Spanish Parliamentary Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health

The Spanish Parliamentary Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health is a network of parliamentarians and senators who, despite having different political affiliation, share the same feelings and concerns regarding the situation of the reproductive health and rights in developing countries.

Together they participate in activities to share information and knowledge and promote parliamentary actions aimed at improving and increasing the policies and actions of the Spanish Government on aid for health and sexual and reproductive health. These efforts focus on the fulfilment of the commitments undertaken with the agreement of the Millennium Declaration, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Agenda 2030.

Since its creation, the FPFE has served as the technical secretariat of Intergroup, carrying out this role from its international department.

About Us

The Spanish Parliamentary Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health was established in 1998 with the purpose of creating a working forum and discussing issues related to population, development and sexual and reproductive health.

It is composed of representatives of the different parliamentary groups in the Senate and the Congress who, unanimously, take on a greater role both regionally, nationally and internationally towards the promotion of fulfilment of the commitments undertaken with the agreement of the Program of action adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994), the Platform for action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) and the Agenda 2030 adopted in September 2015.

For more information, you can download our brochure 

Our history

In 1994, an international agreement was adopted in Cairo by which the International Community committed to make all necessary efforts in order to universalize the access to sexual and reproductive health as well as the free and full exercise of sexual rights. The Cairo Programme for Action recognises the importance of appropriate legal frames to promote, guarantee and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights. Therefore, involving parliamentarians in this effort was essential.

Four years later, the Parliamentary Intergroup on Population, Development and Health was born in Spain at the same time as similar associations did in other countries. For over a decade, dozens of parliamentarians and senators have worked with the organization, thus enriching their work and acting as agents of change and improvement in Spanish politics concerning reproductive health and health aid. During this time, scores of parliamentary questions have been raised to monitor the Government’s work, resolutions have been promoted, and laws or budgets amended.

Furthermore, Intergroup is part of the European Parliamentary Forum, a continental space which offers joint activities and initiatives to similar groups from 27 European countries.

The goals defined by the international governments in Cairo and other important international meetings such as the Millennium Summit have not been achieved yet, although international cooperation has played an essential role in great part of the progress made until today. However, there is still a long way to go and the parliamentarian action will continue to be crucial and active in the future years.

Intergroup at Autonomous Communities / Regional level

The decentralized cooperation in Spain includes a great variety of activities and programmes at a regional and municipal level aimed to promote development of the communities in the Southern hemisphere. Regional Parliaments are responsible for approving budgets and monitoring governmental action in their regions. For this reason, FPFE and its member associations support the creation of and participation in regional intergroups such as the Catalan and Basque Country, while parliamentarians of different regions take part in activities organised at a national level.

Catalan Parliamentary Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health

Catalan Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health was established in 2009 with the support of the Spanish Federation of Family Planning – FPFE (Technical Secretariat of the Spanish Parliamentary Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health) and the Catalan Association of Family Planning, being the latter the Technical Secretariat of the Intergroup.

The Catalan Parliamentary Intergroup was formed with the purpose of creating a working forum and discussing issues related to population, development and sexual and reproductive health. It is composed by parliamentarians of different political groups, with the aim to acquire a greater role in disseminating the contents and promote compliance towards regional and central government with the Programme of Action adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) the Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) and the Agenda 2030.

Aware of the weight of development cooperation in the Catalan field, political representation and influence of different parties both nationally and internationally, teamworking is considered crucial when it comes to increasing awareness of issues related to sexual and reproductive health. It is the will of the Intergroup to further promote awareness, understanding and acceptance of sexual and reproductive health and rights of its members through training sessions and participation to thematic meetings, conferences, hearings, study visits, etc.

Visit the website of the Catalan parliament.

Intergroup on Population and Development of the Basque Parliament

The Basque Intergroup on Population, Development and Reproductive Health is made up of members of all the parliamentary groups that share an interest and enthusiasm in the field of International Cooperation, Sustainable Development and Sexual and Reproductive Health.

It starts in 2012.

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