At the 7th International Conference on Family Planning in Bogotá, Colombia, - the first ever held in Latin America - the Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI) proudly turned the spotlight on the Right to Health as the foundation of global health equity. In a moment when universal health coverage and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) face growing threats and global pushback, CeHDI’s message was clear: the Right to Health is so much more than an ideal: it is a legal, political, and moral obligation that must guide action at every level.

The CeHDI team was active and engaged across the event, from the pre-conference Youth Summit to our high-level panel discussion and interactive booth activities. On Tuesday 4 November, CeHDI had the honor to convene a side event entitled “The Right to Health: The Gateway to Accelerating Action on SRHR & Maternal Health,” Find the recorded session here. This event brought together ministers, global health leaders, and advocates to discuss how governments can turn commitments into accountability. Voices from Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Caribbean shared urgent challenges and inspiring examples of rights-based approaches improving women’s wellbeing and maternal health outcomes. The conversation underscored that realizing the Right to Health requires courage, inclusion, and collaboration across sectors and borders. A call to action was launched by the UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Health Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, who serves as a member of the CeHDI advisory Group.

Beyond the meeting rooms and conference halls, the energy stayed electric at the CeHDI booth, where young people joined the team to co-lead a creative activation affectionately called “Co-Creating Empowered Youth Advocacy.” In a rapid-fire exchange, participants shared their experiences, exchanged insights on the biggest barriers to SRHR, and collectively imagined solutions. Their contributions will feed into a youth-centered Right to Health Action Brief, ensuring that young advocates are not just consulted but truly centered in shaping global advocacy for enhanced health equity.

CeHDI was also proud to connect with and support partners across the conference, sponsoring the participation of two courageous independent journalists from the Global South in the SHE & Right Media Awards and hosting numerous multi- and bilateral meetings.

Despite the increasing threat of regressive policies and anti-rights narratives the world over, ICFP 2025 gave ample reason for optimism: CeHDI welcomed commitments from the private sector, non-profit organizations, and governments to increase funding for essential reproductive health services, and the presentation of new research and technical guidance will help inform more effective and evidence-based advocacy. https://theicfp.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ICFP-2025-Media-Release-1_EN-1.pdf

From high-level diplomacy to grassroots dialogue, CeHDI’s engagements at ICFP 2025 reaffirmed a simple truth: the Right to Health is the gateway to justice and equity. Together with governments, youth, and advocates around the world, we are working tireless to turn that right from aspiration to action.

Equity Through Action: Taking the Right to Health from Principle to Practice at ICFP 2025