#WordsToWin Campaign
Words To Win is a bold campaign by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), designed to empower Member Associations, advocates, activists, and partners with language that wins hearts, shifts narratives, and defends sexual and reproductive rights.
The campaign is grounded in research led by IPPF on the most effective and winning narratives to mobilize support for sexual rights and counter opposition messaging. Rooted in decades of experience in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy, Words To Win highlights the power of storytelling and framing.
Through compelling, illustrated social media content, it equips people with the messages that work—because words don’t just reflect change—they drive it.
#WordsToWin Campaign: Reframing Abortion
The first 3 months of the campaign #WordsToWin were focused on reframing abortion discourse.
At IPPF, we are constantly refining how we talk about abortion care, sex work, sexual and gender based violence, comprehensive sexuality education, and sexual and reproductive health and rights more broadly. From shifting “abortion services” to “abortion care” to centering values like freedom, safety, and life, we know that the words we use can mobilize, persuade, and win.
We developed illustrations you can find here: Winning Narratives – Reframing Abortion – MA Forum
There are available in English, Spanish, French and Arabic. We encourage MAs, partners and activists to download these illustrations to post them on their social media channels. Use the hashtag #WordsToWin and tag @IPPF (LinkedIn) @ippf_global (Instagram).
We organized a training to equip Member Associations, IPPF Secretariat and partners with the skills to use winning narratives to promote abortion rights. You will find the powerpoint presentation attached. Please do not share this presentation outside of the Federation. You will find the recordings here: #WordsToWin Training Recordings: Reframing Abortion – MA Forum
#WordsToWin Campaign: Reframing Gender-Based Violence
When we call rape “misconduct” or a “sex scandal,” we protect perpetrators, not survivors. Watered-down words are a form of complicity.
Sexual violence trials are increasingly making headlines around the world. This is a powerful indication that survivors are not only speaking out, but finally being listened to. The #MeTooMovement continues, and the masks are coming off.
In this context, the words we use during these moments of media exposure are crucial: our words must reflect the realities that victims experience. Our language must not minimize the facts—or worse, glamorize them. Let’s not be fooled: playing with words to obscure the nature of the facts is nothing more than a strategy to protect rapists. We are speaking about violence, about attacks on human dignity, about crimes. Let us respect these realities by using language grounded in them.
Our Member Associations fight every day to defend survivors’ voices and make them heard. Support them in this global fight against sexual violence by using appropriate language. And hold your peers accountable so they do the same. Together, through our words, we can help end rape culture. Join our #WordsToWin campaign!
Learning Resources
