Who we are

The International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, is the only global membership union composed of both government and civil society organisations. The Biodiversity & Family Planning Task Force is the first and only IUCN entity focussed exclusively on the connections between reproductive and environmental health. We are the IUCN Task Force with the greatest emphasis on human health. Our work is critically important because environmental and human health are inextricably linked.

Our creation

We were founded as a result of the landslide vote at IUCN’s World Conservation Congress in 2020, when IUCN members voted for the motion “Importance for the conservation of nature of removing barriers to rights-based voluntary family planning”.

What we do

We support IUCN and IUCN members develop guidance on how and why removing barriers to rights-based voluntary family planning can strengthen conservation outcomes, in addition to promoting the health, well-being and empowerment of women and girls. We will produce publications, guidance and best practice materials through a series of output oriented Working Groups and support activities to change national and organisational plans and policies.

We help IUCN ensure its work and focus reflect the interconnected nature of the Sustainable Development Goals, respects human rights, promotes multi-sector approaches benefiting human and environmental health, and acts as a flagship Task Force in terms of level of output and governance.

Contact

You can contact the Task Force by emailing its Co-Chair, Carina Hirsch: carina@margaretpyke.org.