Liliane Fonds highlights the role of people with disabilities at ICFP 2025
The International Conference of Family Planning (ICFP) brought together professionals, advocates and organisations from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and Latin America from 1ST to 7TH November in Bogotá, Colombia to discuss and reflect on the global agenda on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
Our Liliane Fonds team of SRHR-specialists – Marieke van Gerwen, Catalina Mora and Daphne Visser – took the opportunity to highlight the essential role of people with disabilities in shaping SRHR guidelines, programmes and policies.
They also supported the participation in the conference of Bushira Uwamahoro, a young person with short stature from Rwanda and Make Way youth panel member. Also they collaborated with Susan Sabano, one of the young people from the Make Way regional youth with disabilities council. Our SRHR team contributed to panels, roundtables and knowledge-sharing spaces centred on intersectionality, advocacy and inclusive SRHR for people with disabilities.
Takeaways and learnings
What were some of the key takeaways and learnings from this ICFP edition, according to Marieke, Catalina and Daphne?
Funding sustainability remains a central concern
One of the most cross-cutting themes of the conference was the sustainability of funding, given the decline in global resources for SRHR. Across sessions, participants expressed concern about shrinking global resources and space for SRHR, and reflections came up around:
- the rise of anti-rights movements and hate speech against SRHR
- strategies and local initiatives to protect progress on SRHR
- the importance of local initiatives and the necessity to create new alliances and innovation in response to funding cuts.
Youth leadership was outstanding
The conference not only highlighted a youth-centred approach in the programmes, but also saw young people leading discussion spaces, organisations and decision-making.
The Youth Summit was a highlight, creating a space led by young people to reflect on lived experiences of SRHR in different contexts and to emphasise the importance of an intersectional approach. It was a space for cultural exchange, networking and dancing in which young people were called to action.
Disability inclusion gained stronger visibility
Focus on people with disabilities was prominent across different panels and discussions. People with disabilities were directly involved as speakers, moderators and organisers which is an encouraging signal of active participation. Discussions went beyond reproductive health and violence prevention to include:
- call to action to continue working from an intersectional approach and pushing for equitable access to SRH services
- tailored and inclusive sex education and tools according to their needs
- raising awareness and training to healthcare providers, caregivers and community to address diverse disability needs
Continued advocacy
We also learned that while disability inclusion is gaining visibility, continued advocacy is needed: it’s a highlight the active participation of people with disabilities and the discussions around disability rights, but it’s important to continue working towards meaningful participation in decision-making and programme design around topics beyond reproduction and prevention of Gender-Based Violence.
Equitable partnerships
It is important to continue shifting toward more equitable partnerships, ones that promote shared leadership, address power imbalances, and ensure that knowledge and lived experiences from the Global South meaningfully shape Global North agendas.
Our participation
1. Panel: SRHR for persons with disabilities
On 4th of November, Susan Sabano and Catalina Mora co-moderated the panel “SRHR for Persons with Disabilities”. Speakers shared impactful insights:
- Eduardo Morales Blanco (Colombia) presented how a public hospital redesigned labour and delivery for women with disabilities—reducing obstetric violence while working withing limited budget.
- Karangwa Francois Xavier (Rwanda) delivered a first-person testimony from Rwanda on coercion vs. choice: “I am using it, but it is not my choice.”
- Ariane Dusenge (Make Way Rwanda) reflected on working with youth with disabilities as leaders of change, emphasising the journey from safe spaces to national advocacy
2. Panel “Reclaiming the fire in our bodies: centring the margins and the unheard to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights for all”
Moderated by Daphne Visser, this roundtable brought together young leaders like with Uwamahoro Bushira (Make Way NUDOR Rwanda), Phyllis Ndolo (Women Spaces Africa) and Ruby Nakandi (Diverse Empowerment Foundation).
The discussions explored:
- The intersection of disability and gender diversity in Uganda
- Training persons with disabilities as SRHR advocates
- The high prevalence of SGBV among people with disabilities and the lack of justice and reparation for its victims
Approximately 40 participants joined discussion groups after the panel, which were focused on sexual and gender-based violence, accessible and inclusive SRHR, sex positivity and pleasure, and safe spaces.
3. Live stage presentation
On 5th November, Marieke van Gerwen took the ICFP Live Stage together with Anna Page from Rutgers to present the Comprehensive Sexuality Education -CSE- Manual developed by Body Talk which highlights innovative approaches to inclusive CSE.
