“Not old enough to drive, yet old enough to be a parent ...” UNFPA Calls for Development Goal on Youth

UNFPA recently called for a development goal for the post-2015 development agenda on youth in its recent publication Next Steps: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights on the Post-2015 Agenda. Fulfilling rights, achieving universal access to SRHR, empowering women, investing in youth, through a coherent post-2015 development framework. At the International Conference on Family Planning that concluded recently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, its Executive Director, expanded further why the inclusion of this goal is important.

Recognizing that young people are a vital force that must be front and centre in global development efforts. Dr Osotimehin said, “To achieve genuine development, we must transform our approach with and for young people, and in particular young women and girls. Young people are drivers of change. They must have the choices and tools to fully participate in development, realize their potential, and contribute to their societies.”

He emphasized the importance of universal access to rights-based sexual and reproductive health, including contraception, as a key step to empowering young people. In addition he highlighted barriers to the full realization of young people’s rights. “Adolescents are subjected to our double standards, and for girls in particular, the consequences are grave: They are not old enough to drive, yet old enough to be a parent? They are not old enough to vote, yet old enough to be married? Old enough to be pregnant, yet not old enough to have full access to sexuality education or contraceptives? Let us be clear: There can be no room for motherhood in childhood and we cannot continue to deprive young people of their rights to sexual and reproductive health,” he said.  

The UNFPA press release is available here.