Gabriela Tumani, FP2030 Intern, Communications and Advocacy
As the year draws to a close, it’s a chance to reflect. As we look back on important world events these past few weeks, including the U.S. elections, the G20 summit in Brazil, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we see the progress and impact of family planning advocacy in breaking down barriers, whether political, cultural, or institutional.
Even with the continuing changes across several areas of the global scenario, FP2030’s mission remains the same – to create a world where everyone, everywhere, has the power and information needed to make informed decisions about pregnancy. Recently, FP2030 reaffirmed its commitment to family planning services following the U.S. elections in early November, emphasizing the need to continue prioritizing family planning, particularly for the most marginalized and excluded populations.
“Our commitment to creating a world where everyone, everywhere has the power and information they need to make informed decisions about pregnancy will not waver,” said Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030. “FP2030 will continue to advocate for rights-based family planning services and work with our partners to strengthen health systems that provide essential care to millions of people.”
In other world news, the G20 summit this November in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, highlighted important discussions surrounding gender equality and combating sexual violence against women and girls. Documents prepared and supported by Children in G20 – a policy pack and a letter representing the voices of over 50,000 children and adolescents from 60 countries— underscore the urgent need to address issues such as violence and sexual abuse against girls, ensuring sexual health and reproductive rights, and promoting gender equality through education.
G20’s commitment aligns with FP2030’s mission to ensure access to family planning and reproductive health services as essential tools for achieving gender equality and empowering young people, especially women and girls.
This conversation emphasizes the importance of this month’s observance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global initiative that advocates for the end of violence against women and girls (VAWG), running from Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to Dec. 10, Human Rights Day. The campaign reflects the intersectionality of pressing issues such as sexual violence, reproductive rights, and gender equality to emphasize the need for these challenges to be tackled together, not in isolation, through comprehensive strategies.
This campaign, along with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, is key point for FP2030 as family planning services are a critical component of what they represent: empowering women to make informed decisions about their bodies and their futures, offering a tool for both preventing violence and enabling control over their reproductive health.
As work continues at FP2030, it is crucial to reflect on this month’s global milestones and their significance in the fight for gender equality, reproductive health, and access to family planning. Now, more than ever, breaking down the barriers that prevent many from realizing the full potential of these goals must remain our top priority.
