European donor countries increase support for sexual and reproductive care & family planning in development cooperation

The year 2020 is a tense moment for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The global crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic threatens years of hard-won progress on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights, commonly referred to as SRHR, and risks pushing these crucial issues to the fringes of development agendas. The climate emergency, conflict, record numbers of displaced people, and the resurgence of ultra-conservative forces also pose a danger to equality and to reproductive freedom, jeopardizing the well-being of billions of women and girls and society at large.

Long before COVID-19 struck, progressive governments in Europe were at the forefront of global action to support SRHR. Countdown 2030 Europe new analysis concluded that eight out of twelve key European donor countries sustained or increased their funding for SRH/FP with Germany taking the lead with the most significant increase in percentage growth of funding followed by the UK and France. In total, these 12 countries invested 1.17 billion Euros in expanding access to SRH/FP in 2019.

On the policy side as well, European donors have strongly increased their commitment and focus on SRH/FP.

For more details read our full report.

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