At the SHE & Rights session of the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP 2025), a chorus of young activists, advocates, and health leaders painted a vivid picture of progress, gaps, and persistent challenges in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the Global South.
The consensus: while some strides have been made, stigma, restrictive laws, and chronic underfunding continue to leave many young people behind.
A Decade of Change, but Stigma Persists
“In the last decade there has been a considerable change in how young people are being addressed in sexual and reproductive health and rights, but it is still miles away from where they get mainstreamed,” said Debanjana Choudhuri, Executive Director of the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR).
Despite improvements, young people still face discrimination when accessing services like contraception or abortion. “When a young person seeks safe abortion, they are stigmatized. That creates unsafe and vulnerable situations,” she added.
WGNRR has launched Generation Change Makers, a cohort of young people in the Philippines challenging restrictive laws and myths around SRHR. Through local dialogues, advocacy campaigns, and social media engagement, these youth are demanding that lawmakers not only listen but act.
“Safe abortion services are critical to SRHR justice. But stigma and taboo create a very unsafe environment for young people,” Debanjana emphasised.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education Still a Distant Goal
A key part of SRHR, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), remains limited in many countries. “In some places it is reduced to a single biology class. We need CSE right from school so individuals understand consent, bodily rights, and autonomy,” said Debanjana.
Magdalena Nadya, Youth Networker of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) for East and Southeast Asia and Oceania, agreed: “Policies alone are not enough. Young people in rural or conservative areas still face stigma. But youth are also co-designing and co-facilitating CSE through classrooms and social media campaigns, making education relatable and accessible.”
Yet inequities remain. Indigenous youth, girls with disabilities, and adolescents in rural areas continue to face systemic exclusion. Early marriage drives adolescent pregnancy, while laws requiring parental or spousal consent block access to SRHR services.
“In Indonesia, for many, SDG-3 and SDG-5 progress is limited. Age restrictions, stigma, and lack of youth-friendly providers still stand in the way,” Magdalena noted.
When Youth-Led Programs Deliver
While government policies lag, youth-led programs demonstrate tangible results.
In Nigeria, Faith Ebere Onuh of Y+ Global highlighted that maternal mortality remains high, exacerbated by limited health investment — just 5% of the national budget. Yet initiatives supported by the Gender Equality Fund have empowered adolescent girls and young women across six states, advocating on issues like HIV, TB, malaria, and gender equality.
“When youth-led programs are funded, we see results. Young people are not just the future — we are the present,” Faith said.
Kenya illustrates a mix of achievements and ongoing challenges. Maryann Wambugu, Chair of The PACT and Board member of Y+ Kenya, noted improvements: modern contraceptive use has increased, mother-to-child HIV transmission has declined, and female genital mutilation dropped from 38% in 2003 to 15% in 2024.
Political representation of women has also grown, with female governors, senators, and Kenya’s first female Chief Justice, Martha Koome. Health budget allocations doubled between 2013 and 2021, approaching the Abuja Declaration target of 15%.
Still, Maryann cautioned: “We are not just the face of the HIV epidemic but the force that can end it. Investing in our health empowers our choices.”
Communities Left Behind
In Uganda, Monalisa Akintole of the Uganda National Transgender Forum highlighted the exclusion of transgender youth. “Certain youths are left out of conversations. We can no longer be a token within a system. Policies must respect us, or do not invite us,” she said.
In Nepal, Nishant Kumar of Y-PEER Nepal acknowledged progress: maternal mortality dropped to 151 per 100,000 live births, institutional deliveries reached 79.4%, and CSE has been integrated into the national curriculum. Yet healthcare remains underfunded at just 4.6% of the national budget, while out-of-pocket expenses reach 54.2%, limiting access for marginalized youth.
Youth with disabilities, particularly those who are deaf, face extra barriers. Lack of sign language interpreters, accessible manuals, and rural-urban disparities compound challenges for safe abortion, HIV prevention, and mental health services.
Rohingya Youth Call for Action
For Noor Fatima, a Rohingya activist, inequities are glaring. “In refugee communities, health and gender equality are delayed rights, often denied,” she said. Fear of rejection, lack of documentation, and language barriers prevent many pregnant women from seeking care. Yet youth-led initiatives, such as trauma healing circles, peer-to-peer support networks, and digital literacy programs, are creating “sparks of change.”
Through the Rohingya Women’s Collaborative Network, young women are trained as community health advocates, sharing knowledge on hygiene, nutrition, mental health, and education — all women-led and Rohingya-led initiatives.
“Youth are not waiting for someone to give us a voice. We already have voices,” Noor said.
Networks of Resilience
Youth-led networks are proving their power. In India, Pooja Mishra of Youth Lead Voices described her journey from outreach worker to national youth leader of people living with HIV. Peer-led mentorship and support have enabled over 1,800 young people living with HIV to achieve viral suppression, ensuring the virus is not transmitted and stigma is reduced.
“These platforms allow honest conversations around HIV, mental health, and gender-based violence,” she said, urging for institutionalized peer-led mental health services.
Across Asia, indigenous youth are blending traditional knowledge with modern health systems. Supriya Rai of the Asia Indigenous Youth Platform highlighted campaigns on menstrual health, gender-based violence, and early marriage. Mobile and community-based health clinics bring services directly to remote villages, integrating traditional medicine with modern care.
A Youth-Led Future
The overarching message at ICFP 2025 was clear: youth are ready to lead. Shobha Shukla, Executive Director of CNS and SHE & Rights Coordinator, summarized the challenge: “Young people today are growing up amid social, health, and climate crises. Gender equality and the right to health require a youth-led, youth-centric approach. We must not leave anyone behind.”
Across regions, young people are not waiting to be handed the microphone. They are organizing, advocating, and demanding accountability. From rural villages to refugee camps, indigenous councils to national parliaments, youth-led initiatives are transforming SRHR education, health access, and gender equality programs.
But the path forward requires more than commitment. It requires adequate funding, legal reforms, and systemic accountability. Governments and donors must back youth-led solutions to close the gap between policy and implementation.
As these young leaders insist, the future of health, equality, and justice depends on recognizing that youth are not only beneficiaries but agents of change today.
- Watch the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=m4lnZNTAQ4k
