Calling All Young Family Planning Champions: FP2020 Now Accepting Applications for Reference Group Youth Members

Calling All Young Family Planning Champions: FP2020 Now Accepting Applications for Reference Group Youth Members

Application deadline: January 22, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. EST/2 p.m. GMT

The fundamental right of individuals (including young people) to decide, freely and for themselves, whether, when, and how many children to have is central to the vision and goals of FP2020. 

Yet today, many of the more than one billion young people (ages 10-24) living in the 69 FP2020 focus countries do not have access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health care programs that meet their needs and empower them to determine matters related to their sexuality for themselves. Unfortunately, many young people are prevented from accessing and using modern forms of contraception due to discrimination, stigma, and a lack of information.

FP2020 is seeking applicants interested in a leadership role in the movement to provide insights and expertise to address these challenges and to strengthen young people’s voice and participation within the partnership. Successful candidates will be family planning champions in their country and well-connected to national, regional and/or global networks committed to ensuring the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people and adolescents. 

Please see below for more information. Click here to apply. 

About FP2020 Reference Group 

FP2020 is governed by the Reference Group, which sets the overall strategic direction and drives coordination among the partnership’s stakeholders. Reference Group members are drawn from governments, multilateral organizations, civil society, donor agencies, and the private sector, and are accountable for ensuring that 120 million more women and girls have access to voluntary family planning information, services and contraceptives by the year 2020. Serving as a Reference Group member offers a unique opportunity for meaningful participation for young people at the highest level of FP2020’s governance. 

More information about adolescents, youth and family planning can be found here.

Position Description 

Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) is accepting applications for two young people to join our Reference Group, which provides leadership and oversight across the FP2020 partnership’s efforts and currently comprises 23 members representing multi-lateral organizations, civil society, governments, and the private sector. 

The Youth Representative Seat on the FP2020 Reference Group is intended to incorporate the perspectives of young people and provide an opportunity for meaningful participation at the highest levels of FP2020’s governance. The two individuals selected through this process will participate in all Reference Group activities and share the seat during in-person meetings. 

The Youth Reference Group Members will serve as a critical link between FP2020 and networks of adolescents and young people in the family planning community. Successful candidates will have the ability to articulate insights that reflect a strong understanding of issues, concerns, and opportunities that are unique to young people and adolescents.

Eligibility Criteria 

The Youth Representatives on the Reference Group must be filled by individuals who:

• Are a member of at least one youth network engaged in work to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people, specifically related to ensuring the right to contraceptives;
• Born after January 1, 1990 (in the year 2020 you must be 30 or younger);
• Are able to serve for a two-year period;
• Are available to participate in two annual Reference Group meetings each year and an additional 1-2 global convenings each year (approximately 3 weeks of travel per year);
• Are from one of FP2020’s focus countries. 

Qualities

To successfully serve on the Reference Group, applicants should demonstrate the following qualities and capabilities:

• Proven advocate for family planning both in their own country and globally;
• Well-versed in sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, especially those related to young people and family planning;
• Well-connected to youth networks and organizations in their own country and globally;
• Comfortable voicing their perspective and the perspective of other young people amongst high-level leaders in the family planning community;
• Prepared to present ideas and solutions to the major challenges impacting adolescent and youth access and use of contraception. 

Please complete the following application using this link or by submitting all application materials by email to youth@familyplanning2020.org by January, 22, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. ET/2 p.m. GMT