Forum on IPPF Sexual Rights Declaration

“As a member of IPPF, it is our responsibility to ensure that sexual rights—human rights—are respected through our own service provision and advocacy, and also in the wider public sphere,” thus declared Dr. Gerry Cruz, setting the tone for the “Forum on IPPF Declaration on Sexual Rights and Our Work at FPOP.” 

Dr. Cruz opened the forum with a presentation of the Declaration on Sexual Rights which was approved by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Governing Council in 2008.  Dr. Cruz’s presentation included a sharing on the seven (7) Guiding Principles which “provide a framework for all the sexual rights in the Declaration and will inform and ensure respect, protection, and advancement of sexual rights within the Federation [including member organizations like FPOP].  The Seven Guiding principles maintain that “sexual rights fall within the canon of human rights.”  He concluded his presentation with a discussion on the Ten (10) Sexual Rights.  For more on IPPF Declaration on Sexual Rights, please download the full document here.

Dr. Cruz’s presentation was followed by a discussion on the relevance of the Declaration to our work at FPOP by Dr. Gloria Itchon.  In her discussion, she took the participants on a self-reflective journey, going back to the basics which include IPPF’s and FPOP’s strategic framework of the 5As (i.e., Access, Adolescent, HIV and AIDS, Prevention of Abortion, and Advocacy).  Working from defining sexuality and reproductive health, proceeding to the organization’s mission and vision, she relates the IPPF Declaration on our understanding of our own sexuality, the importance of revisiting our own biases in relation to SRH, and being aware of our own professional responsibility as SRH service providers.

The forum was held on 22 May 2010 at the Planned Parenthood Training Center of the National Office of FPOP.  The activity was attended by more than 60 policy volunteers representing 25 chapters of FPOP.

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