YouAct - European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights

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Above: Vienna AIDS Conference July 2010 Photo Exhibition 'HIV & SRHR Linkages Through a Lens'

What We Do

YouAct aims to achieve it's mission and vision by:

  • advocating for the SRHR of young people at the National, European and International levels.
  • achieving youth participation in the field.
  • organising young people, active in the field of SRHR, to enable them to collaborate more effectively and be heard.
  • promoting and supporting awareness raising activities on SRHR of young people.

Our Achievements

  • Over 5 years more than 300 young people in Europe and internationally have gained new and developed existing skills in advocacy and SRHR through YouAct training;
  • Over 50 YouAct members have participated in events and high level meetings including sitting on discussion panels, representing YouAct on working groups and as participants, ensuring the European youth voice on SRHR is present;
  • YouAct's independence process has been a source of learning for other youth led organisations wishing to follow a similar process;
  • YouAct's partner organisations Internationally and in Europe have been supported by YouAct to encourage meaningful youth participation in their governance and developing, implementing and evaluating programmes, as a direct result of YouAct's work with many of these organisations, they now have youth board members and have developed plans on youth participation;
  • As a source of information and knowledge YouAct has supported young people interested and enquiring about our work including students, young people working in other areas and marginalised young people;
  • YouAct has engaged young people from across the world in exploring SRHR within their local context and supported young people to explore this creatively through for example the ZoomIn! Project and a photo exhibition on HIV and SRHR linkages;
  • Opportunity has also been provided by YouAct for young people outside of the membership from across Europe to attend a number of trainings, conferences and high level meetings focusing on SRHR and HIV&AIDS.

    • Timeline

    To see a brief timeline of YouAct's past projects and participation in events, please click here.

    Projects

    YouAct projects are led by members and focus on SRHR issues and youth participation. YouAct projects include partnering with other youth and SRHR organisations to raise awareness, build capacity and skills of young people, develop publications and advocate for change through participation in high level meetings and events.

    Please click here to see what we have been up to in 2010!

    Recent and current projects include:

    • Participation in the Youth Force working group for the Vienna AIDS Conference 2010
    • A Photo Exhibition at the Youth Pavilion, Vienna AIDS Conference: HIV and SRHR lnikages 'through a lens'
    • A Factsheet publication in partnership with the World AIDS Campaign on HIV and SRHR Linkages read more
    • Participation in the Women Deliver Youth Working Group and Youth Symposium
    • Meeting with European decision makers to share youth advocacy messages at the Women Deliver conference
    • Participation and working with partners on youth led advocacy at the Commission on the Status of Women 2010 read more
    • Delivering youth training at the Mexico Youth Conference 2010
    • Input into the Youth Coalition MDG Factsheet Series read more
    • Providing the overview from the Durex Network Face of Global Sex reports 2009/10 read more
    • Delivering youth advocacy training with partners in Bulgaria and Turkey 2010
    • A 6 country advocacy training of young people and supporting the development of youth led SRHR advocacy campaigns targeted at candidate MEPs 2009
    • A joint Youth International Statement on SRHR towards 2014 /15 for the UN International Year of Youth 2010 read more

    Please click here to read about our past project Zoom In!

    Please click here to see a timeline of our activities since 2004

    Training

    YouAct has led and developed a number of training programmes focusing on SRHR, advocacy and young people. YouAct members have excellent experience in facilitating peer to peer training of young people from across Europe and Internationally.

    Some comments about YouAct training from former participants;

    'Extremely informative yet fun at the same time'.

    'I found this training to be very useful in terms of giving skills whilst also keeping the environment really fresh, fun and innovative'.

    'interesting and dynamic!'.

    For further information on how YouAct can provide youth led training for your organisation, please contact us

    Publications

    YouAct both leads on and partners with other organisations in the field to develop publications and information resources focusing on young people and SRHR.

    Our recently published Charter: SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE A Rights-Based Perspective, was the result of a 2008 Study Session for youth advocates organised by YouAct, in cooperation with the Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe. Please click here to read the YouAct Charter.

    Please see the Resources and Publications page for more information.