IFMSA, FIGO and WATOG joint statement on abortion and contraception in medical education

The joint statement to support the inclusion of contraception and abortion in sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing education for all medical students is the capstone of the efforts between the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the World Association of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynecology (WATOG).

The statement outlines the gaps existing in different aspects of medical education and provides a model curriculum on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with specific recommendations on how to include the topics in various subjects related to basic biomedical sciences, public health, behavioural and social sciences, medical ethics, clinical sciences. Please, find the statement attached below in English, French and Spanish.

The power of the IFMSA lies within its National Member Organizations that continue to tirelessly work on the university, local and national levels creating the changes in their communities. The statement can become yet another advocacy tool for our members to improve medical education frameworks and systems through the emphasis of the inclusion of abortion and family planning contents.

We cannot deny the urgent importance of incorporating SRHR education especially contraception and abortion in the medical curriculum of universities. Until we have unbiased and evidence-based information on our curriculum we as medical students create opportunities for ourselves to fill our unmet needs through organizing educational activities and affiliating it with IFMSA programs. Any SRHR topic falls in 4 IFMSA programs and Program Coordinators help medical students worldwide in creating SRHR capacity building and give guidance to them on how to increase its quality. If you have an activity that is related to contraception and abortion please contact the Program Coordinator [email protected] and you can affiliate your Activity with IFMSA programs.

For English version, click here.

For Spanish version, click here.

For French version, click here.

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