POSITION PAPER ON Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Belgrade, 2026.

Abstract

This position paper, issued by the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health (ESCRH) following its 18th Congress in Belgrade (2026), articulates a comprehensive, evidence-based and rights-centred stance on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Drawing on landmark international frameworks - including the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission, the WHO Action Plan for Sexual and Reproductive Health, the FIGO Cartagena Declaration, and the Porto Proclamation - the Society affirms ten core positions covering contraception, safe abortion, sexuality education, STI/HIV prevention, prevention of reproductive tract cancers, gender-based violence and female genital mutilation, and the needs of marginalised populations including adolescents, LGBTQIA+ individuals, migrants, people with disabilities, sex workers and older adults. The paper documents persistent inequities in contraceptive and abortion access across Europe, calls for evidence-based policy free from ideological interference, and outlines concrete recommendations for governments, health systems, the scientific community, and civil society. Endorsed by recognized international scientific societies, this position paper calls for urgent, coordinated action to guarantee universal SRHR.