The future is young, let’s just face it!
By Emilie Peeters
Whenever I see young people representing their peers onstage at big conferences, speaking for adults and “like adults”, I’m always surprised. Are young people only allowed to be heard when they behave like adults?
Shouldn’t we be looking at the passion, enthusiasm and honesty — all strengths of young people — and their insights, that most adults have long forgotten about?
Last week, 330 members of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) came together in Seattle. It’s the largest network of reproductive health organizations in the world with nearly 400 members from the public, commercial, and not-for-profit sectors. The Coalition convenes and catalyzes members’ intellect and energies to ensure that all people are able to access and use affordable and quality reproductive health supplies, including a broad choice of contraceptive methods.
At RHSC’s General Membership Meeting last week, we tried to implement “meaningful youth participation” differently. We invited a group of young people from all over the world, with very diverse expertise in reproductive health, to inspire us to take action around their access to contraceptives. Not by duplicating what adults are discussing, but by looking directly at the specific strengths, knowledge and innovative approaches they can bring to the network.
A young Argentinian woman whose eyes twinkle when she talks about the potential of technology to increase access to contraceptives for young people. 80% of the people in the room had only just sent their first tweet — or don’t have a clue what the impact of a little blue bird can be. Young people on the other hand use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat — often all at the same time — and still find the time to chat on WhatsApp, take pictures and listen to what’s being said! These are particular skills of the new generation. It difficult to put this delicately, but older people are often just not comfortable with this level of multitasking, let’s just face it.
A Senegalese young men who interviewed young people in his country about the contraceptive methods they use. Young people are reluctant to discuss this openly with more senior people because they are often biased, are over-generous with their opinions, and often just don’t understand why young people are reluctant to run to a pharmacy in the moments leading up to a romantic encounter. Let’s face it.
A young Finnish girl, recently moved to London and working in Uganda, explained over lunch, in clinical detail, how you insert a menstrual cup. We — former youth — talk about how we should be more open about menstrual issues, since half of the world population has their period over the course of their lives. This young feminist in front of me, doesn’t even think about it anymore she just walks the talk. This is a new generation, let’s face it!
I believe this is what we should be looking for when it comes to meaningful youth participation. It is not about having young people on stage in a nice suit duplicating what everyone is saying. It is about seeing and recognizing their strengths their contributions to the process. The energy and enthusiasm that drive these youngsters to rethink this world and make full access to contraceptives for young people a reality, this is what makes me believe this planet can truly become a better place one day.
It is not about being polite or about inviting young people to tick the boxes. We need young people, because they are so gifted. Let’s just face it.
Emilie Peeters is Advocacy Officer at the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, where she also coordinates the youth related work. The Coalition just started four projects that have an innovative approach to increase access to reproductive health supplies to young people in China, Malawi, Argentina, and Uganda. Previously, Emilie was the EU Policy Advisor for Stop AIDS Alliance and co-manager of the global advocacy component of Link Up, a project that improved the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of more than one million young people in Bangladesh, Burundi, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Uganda. She started her career as a parliamentary assistant to Belgian senator and Professor Marleen Temmerman, after having finished her Master in political science.
Besides her work, Emilie is engaged in local politics as a Councillor in the City of Ghent in Belgium where she focuses on poverty reduction and access to health care, especially for young people.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by our guest bloggers are those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent those of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations.
