Sharing PAI’s Voices: Supporting Youth Participation at the 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

The Asia Pacific Alliance (APA) brings together organizations from donor and emerging donor countries in Asia and the Pacific. PAI has been partner of APA’s for almost 10 years   Through Project RMA PAI and APA are working to increase resources for reproductive health supplies in the Asia and the Pacific region. 

APA has been a leader in building advocacy capacity for sexual and reproductive health and rights, as evidenced by their work with young people at the regional conference held in China this past month.

by Alice Ruxton
Australian Reproductive Health Alliance (ARHR)

Alice Ruxton presenting at the Conference

The Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA) worked to strengthen, improve, and expand youth activities at the  5th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCSRHR) held in Beijing, China from 17-20 October 2009. The 5th APCRSHR’s theme was ‘Working for Universal Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights: Building on the ICPD Platform of Action (PoA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)’.   The timing of this conference represented an exciting opportunity to reflect on past SRHR successes and determine future directions.

APA created Leadership Youth Commitment Desks and held a Skill Building Advocacy Workshop to increase support for the neglected needs of young people and their sexual and reproductive health and rights in Asia and the Pacific.   Before the start of the Conference, the APA Task Force for Youth collaborated with other young people, including representatives from the host country China, to create visible, meaningful and successful strategies for ensuring young people’s rights were recognized and acknowledged.

Youth at the Leadership Commitment Desks

APA fulfilled a specific advocacy niche at the conference  because it brings together NGOs and government development agencies from donor countries. Thus, the youth commitment desk represented an innovative advocacy concept and opportunity to further expand youth participation. It also placed a spotlight on youth issues in the region, encouraging adult participants at the conference to make concrete SRHR commitments to young people.  A wide range of participants stopped by the desk, including government officials, parliamentarians, community leaders, policy makers and donors.  Overall, the commitment desk collected 167 written commitments!  Furthermore, the active involvement of young people was acknowledged and mentioned in several formal sessions including the closing session of the Conference.

So what do all of these commitments mean?  APA believes all of the commitments are opportunities and entry points for future advocacy which can be used for leverage for further progressive action on young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.  This is especially important given that 2009 marks the 15th anniversary of the ICPD Program of Action. And while young people’s needs are one of the five key areas outlined for the ICPD +15 review process, it is evident that their needs are still not being fully met. 2010 will mark the 10th anniversary of the eight MDGs which intersect with youth sexual and reproductive health and rights issues. Therefore, it is critical that the momentum for working on sexual and reproductive health and rights increases.

APA will follow-up with all of the policy makers and leaders who made commitments to ensure that they are transferred into action by linking young people who were at the Conference with those who have made commitments.  Through this, APA hopes that these commitments will foster better partnership, collaboration and opportunities for sustainable policies and programs that promote young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.