ICFP Scientific Subcommittee

Scientific Subcommittee

The ICFP Scientific Subcommittee (SSC) leads the development of the conference’s scientific program—overseeing abstract submissions, managing the peer review process, and shaping the final scientific agenda.The SSC draws together global experts across research, program implementation, policy, academia, NGOs, and multilateral organizations. At ICFP 2025, the subcommittee oversaw a record-breaking scientific program that reflected both the resilience of the global SRHR community and growing momentum for inclusive, multilingual, and youth-led scientific engagement.

Major Events, Activities, and Impact

Pre-conference Drumbeat Webinars

To promote an inclusive and accessible submission process, the SSC organized nine informational webinars titled “Navigating Abstract Submission for ICFP 2025,” offered in English, French, and Spanish. Designed for both first-time and experienced contributors, the one-hour sessions provided practical guidance on preparing and submitting research, programmatic, and advocacy abstracts. Recordings were made available on-demand on the conference website and YouTube channel, ensuring accessibility across time zones and regions.

Record-breaking Abstract Submissions

ICFP 2025 received a record-breaking 5,174 abstract submissions—the highest in conference history and a 66% increase from ICFP 2022. Submissions arrived from more than 125 countries, with the top ten contributing countries being the United States, Nigeria, India, Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan, Colombia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Burkina Faso. The call for abstracts was extended from the original March 15 deadline to April 22, 2025, in direct response to the funding cuts and broader uncertainty affecting the SRHR community—ensuring organizations had equitable opportunity to participate regardless of the turbulent external environment.

Historic Multilingual Breakthrough

For the first time, ICFP accepted Spanish-language abstract submissions, resulting in a multilingual portfolio: 78.9% English, 11.8% Spanish, and 9.3% French. French-language submissions grew 52% compared to ICFP 2022, reaching 612 abstracts. Presentations were delivered across English (72%), Spanish (18%), and French (10%). This breakthrough signals ICFP’s deepening commitment to accessibility, regional inclusion, and global participation—particularly for Latin American and Francophone communities.

Scientific Program

Of the 5,174 submissions, the acceptance rate was 35%. The scientific program comprised 137 oral sessions presenting 616 abstracts, 37 flash sessions presenting 277 abstracts, and 8 poster sessions featuring 744 abstracts. The program was organized across 14 thematic tracks, with 44 track co-chairs providing leadership. A rigorous review process engaged 870 reviewers and 189 super reviewers—individuals who committed to evaluating more than ten abstracts each—conducting reviews between April 28 and May 28, 2025. Additionally, 178 moderators facilitated 174 oral and flash sessions, and 32 judges assessed work across eight poster sessions.

Post-conference Evaluation Survey

The SSC conducted a multilingual conference evaluation survey across November 4–6, reaching 490 participants (417 unique respondents) in English, French, and Spanish. Overall, 92% of respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their conference experience, and 87% found the conference very or extremely useful for their future work. Respondents rated ICFP’s role as very or extremely significant in raising the SRHR profile (81%), career development (78%), building research evidence (71%), and youth engagement (68%). In the post-conference survey, 95% of respondents said another ICFP should be hosted, and 97% said they would attend a future ICFP.

Impact

The Scientific Subcommittee’s work at ICFP 2025 demonstrated that rigorous science and radical inclusion are not opposing values—they are mutually reinforcing. By extending the submission deadline in response to the funding crisis, accepting Spanish-language submissions for the first time, delivering drumbeat webinars in three languages, and assembling a review panel of over 1,000 individuals across 14 tracks, the SSC ensured the scientific program reflected the true breadth of global SRHR knowledge. Presenters came from 99 countries of residence and 104 countries of citizenship. The evaluation data confirmed the impact: ICFP 2025 was not only scientifically excellent but a career-defining and community-building experience for participants across all regions and career stages.

Key Takeaways

The SRHR Community Is Resilient and Growing

A 66% increase in abstract submissions—during a period of significant funding cuts and external uncertainty—demonstrates the enduring commitment and resilience of the global SRHR community. The field is growing, not retreating, despite political and financial headwinds.

Equity Through Action Is the Field’s Defining Theme

The three most-submitted tracks—Adolescents and Youth (890), Equity Through Action (881), and Access, Integration, Quality, and Technology (850)—reveal the field’s collective priorities: meeting young people’s needs, tackling persistent inequities, and scaling innovation for access. More than 35% of submitters were youth, signaling genuine generational momentum, not just tokenism.

Funding Is the Field’s Greatest Challenge

The conference evaluation revealed that 79% of respondents identified limited funding as a major challenge to improving SRHR in their countries, and 67% cited it as a major challenge in their own work—far outpacing other barriers. This consistent signal across multiple data points demands urgent attention from donors, governments, and the broader development community.

Digital Health Is the Field’s Greatest Source of Hope

When asked about emerging opportunities for advancing SRHR, respondents most frequently cited digital health (35%), self-care (24%), and research and evidence innovations (22%). This reflects growing conviction that technology and data-driven approaches can bridge access gaps and accelerate progress when traditional systems face constraints.

Language Inclusion Changes Who Gets to Participate

The historic acceptance of Spanish-language submissions and the 52% growth in French-language abstracts were not administrative decisions—they were equity decisions. Expanding language access directly determined who could contribute their research and practice knowledge to the global conversation, and the results were transformative.

Powerful Voices