefit claimants cannot afford the one-off cost of €300-400 from the standard rate, nor are regular savings possible.  “It is a subject that comes up frequently in counselling sessions – that there’s not enough money for contraceptives. We are therefore calling on politicians to introduce a bill to cover costs. Ultimately, Germany too is committed to the Programme of Ac- tion adopted at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. This expressly states that all women and men have the right to unrestricted access to the safest and most effective, acceptable and affordable methods of family planning.” pro familia has submitted a petition to the German parliament [Bundestag] which is available to sign online until 1st April. The link to sign to petition, latest information and factsheets on the subject are available on the campaign webpage [in German].  www.profamilia.de/pro-familia/kampagne-kostenfreie-verhuetungsmittel.html March 10, 2015

Image of gynaecological medical setting
22 November 2022

Gynaecological and Obstetric Violence - a form of gender-based violence

The widespread and systemic mistreatment and violence against women experienced during childbirth and other reproductive health services has gained international visibility in recent years, following pioneering work in several Latin American countries to recognise and criminalise this form of gender-based violence.   International institutions have also spoken out on the issue. In 2014, gynaecological and obstetric violence was acknowledged by the World Health Organisation, and in 2019 the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women described it as a “serious violation of women’s human rights occurring across all geographical and income-level settings”. In Europe, the parliaments of the Council of Europe and of the European Union have very recently adopted resolutions drawing attention to this phenomenon and calling for national and European measures to tackle it. But to date, no national government has put in place legislation specifically to criminalise gynaecological and obstetric violence. This means that currently, people living in EU Member States have few legal protections or means of redress.  With this in mind, IPPF EN produced this research and policy paper to provide an outline of the systemic and widespread nature of gynaecological and obstetric violence across many countries in Europe, and make recommendations to European and national decision-makers to tackle this form of gender-based violence. On this page you can download our full research and policy paper, as well as a short summary of the report.  Check out IPPF EN's Safe From Harm campaign, highlighting the EU action we support to combat gender-based violence.  ***     This work was funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are those of IPPF EN and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union or the European Commission can be held responsible for them.   

18 February 2014

Pro choice victory in Switzerland

Last week in Switzerland a clear majority of voters (69.8%) rejected a conservative initiative that aimed at limiting equal access to abortion.  The proposed initiative would have excluded abortions from the healthcare reimbursement plan, making greater barriers to women and girls, especially women with limited economic means. All women should have access to reproductive health care, including pregnancy terminations, regardless of their economic status. However, discriminative restrictions on reimbursement plans make abortion services an unavailable choice for many low-income women, creating further inequality. Last week’s pro choice victory reaffirms the vote of 2002, when the overwhelming majority of Swiss voters supported a change in the legislation. This granted women abortion on request within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and later in pregnancy for medical reasons. By rejecting the conservative initiative, Swiss voters have shown that they will not accept any backward steps when it comes to women’s rights and reproductive health.

aaron-burden-xG8IQMqMITM-unsplash_2.jpg
30 November 2017

Photo Gallery: Rising HIV numbers and funding cutbacks - Macedonia at the crossroads

This article was written in September 2017. Since then, thanks to the work of NGOs including our member HERA, Macedonia’s government has committed to providing long-term funding for all HIV programmes for marginalised people. Although HIV prevalence is low in Macedonia, with only 151 people registered as living with HIV, these small numbers mask a complex picture, and one that is rapidly changing. In 2016, there were 40 new HIV diagnoses, the majority of them among men who have sex with men.  Macedonia is not alone in facing a rise in HIV cases. In many parts of Central and Eastern Europe, the rate of new infections is growing. Between 2010 and 2015, the region saw a 50 per cent rise in new HIV infections annually. Another looming problem that threatens to send Macedonian HIV rates spiralling upwards is a funding crisis precipitated by donor cutbacks and political uncertainty. Between 2004 and 2016, Macedonian HIV programmes received almost $25 million from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Much of this money was channelled into HIV prevention, funding NGOs that target those deemed most vulnerable to infection – sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and prisoners. But in 2016 this funding was phased out and NGOs on the frontline are left hoping that the new government will deliver fully on a recent commitment to step in with similar levels of funding in 2018. In the chasm left by the country’s public healthcare system, Macedonia’s sexual health and rights NGOs work tirelessly to plug the gap, often on a shoestring and in an increasingly uncertain funding landscape. HERA, IPPF's member in Macedonia, is a leading NGO providing free HIV testing services, sexual health support and advocacy. It works closely with smaller organisations around the country to ensure support for young people, sex workers, people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men. These NGOs are many people’s first port of call for HIV tests and other vital health care.  

Strengthening the Right to Access to Contraceptives Choice for People with Low Income. Pro familia launches petition to be presented to the German parliament.
12 March 2015

Strengthening the Right to Access to Contraceptives Choice for People with Low Income

Pro familia launches petition to be presented to the German parliament If you do not have much money in Germany, there are a lot of things you have to go without. When that includes contraceptives, it can be disastrous. Studies show that women change their contraceptive behaviour when they are in financial need: they switch to cheaper and less reliable forms of contraception or use no contraception at all, thus risking an unwanted pregnancy. pro familia wants to raise awareness of this with a public petition to parliament and is calling for a change in legislation.  “We need a lasting nationwide solution for people who cannot meet the cost of con- traception from their own means. After all, each individual has the right – regardless of their social status – to choose the method of contraception that does not present a risk to their health and provides the greatest possible reliability,” says Prof. Daphne Hahn, President of pro familia federal branch.  In the current situation, the choice of contraception is no longer determined by health and personal reasons but by financial reasons. Where you live is decisive, since there are projects in individual local authorities for covering costs, although these are most- ly short-term. And there are no legal grounds for claiming for costs to be covered.  Up until 2004, German social legislation included what was known as “Family Plan- ning Assistance”, through which the social welfare authority covered the cost of con- traceptives prescribed by a doctor. As a result of Hartz IV legislation, this option no longer exists. Now, women and men who receive Unemployment Benefit II (subsis- tence allowance) or Basic Security (for jobseekers) get by on an allowance of €17 said to be for “health care”. All spending on health, such as headache tablets, hay fever treatment and even the pill, needs comes under this item.  “It is often argued that even women on UB II are able to pay for the cheapest pill. Re- gardless of the fact that the cost of contraception was not taken in to account when the standard rate was laid down, this invalidates freedom of choice with respect to contraceptives. Added to that is the fact that many women are unable to take the pill,” says Hahn.  A monthly pack of pills costs between €4.50 and €22, while a vaginal ring costs bet- ween €16 and €22 per month. Coils and implants provide reliable contraception for several years and are more cost-effective in the long term. Hartz IV unemployment benefit claimants cannot afford the one-off cost of €300-400 from the standard rate, nor are regular savings possible.  “It is a subject that comes up frequently in counselling sessions – that there’s not enough money for contraceptives. We are therefore calling on politicians to introduce a bill to cover costs. Ultimately, Germany too is committed to the Programme of Ac- tion adopted at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. This expressly states that all women and men have the right to unrestricted access to the safest and most effective, acceptable and affordable methods of family planning.” pro familia has submitted a petition to the German parliament [Bundestag] which is available to sign online until 1st April. The link to sign to petition, latest information and factsheets on the subject are available on the campaign webpage [in German].  www.profamilia.de/pro-familia/kampagne-kostenfreie-verhuetungsmittel.html March 10, 2015