Shared Frontlines: A conversation on the current challenges and opportunities for bodily autonomy and SRHR advocacy

July 2026

What this members' meeting was about

Advocacy for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is operating in a contested global landscape. A well-coordinated and well-resourced international anti-gender movement is mobilising across regions and institutions to roll back advances on gender justice, LGBTQI+ rights, comprehensive sexuality education, and access to safe abortion and contraception - often through disinformation, norm-shifting campaigns, and strategic engagement at multilateral forums.

SRHR is a fundamental human right, essential to bodily autonomy, gender equality and the realisation of health for all. Yet, in addition to coordinated pushback by anti-gender actors, major aid cuts - including by the UK government - have undermined rights, programmes and partnerships and disproportionately harmed the most marginalised. The new US bilateral MOUs and the expanded global gag rule further threaten SRHR and gender justice.

Against the backdrop of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) recently published UK International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, and the Foreign Secretary’s new International Coalition to End Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), this joint GADN and UK SRHR Network members' meeting explored advocacy priorities within this context and with reference to the UK’s international SRHR advocacy priorities: humanitarian, VAWG, security and economy. We discussed challenges and opportunities and identified potential collective action and mutual learning across SRHR and wider gender justice advocates.

We heard from an expert panel of speakers, including from Fòs Feminista, Amnesty International, and Ipas, as well as from both networks on their work on SRHR advocacy and rollback.

Please note we only recorded the speakers’ presentation and the Q&A at the end - the breakout sessions were not recorded, though the questions are at the end of the recording for you to consider your own reflections.