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Young people led the way on the 12 and 13 November, kicking off a vibrant
ICFP Youth Pre-Conference that will set the stage for discussions on SRHR when the ICFP2022 begins on Monday.
PMNCH and other youth-allied organizations co-sponsored the pre-conference hosted by The Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health and International Youth Alliance for Family Planning. The two-day event created a space for young leaders, innovators, and professionals worldwide to engage, share and learn to advance the sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ) agenda for young people.
What did we learn?
One of the critical features of the pre-conference was the breakout sessions — 32 over the two days— with PMNCH hosting a session on Leaders of today and the future: What youth want. The PMNCH breakout was an interactive three-part session moderated by Adolescent & Youth Constituency members David Imbago, Lucy Fagan and Sahil Tandon. Discussions centered around three main questions, which would eventually feed into the process of defining the SRHR agenda for the upcoming Global Forum for Adolescents in 2023 and integrating key SRHR priorities in the Agenda for Action for Adolescents.
What did we learn?
In the first session, participants shared their pressing needs for SRHR, with priority themes emerging around access, including SRH services, safe abortion, comprehensive sexuality education and safe spaces. Inclusion and greater voice, particularly
in national and local policy and financing, were also high on the list.
With these priorities top of mind, the participant were asked to design an event agenda for the Global Forum for Adolescents, and propose titles and themes for potential events. Many were keen on an approach that involved storytelling, sharing experiences and inviting others to walk in their shoes, i.e. channeling the power of empathy as a tool for advocacy and positive engagement.
Discussions in the final breakout outlined a series of asks that would shape an Agenda for Action for adolescents. Many of the old themes reemerged, including a call for efficiency in investments and programming, youth leadership, participation and decision-making,
access to SRH and information services, and institutionalized spaces for adolescents to engage with leaders and policymakers.
The youth pre-conference ended on a high note with a special message from PMNCH Board Chair Rt. Hon. Helen Clark reiterating the importance of platforms such as the youth pre-conference in reinforcing the need to engage young people in issues that concern
them and inviting them to join the 1.8 billion campaign.
PMNCH will join partners in hosting an Intergenerational Dialogue in the form of a lunch for leaders during ICFP. This event will bring together youth, ministers, parliamentarians, and other SRHR leaders to engage in knowledge-sharing, exchange best practices, and most importantly, hear from young people.