November 2010
IPPF's new initiative Girls Decide, was one of the highlights of the EURONGOs conference in London in November.
"Girls Decide – stand up for choice on sex and pregnancy" aims to tackle the issue of teen pregnancy and provision of youth friendly sexual and reproductive health services by funding projects or activities that empower young women and girls.
Projects undertaken so far as part of the iniatiative include the establishement of a network of youth-friendly gynaecologists in the CzechRepublic.
Adolescent girls aged 10-19 account for 23 per cent of the global burden of disease due to pregnancy and childbirt. In addtion an estimated 2.5 million adolescents have unsafe abortions every year and these account for 46 per cent of deaths related to unsafe abortion worldwide.
The three goals of the iniatiative:
- Stand by girls: respect and fulfil their right to high quality services
- Stand up for girls: support and empower them to make their own choices and decisions related to sexuality and pregnancy
- Stand for sexual and reproductive rights: address the challenges facing young women and girls at the local, national and international levels
Watch: short film dispelling the myths about oral contraceptives entitled "Decision" produced by IPPF member Association of the Republic of Macedonia HERA – Health Education and Research Education as part of the Girls Decide initiative.