ASTRA Network was proud to participate in the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2025 in Bogotá, one of the most significant global gatherings dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. ASTRA was represented by Ewa Szymera, ASTRA Coordinator and co-founder of the Pink Box initiative, who brought the diverse voices and experiences of feminist activists from across Central and Eastern Europe to the global arena.
Our joint panel had been selected from 5,174 submissions, a recognition that underscored the urgency of the SRHR challenges unfolding in the region. The session brought together leading advocates whose combined perspectives illustrated the complexity of the situation in Central and Eastern Europe. The panel featured Julianna Kupcsok from the EMMA Association in Hungary, Catalina Comendant from CIDSR – Reproductive Health Training Center in Moldova, Borjan Pavlovski from ESE – Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women in North Macedonia, and Justyna Faszcza, lawyer and psychologist from the Federation for Women and Family Planning (FEDERA) in Poland.
Together, the speakers examined how anti-gender movements and authoritarian political tendencies across Central and Eastern Europe had been eroding sexual and reproductive rights. The panel explored how governments and far-right actors relied on narratives rooted in nationalism, traditionalism, and “pro-family” rhetoric to justify restrictions on contraception, abortion, and comprehensive sexuality education. These developments had a particularly harmful impact on marginalized groups, including migrants, rural communities, and people with limited financial resources. The panelists also highlighted how feminist organizations in the region had been resisting this backlash through legal action, community-based initiatives, cross-border collaboration, and the provision of direct services to those facing barriers to care.
Although Central and Eastern Europe had often been overlooked in global SRHR debates, the region had become a crucial battleground where restrictive measures were tested and replicated across borders. This reality demonstrated the need for sustained international solidarity and meaningful support for activists working in increasingly hostile environments. ASTRA worked to ensure that these experiences and perspectives were visible, understood, and integrated into global advocacy and policy processes.
The theme of ICFP 2025, “Equity through Action: Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All,” resonated strongly with ASTRA’s mission. Achieving equity required dismantling systemic inequalities, amplifying marginalized voices, and supporting those defending reproductive rights on the front lines. At ICFP 2025, ASTRA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, elevating the perspectives of Central and Eastern Europe, and ensuring that the pursuit of reproductive justice remained a global and collective effort.
