The world today stands at a critical juncture, grappling with unprecedented and interconnected crises. International human rights frameworks and the funding and implementation structures which provided critical scaffolding for them are being undermined in various contexts, while a deepening geopolitical turmoil threatens the foundation of global cooperation and our collective progress on women, girls’ and diverse populations’ right to health, including bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights is at risk.

Human rights defenders—who are the torchbearers of justice—face increasing peril. Funding for vital life-saving global health initiatives is being cut. The lives of women, girls, and diverse populations are at risk, the provision of life-saving HIV treatment is under threat, there are already significant job losses in global health, with further anticipated job cuts and local feminist organizations have been left with no choice but to close their doors.

Human rights defenders and feminist movements are under siege and with that, a critical line of defense for democracy is being undermined. And the right to bodily autonomy is being rolled back. In the face of shrinking civic space—both digital and physical—and increasing violence, especially in war and conflict settings.

Therefore, we, as a growing and diverse movement through the Generation Equality Action Coalitions on Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Feminist Movements and Leadership, together with partners and supporters worldwide, issue this statement.

This statement is a unified front to build on our successes and celebrate our landmark action, to activate our movement for collective action and to boldly defend human rights, international cooperation, civic space, gender equality, and feminist action, and to remind ourselves of our collective power.

We reaffirm that gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights are non-negotiable and fundamental to achieving peace, justice, and sustainable development. The promises of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action, CSW Resolution 60/2 on Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS, and Agenda 2030 must not only be upheld, but their implementation must be accelerated. Together, we must rise and protect our collective agenda.

We draw inspiration from visionary feminist leaders and their organisations and movements, including those from communities that are systematically excluded, criminalised, and marginalised, who, three decades ago, established pivotal frameworks such as the Program of Action (POA) of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action.

Since the adoption of these landmark declarations on sexual and reproductive health and rights and on gender equality, we celebrate historic gains: close to a 20% reduction in unintended pregnancies, a doubling in the use of modern contraception, and a 40% decrease in maternal deaths worldwide. We lift up the courage of member state champions, activists, and communities pushing back against regressive policies.

We stand unwavering in our commitment and resolute determination to achieve gender equality and ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, in every part of the world. Together we call for:

Proactive Resource Mobilization for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Proactively develop and implement multifaceted strategies to address challenges to the financing of sexual and reproductive health and rights and ensure sustained progress. This includes strategically cultivating diverse funding streams through strong calls for increases in domestic financing, private sector collaborations, and strengthening global alliances, targets and pacts for financing to ensure sustained progress.

Advancing Gender Equality and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Through Sustained Political Commitment and Inclusive Action: Governments at all levels have a legal and moral responsibility to uphold gender equality and ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. To deliver on existing commitments and close persistent gaps, this requires strong and sustained and transformative leadership. This includes advancing legal and policy reforms, ensuring cross-sectoral and inter-ministerial collaboration, increasing public financing, and fostering inclusive partnerships with feminist and women’s rights organizations, the private sector, academia, and other key stakeholders. Meeting these obligations requires not only honoring past commitments but also taking bold, forward-looking action to make universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality a lived reality.

Champion Localized, Grassroots Action and Empowerment: Urgently direct resources and support to local organizations and grassroots movements led by women and marginalized communities. Strengthen community-driven efforts by providing them with the capacity strengthening, technical assistance, and autonomy to address sexual and reproductive health and rights challenges effectively. At the same time, governments at all levels must protect and expand civic space, ensuring that civil society organizations, especially feminist and community-based groups, have meaningful and sustained opportunities to participate in policy-making, programme design, and implementation.

Working Together—Collaboration and Partnerships are Key: Governments, civil society, the private sector, and multilateral organizations must build and protect strategic alliances. Stakeholders should invest in expanding feminist movements and actively foster collective, multi-stakeholder action to drive meaningful change.

Safeguard Feminist Movements and Hard-Won Gains in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender Equality: Mobilize a unified global response through strong feminist movements to combat the growing backlash against gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. This includes protecting and expanding rights in the face of opposition, defending feminist principles, standing firm against any efforts to roll back decades of progress and committing to intersectional organizing and cross-movement building grounded on international human rights norms and standards.

Harness Art, Artivism and Storytelling to Power our Movements: Commit to humanizing our collective efforts to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights as all partners and champions and its impact through storytelling, arts and social media. Actively prioritize protecting human rights defenders, especially in the face of shrinking civic space, both online and offline, and provide them with the resources for digital security and safety.

Share power with the next generation of leaders: Support the meaningful integration of powerful young leaders within movements and in convening spaces as co-creators, co-convenors, and decision-makers. Commit to effective sharing of institutional power with young people and feminists, invest in mentorship and intergenerational collaboration to sustain movements.

Together, we stand, inspired, action-oriented, and ready to defend sexual and reproductive health and rights.