Season's greetings from Prof Marleen Temmerman, Chair ICRH Global

As the year draws to a close, I am proud and grateful for all that we have accomplished together in 2023.

It was a tough year for our core business, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, equity, diversity and women empowerment. Global crises such as the Ukraine war and Gaza, just to name a few, together with climate change and (post) pandemic concerns, have disastrous consequences for all, but even more for the most vulnerable, including women, children, and adolescents.
Despite the global and local challenges, the ICRH communities in Belgium, Kenya and Mozambique, together with partners and stakeholders in many parts of the world, have worked hard in the field of research, with new findings and evidence with a potential to change policies and practices in the health sector, as reflected in the many publications referred to in this newsletter.
Our teams tell their stories, not only through research, but by implementing evidence-based and locally adapted interventions in the field of maternal and newborn health, family planning, sexual and reproductive health and rights, in particular in relation to adolescents, gender-based violence, child abuse, infectious diseases and new innovative technologies.
We are very proud of our PhD students, who managed to get their degree this year, and of the many awards recognizing the importance of our work. 
It is impossible to predict the future, but it is obvious that the world needs more ICRH, and ICRH needs to continue and leverage the great work of the last 20-25 years. We need to join forces with allies and those who want to fight for a better world for all, in particular for women, children and adolescents.
Dear ICRH community, many thanks for your service and commitment. I wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and joyous holiday season and a wonderful new year.
Prof Marleen Temmerman
Founding Director ICRH