2018 has been a year of mobilisation. Protest rallies for abortion rights rippled across countries such as Argentina, South Korea and Poland, and in Ireland a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment was passed by a landslide. Simultaneous to this were the global repercussions of the #metoo movement, where individuals from countries with both free and restrictive freedom of speech united in protest over the silencing of issues related to sexual autonomy and consent.

As in past years, The Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion will be marked internationally by various activities on September 28. See what will be happening this year!

The Population Reference Bureau has recently published its annual Data Sheet with a focus on changing age structures around the world and resulting consequences for policy-making and development. This publication provides the latest data on key population, health and environment indicators for the world, regions and more than 200 countries.

In 2019, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) which was held in Cairo in 1994, and its Programme of Action. Ahead of this important moment, the Regional Conference on Enabling Choices: Population Dynamics and Sustainable Development will be organised by UNECE and UNFPA on 1-2 October in Geneva.

Join us at the 2018 EuroNGOs Conference and discover how to engage with other human rights groups to bring reproductive justice! We are currently working on an inspiring and action-packed programme – you can read here about the latest updates.

The latest Euro mapping report on global funding for family planning (FP) and reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) highlights the US as the world’s leading donor in this field, but that data does not accurately reflect the withdrawal from this field by the Trump presidency. The reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, better known as the Global Gag Rule, in 2017 will accelerate a decline in US funding in the coming years. It is the responsibility of other global donors in Europe and the rest of the world to step up and make sure that life-saving funding for family planning, contraception and maternal health does not disappear.

FPFE launched in July, before the HLPF, a factsheet of recommendations for the 2030 Agenda, as a result of consultation process with civil society organizations and parliamentarians.

IPPF EN has launched a series of videos on contraception and SRHR. One of the videos focuses on Reproductive freedom, and the barriers to accessing reproductive care.

Marie Stopes International is delighted to announce the latest update to its Impact 2 calculator, “Impact 2.5” Impact 2.5 allows users to estimate the health and population impacts of services delivered such as the number of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths averted, by services delivered - as well as their contribution to CPR, and more. These estimates can be used across SRHR reporting, turning service numbers into tangible health impacts useful to governments and other stakeholders.

Reproductive Health Matters is compiling a themed issue to be published in May 2019 on the impact of politics on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The purpose of the issue is to assimilate and highlight the consequences of and interconnections between political activities, systems or change on SRHR – whether at global, regional, state, or local levels, and at their intersections, especially in low- and middle-income settings.

The Swiss Civil Society Platform Agenda 2030 has published the report “How sustainable is Switzerland – Implementing the 2030 Agenda from a civil society perspective” which sets higher standards than the weak governmental plan on the implementation of Agenda 2030. The civil society report provides information, action points as well as specific and overall recommendations on a broad set of topics.

Share-Net Netherlands and the Oxfam Novib Academy would like to kindly invite you to the 7th Annual Student meeting “Linking Students, Policy and Practice”.

The Family Federation of Finland (Väestöliitto) has a new global education project about sustainable development and sexual rights. The project gives voice to the youth from all over the world. The project consists of a series of podcasts and a video.

There have been big changes in the world of development organization in Finland in 2018 – and the role of SRHR is strengthening. Kepa, a platform for Finnish civil society organizations is an expert on global development issues, and The Finnish NGDO Platform to the European Union, Kepa merged in June, and a new big expert and umbrella organization was launched.

The Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights is hiring an Accounting and Administration Officer (AAO). Working under the supervision of the Executive Coordinator, the AAO will be responsible for day-to-day accounting and financial tasks as well as organizing logistics for events.

CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality (CHOICE) is currently seeking an Executive Director to join their team! To apply, please send a written application in English with a maximum of 1 A4 with CV and contact details of 2 references can be sent before the 15 September by email to vacancies@choiceforyouth.org.