Day 6 - 5th March

Young people advocating for sexual and reproductive rights

CSW 54 session- Coalition of young peopleThe coalition of young people made a statement for the support of their rights. WAGGGS delegate Nefeli Themeli was amongst the fifteen young men and women, wearing T-shirts with statements such as ‘Dead healthy women’, ‘unplanned pregnancies’ and ‘misinformed’, that took a strong stand for achieving the goals that were set in Beijing fifteen years ago.

 

We demand access to comprehensive sexuality information, services and supplies for all young people. We need it today - and today needed to be yesterday.

The young people from more than 20 countries and every continent collectively demand their sexual and reproductive rights:

  • All young people must have access to comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception and emergency contraception, in order to avoid unintended pregnancies.
  • Sexual and reproductive health services should, as a minimum, be accessible, affordable and safe.
  • All young people should have access to psycho-social health services for prevention of gender-based violence and violence against women.

The cohort of young people believe that decision makers attending the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women need to listen to the needs and demands of young people and promote their human rights including sexual and reproductive rights to ensure the health and wellbeing of women, young people and all people worldwide.

Facts and figures

  • In sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility rates are the highest, very small proportions of adolescent girls use modern methods of contraception. For example, 4% in Benin, 10.7% in Kenya, 12.4% in Mali, 8% in Uganda, and 5.2% in Zimbabwe. Bearinger, LH., Sieving, RE., Ferguson, J., Sharma, V. Global Perspectives on the Sexual and Reproductive health of Adolescents
  • Annually there are 70,000 deaths worldwide from unsafe abortion (UNFPA, 2004, State of World Population). Many unsafe abortions are linked to unintended pregnancies and lack of access to reproductive health information and services for young women. Unsafe abortion significantly contributes to maternal morbidity (including short-term and long-term effects of disease, injury, impairment or disability) and mortality rates, especially in developing countries.

WAGGGS would like to correct some factual mistakes that have appeared in coverage about the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts involvement at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Read the statement on WAGGGS participation on this website.