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There are 1.8 billion people like me in the world today who are under 25. That’s a quarter of the world’s population who is entering - or about to enter - sexual and reproductive life.

Yet, young people are more often than not denied the investments and opportunities they need to realize their full potential. Here we explore why governments must ensure the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of every young person.

The Issue

What exactly is SRHR? It is an umbrella term for various issues that affect men and women alike. It represents four separate areas:

1. Sexual health: sexual development free from illness and violence

2. Sexual rights: the rights of all people to decide freely about their sexuality

3. Reproductive health: physical, mental and social well-being in all matters related to human reproductive system

4. Reproductive rights: the rights of people to decide freely about the number and spacing of their children

After researching more about SRHR, I began to wonder what the world would look like if every young person had access to these four basic health needs.

If we empower young people and allow them to make their own decisions related to sexuality and reproduction, every pregnancy will be wanted. If we provide young people with age-appropriate sex education in schools and quality information about different methods of contraception, teenage pregnancies will be reduced. If we teach young people about sexuality without prejudice, promote respect, empathy and social inclusion, sexual violence will not exist.

By enabling the sexual and reproductive health and rights of every young person, they are more likely to stay in school, avoid unintended pregnancy, and support their families and communities. Ultimately, this will help create more equal societies across the globe.

What have Global Citizens done?

As we approach the year 2015, we’re far from achieving universal access to SRHR.

That’s why Global Citizens have rallied together to call on the global community to enact development strategies that will give every young person control over their own bodies and their destinies. By sending more than 2,000 emails to world governments, Global Citizens have called on world leaders to invest in SRHR across the board.

Over 30,000 Global Citizens have also signed a petition specifically calling for access to SRHR to be included in the new development agenda to make sure every girl and boy has full access to comprehensive contraceptive services and information as well as sexual rights.

Where do we go from here?

We still need to fight for SRHR issues to be included when world leaders meet to plan the development agenda for the next 15 years. Significant controversy continues to revolve around this issue. If Member States don’t reach a consensus, we risk not having SRHR as a focus of country investments.

We also risk addressing only part of the problem by focusing on individual issues such as maternal health and HIV/AIDs separately. We need to make sure all young people have access to education, contraception and health services so that all can lead happy, healthy lives, with enjoyment of all human rights.

The only way to overcome these obstacles is to raise our voices.

Email your government now to ensure that reproductive health and family planning become priorities in the Post - 2015 Development agenda!

You can also #Showyourselfie to tell world leaders that all young people need sexual and reproductive health and rights.

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Leticia Pfeffer

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