The International Planned Parenthood Federation is a group based in London that organizes member and affiliate groups worldwide that perform abortions and engage in abortion advocacy, in addition to providing women’s health care services and educational programs. The Federation’s U.S. member organization is Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), and PPFA founder Margaret Sanger was an honorary co-president of IPPF.
Background
The International Planned Parenthood Federation was founded on November 29, 1952, through a resolution of the Third International Conference on Planned Parenthood in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Originally, the federation consisted of contraception and abortion advocacy organizations in the United States, Great Britain, Sweden, and the Netherlands, but it expanded to include organizations in countries all over the world. Contraceptive advocates Margaret Sanger and Dhanvanthi Rama Rau were appointed the first honorary co-presidents of the Federation. Upon Sanger’s resignation in 1959, the Federation recognized her as its founder and president emeritus. 1
The Federation has its central office in London and six regional offices, which are located in Nairobi, Kenya; Tunis, Tunisia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Brussels, Belgium; Bangkok, Thailand (with an associated branch in Delhi, India); and New York City. As of 2020, the Federation has member associations in 143 countries and is active in 21 others. 2
Through its own service outlets and through partnerships with member and affiliate organizations, the Federation performs abortions and engages in abortion advocacy, in addition to the distribution of and advocacy for contraceptives. The Federation also supports a range of women’s health care educational programs and offers support services, including programs raising public awareness of sexually transmitted diseases. 3
Funding
Funding for the Federation, its member organizations, and affiliates comes from private individuals, philanthropic groups, and substantial government grants. In the United States, the federal government does not provide funding to the Federation when the Mexico City Policy, which requires non-governmental organizations receiving U.S. funds to refrain from providing or advocating for abortions, is in effect. Upon first taking office as President, George W. Bush reinstated this policy and when the Federation refused to comply, it lost 20 percent of its funding. In January 2009, President Barack Obama rescinded this policy and funding was again made available to the Federation. However, in January 2017, President Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy. 456
People
Dr. Alvaro Bermejo has been Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation since March 1, 2018. Formerly, Bermejo was the executive director of the Survive and Thrive portfolio of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, a United Kingdom-based non-profit which funds environmentalist groups and projects concerning children. 7
Mina Barling has been the director of external relations for the Federation since July 2018. Formerly, Barling was the vice president for partnerships and development at EngenderHealth, an organization involved in providing and advocating for contraceptives, and director of strategic programs at Marie Stopes International, an organization which also provides and advocates for contraceptives and advocates for abortions. 8
Manuelle Hurwitz is director of the Federation’s programs division. Prior to this, she was the director of institutional delivery, led the Federation’s abortion strategy, established its global comprehensive “Abortion Care Initiative” in 2007, and was a senior program officer in its Innovation Fund. Before working at the Federation’s London office, Hurwitz was a staffer in its South Asia regional office, and a desk officer for Nepal, Iran, and India successively. Before working with the Federation, Hurwtiz was a research officer in the Department of Applied Social Studies and Social Research at the University of Oxford9
References
- “International Planned Parenthood Federation.” The Margaret Sanger Papers Project, New York University. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.nyu.edu/projects/sanger/aboutms/organization_ippf.php#:~:text=Margaret%20Sanger%2C%20who%20had%20helped,the%20Bombay%20conference%20in%201952.&text=Sanger%20assumed%20the%20major%20leadership,health%20greatly%20limited%20her%20activities.
- “About.” International Planned Parenthood Federation. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.ippf.org/about-us
- “Strategic Framework: 2016 – 2022.” International Planned Parenthood Federation. 2016. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.ippf.org/sites/default/files/ippf_strategicframework.pdf
- Tapper, Jake; Sunlen Miller and Huma Khan.“ Obama Overturns Mexico City Policy Implemented by Reagan.” ABC News. January 23, 2009. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/International/story?id=6716958&page=1
- Mills, Curt “Trump Reinstates International Abortion Funding Ban.” U.S. News. January 23, 2017. Accessed July 8, 2020. https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-01-23/donald-trump-reinstates-mexico-city-policy-banning-international-abortion-funding
- “Financial.” International Planned Parenthood Federation. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.ippf.org/about-us/financial
- “IPPF people.” International Planned Parenthood Federation. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.ippf.org/about-us/people
- “IPPF people.” International Planned Parenthood Federation. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.ippf.org/about-us/people
- “IPPF people.” International Planned Parenthood Federation. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.ippf.org/about-us/people