WAS at ICFP 2025: Honoring Leadership and Strengthening Global Solidarity for CSE
- WAS Digital
- Nov 4
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
[Bogotá, Colombia]
The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) was proud to take part in the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP 2025) — one of the world’s largest gatherings advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). From the stage to the strategy tables, WAS leaders championed sexual health, rights, and justice at a pivotal moment for global solidarity.
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Esther Corona Vargas Receives the ICFP 2025 Luminary Award
WAS Vice-President Esther Corona Vargas has been honored with the ICFP 2025 Luminary Award, one of the conference’s most prestigious distinctions.
The ICFP 2025 Luminary Award celebrates bold, transformative leaders whose work has advanced SRHR with integrity, innovation, and a deep commitment to equity. The award recognizes not only lasting impact — through policy, education, advocacy, or community action — but also the values and courage behind that work.
Aligned with this year’s theme, “Equity Through Action: Advancing SRHR for All,” the award shines a light on those guiding the way forward for the global SRHR community.
WAS proudly congratulates Esther for receiving this distinguished honor. Her lifelong leadership in Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and her unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion have shaped generations of educators and advocates around the world.
Strengthening Transnational Solidarity for Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Comprehensive Sexuality Education faces unprecedented opposition worldwide. Yet in Bogotá, we witnessed what’s possible when leaders, youth advocates, and organizations unite — strategies shared, partnerships forged, and momentum sustained.
More than 5,000 global leaders gathered for ICFP 2025 — the seventh International Conference on Family Planning — to share innovations, set regional priorities, and develop concrete strategies for advancing inclusive, evidence-based, and rights-affirming CSE.
The Pre-Conference on CSE, “Strengthening Transnational Solidarity for the Promotion of CSE,” held on 2 November, was co-led by Rutgers, IPPF, UNFPA, and other partners. It brought together policymakers, educators, and youth advocates to confront global backlash and strengthen collective action for CSE as a fundamental right.
Opening remarks featured Dr. Álvaro Bermejo (Director-General, IPPF), Ms. Julia Bunting (Director, Programme Division, UNFPA), and a representative from Global Affairs Canada, alongside youth keynote speaker Juan Mocaleano, Vice-President of the Youth Subcommittee and Board Member of Profamilia, Colombia.
Esther Corona Vargas, who co-facilitated the segment “The Path Forward,” played a key role in guiding the closing Call to Action alongside youth advocate Celena Rodallega of Profamilia’s RedJoven network. Together, they invited participants to endorse the Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice, which identifies Comprehensive Sexuality Education as one of ten global priorities for 2025–2030.
WSHA Leadership Dinner: Advancing the Porto Proclamation
Following the pre-conference, WAS and Rutgers co-hosted a World Sexual Health Assembly (WSHA) Leadership Dinner, uniting advocates, funders, and decision-makers committed to transforming The Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice into shared action.
Adopted in Porto, Portugal, earlier in 2025, the Proclamation represents a shared commitment by organizations and leaders from across regions and sectors to defend sexual health as integral to health, affirm sexual rights as human rights, and advance sexual justice as essential to equality and dignity.
The Leadership Dinner spotlighted how these commitments are being translated into concrete action — through education, advocacy, and professional collaboration — and invited new organizations to join as signatories and partners.
WAS was also represented by Eszter Kismődi, Executive Committee Member and Chair of the Sexual Rights Committee, who contributed to discussions on integrating rights-based, justice-oriented approaches across sexual and reproductive health in an ICFP spotlight session.
Carrying the Momentum Forward
A detailed plan of action is being developed to guide the implementation of the Proclamation’s priorities. Signatories will also convene in annual meetings of the World Sexual Health Assembly (WSHA) to ensure accountability and sustained progress.
WAS invites all professionals, organizations, institutions, and individuals working in sexual health and rights to endorse the Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice by sharing it within their networks. Aligning with this mission helps amplify a collective global call for equality, inclusion, dignity, and justice across regions and communities.
Become a Founding Donor
You can help transform this shared vision into sustained global impact.
By pledging as little as US $100 (payable by the end of 2025), your name will be recognized among the Founding Donors — a group of visionary leaders standing with WAS to advance the future of sexual health, rights, and justice.
To make your contribution or learn more, contact exec@worldsexualhealth.net.
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About WAS
Founded in 1978, the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) is the global confederation of professional organizations, academics, clinicians, educators, and advocates dedicated to advancing sexual health and rights for all.
Through six regional federations and more than 80 member organizations, WAS works in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and as an implementing partner with UNFPA, promoting sexual health as a fundamental human right. ____________________________
Media Queries
Dr. René de Klerk, WAS Executive Director
Email: exec@worldsexualhealth.net
Lisa Welsh, WAS Communications Lead.
Email: media@worldsexualhealth.net
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