As the Trump administration continues to impose drastic cuts in funding for international family planning and reproductive health programs, we, the civil society are gathering our thoughts and numbers to grasp what the impact could be and fight against such critical measures. Given the current context, with declining funding opportunities, growing opposition to human rights and shrinking space for civil society, we need to act together more than ever before, to stay strong and build resilient partnerships.

As a follow-up to the “Global Gag Rule” (also known as the “Mexico City Policy), which was reinstated by the newly elected Donald Trump in January 2017, his Administration announced the “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” plan on 15 May However, one may wonder how the plan intends to “protect life” and what its implications are.

On the 23th of May, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was elected by the World Health Assembly as the new Director-General of the World Health Organisation. Learn more about the new leader of WHO!

On the 19th of May, the Council of the European Union adopted the revised European Consensus on Development, which identifies a new framework for development cooperation and for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by the European Union and the 28 member countries. The consensus was endorsed on the 31st of May by the European Parliament and it will be officially launched at the European Development Days in June.

Read more about some practical information for the 2017 EuroNGOs Conference in Brussels and make sure to register as soon as possible – the spots are filling up fast!

We warmly welcome proposals for side-events and creation hub sessions that will take place during the 2017 Conference in Brussels. Don’t forget to submit your proposition before 12 June.

Do you want to get involved in the discussion on populism and its impact on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights? Join us at the 2017 EuroNGOs Conference in Brussels on 27-28 September 2017. We want to hear the youth voices!

On May 23, in the context of the first Italian festival on Sustainable Development, Aidos, in collaboration with Osservatorio AiDS - Aids Diritti Salute / Italian Network on Aids, Rights and Health, has promoted a public event on Global health, migrant women and rights.

The 2017 International G7/20 Parliamentarians’ Conference “She Moves: The Challenges a World on the Move: Migration and Gender Equality, Women’s Agency and Sustainable Development” was organized in Rome on 4th-5th May by the Italian All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health and Women’s rights in collaboration with the Italian Association for Women in Development (AIDOS) and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF).

Representatives from PSN, DSW, IPPF and MEP, Heidi Hautala, will come together during the European Development Days in June to discuss the importance of family planning for women and girls’ health and empowerment as a fundamental contribution to environmental sustainability and to building climate resilience.

On May 25, the Polish Government voted in favour of limiting access to emergency contraception violating women’s reproductive rights few months after the “Black Protest”. The draft proposal was put forward by the ruling Law and Justice party and accepted for further works in February this year. Besides issues focusing on patient’s access to medicines it also aimed to make all contraception, including emergency contraception, available only on prescription from doctor.

On the 10th of May, the Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (FPSHA), in collaboration with Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, member of the Lithuanian Parliament, and the head of the Parliamentary Group on Development Cooperation, Reproductive Health and Rights, organized the press conference “Universal and Equitable Access to Contraception for all Women and Girls”.

SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland has submitted jointly with the Sexual Rights Initiative a shadow report for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Switzerland at the Human Rights Council. Switzerland will be reviewed at the 28th session of the UPR Working group in November 2017.

Väestöliitto started a collaboration project with the Helsinki City Museum. The Helsexinki-exhibition (opened 12th of May) is about sexuality, gender and sex – and about the freedom to choose how to express them. The exhibition, closely linked with topical themes, challenges visitors to think about whose voice is heard and who has the freedom to be who they really are.

On the 27th of April, the Hague turned into a flea market with the occasion of the Netherlands’ King’s Day and YouAct gathered its partners for a successful fundraising session. Representatives of CHOICE and the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights joined us in selling cupcakes, candy jars, condoms (sponsored by Condomerie), second-hand items, Polaroid photos and face-painting for kids.

The international conference "Sexuality Education: Lessons Learned and Future Developments in the WHO European Region" took place in Berlin, on 15-16 May 2017. The event was hosted by the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), a WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health and was organized in partnership with IPPF European Network, UNESCO, UNFPA and WHO.

The European Youth Forum is recruiting a Communications Officer for a project run in cooperation with the European Parliament.

The European Youth Forum is recruiting a Team Leader for a project run in cooperation with the European Parliament.

The European Youth Forum is recruiting a Project Officer for a project run in cooperation with the European Parliament.

The European Youth Forum is recruiting a Project Officer for a project run in cooperation with the European Parliament.

The Centre for Effective Altruism (CEA) is looking for two research assistants (one full-time, one part-time) to help develop the intellectual foundations of effective altruism. In this role, you would work very closely with either Dr Toby Ord or Prof Peter Singer.