Resources

This report is intended to inform advocates and decision makers about how to support the sexual reproductive rights of young people around the world. It argues that comprehensive sexuality education is critical for young people to realize their rights.

Uluk is 16 and has been volunteering with the Reproductive Health Alliance of Kyrgyzstan for 4 years.  I tell other young people: "We have to care for our own reproductive health - no one else will. I'm asking you: get involved with your reproductive health, NOW.  There's nothing shameful in knowing about it; it's shameful NOT to know about it." There are million of volunteers like Uluk at IPPF's Member Associations who are having a tremendous impact on the lives of other young people in the communities. You can get involved today, just find your local IPPF Member Association.

As part of our work in tackling abortion stigma, IPPF awards small grants to young people to create projects that would tackle the issue of abortion stigma in their communities. In 2015, small grants were awarded to promising projects submitted by young people in Ghana, Palestine, Spain, Macedonia and Nepal. In 2017, a further six grants were awarded to young people in Guinea, Kenya, Nepal, Puerto Rico, Sierra Leone and Venezuela. In 2019 five more grants were awarded to youth-led projects in Albania, Colombia, Nigeria, Spain and Tanzania. These documents give more information about what these projects set out to do, their methods and the results.

Globally Connected: Being a Young Volunteer in IPPF is a guide for young people who are part of the IPPF global ‘family’. It gives an overview of young people’s rights and responsibilities within the Federation, the six regional youth networks, and the different roles available – from peer educator to representing IPPF at international meetings. The guide outlines how IPPF’s new Strategic Framework involves young people and young volunteers from Member Associations across the world give information about their own roles within the Federation.

One month on the Cyclone Winston hit Fiji, IPPF-SPRINT is still providing sexual, reproductive and maternal care to cyclone-affected population. 

The world is home to the largest generation of young people in history. They are diverse, they have opportunities, but they also face immense obstacles in their lives. Young people and adolescents need to be able to make informed decisions and have access to sexual and reproductive health education, information and services. IPPF’s journey of youth services and participation is illustrated by the timeline of events on this page. Our approach has changed radically, from ‘not turning young people away’ to providing high quality, standardized youth-friendly programmes. Our performance of the past decade tells a powerful story of this increasing commitment to young people. In 2005, 25% of our services were provided to young people, and since then the number of services provided to young people has grown steadily. Of the 86.9 million services provided by IPPF in 2013, almost every second one was to a young person. IPPF’s new Strategic Framework (2016 -2022) shows how the Federation is embracing young people as partners and moving to a more youth-centred approach. By expanding our commitment to youth-friendliness and evolving to ensure that young people are truly at the centre of everything we do, IPPF will continue to set an example for meaningful youth involvement. By genuinely focusing on young people’s lives and requirements, from their own perspectives, we can deliver services, programmes and interventions that are truly shaped by them, and thus relevant, inclusive and effective. This document is an introduction for decision makers, service providers and youth leaders within the Federation on how IPPF can build on its legacy and transition to a youth-centred approach. It addresses the questions: what does this new thinking include? What does it mean in practice? How should we implement it? How should we measure progress?