More than half of the world’s population is under 25. Sexual Health Most live in the poorest countries, where the leading cause of death for girls 15-19 globally is complication in pregnancy and childbirth. 23 million adolescents need contraception but don’t have it. Over 1 billion young people need accurate, unbiased information and healthcare free from judgment. Pathfinder is making sure they get it.
- Firstly, Adolescents and youth are our future. Offering them sexual and reproductive health care without judgement or bias allows them to make healthy decisions about their bodies and their futures and contributes to a healthier world.
- Young people drive progress and change. Connecting young advocates and policymakers is essential to fostering supportive policies that promote young people’s health and rights.
- Young women and girls who are forced to marry and bear children before they are ready face numerous challenges to living the lives they choose and have healthy families. Supporting young women and first-time mothers to delay their first pregnancy and space their births leads to healthier mothers and children and contributes to gender equality.
- Young people often know intuitively what will help them to succeed. Partnering with young people to develop new and creative approaches to adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and behavior change strategies can help them to develop healthy habits and behaviors.
- Lastly, Healthy gender norms shape healthy societies. We engage boys and young men to support the autonomy and well-being of girls and women through transformation of harmful gender norms and behaviors that hold women and girls back and detract from gender equality.
