Young people empowered to demand equality and their rights
Young people’s sexuality is a cultural taboo around the world. Plan’s development programme challenged harmful norms and encouraged young people to demand equality and the realisation of their sexual rights.
The main goal of Plan International Finland’s four-year development programme was to strengthen young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in Ethiopia, Laos, Mozambique, Myanmar and Uganda.
During the programme, the proportion of girls and boys with positive attitudes towards gender equality and sexual and reproductive health increased from 24 to 63 per cent. In the areas included in Plan’s programme, as many as 78 per cent of young people also reported they had taken action on sexual and reproductive rights.
Parents and other community members also began to adopt information, attitudes and practices that promote gender equality. For example, the acceptance of child marriages decreased.
According to the young people themselves, the biggest changes were in the norms of communities and homes, which were evident in more equal sharing of household chores and support for girls’ right to attend school. Their increased knowledge also empowered young people to demand and use sexual and reproductive health services.
Background
Everyone has the right to make decisions about their body and live free from violence, discrimination and abuse. However, inequality and discriminatory practices prevent many girls from exercising their sexual and reproductive rights. Girls around the world are forced into early and unwanted marriages, experience sexual violence, and undergo female genital mutilation.
Girls living with disabilities and those belonging to sexual and gender minorities are in particularly vulnerable positions.
The goal of Plan’s programme is to ensure that girls and young women can make decisions about their bodies and enjoy their sexuality. Girls also have the right to receive accurate information about topics such as contraception and menstruation through sexual education and access the health services they need.
Impact of Finland's development cooperation
Plan implemented the “My Body. My Future” programme in Ethiopia, Laos, Mozambique, Myanmar and Uganda between 2018 and 2021, funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and Finnish donors. The programme directly reached nearly 430,000 people, of whom 265,000 were children and young people, and 153,000 were girls and young women.