Resources

The European Week of Action for Girls (EWAG), that is annually organised to mark International Day of the Girl (11th October), gathers young advocates to advance girls’ rights and gender equality in the EU space. This year, it is providing a platform for girls to speak out about how the AU-EU Partnership can reflect their aspirations and unlock their potential. It is crucial that the strategy enables dialogue between both regions, allowing for mutual learning and joint and coordinated actions, especially on issues that affect girls and young women both in the EU and the AU - such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Education and Economic Empowerment and Political Participation. Over the summer of 2021 the EWAG young advocates connected on several occasions to define their recommendations to the EU in four key areas. Read more below and watch our video summarizing youth advocates' recommendations.

The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It threatens our planet, society, and economy. Climate-related emergencies, such as extreme weather conditions are increasing, which tend to hit women and girls harder because of gender discrimination and harmful social norms. In the aftermath of a disaster, there is a risk that girls are pulled from school to take care of the household, and when there is food stress or water shortage people will marry younger, with a higher percentage of girls ending up in early, forced, and child marriages. Rural women and girls, who are usually given the task of fetching water have to travel further to collect it. Increasing their already heavy workload and putting them at greater risk of gender-based violence. Healthcare is disrupted by erratic weather, eroding the advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights, making women and girls more vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis.  Sexual and reproductive health and rights play a crucial role in improving wellbeing, overcoming marginalisation and advancing gender equality. When women and girls have access to sexual and reproductive health and rights they have control over their bodies, and they can address unfair power relations in their lives and lead the response to the climate crisis. If we want to achieve climate justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality have to be prioritised. Read our factsheet on the linkages between sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and the issues included in the European Green Deal. 

Covid-19 didn’t stop us! This year, we did things slightly differently, we’ll did it the youth’s way! To mark the International Day of the Girl (11th October) our coalition of nine Civil Society Organisations joined forces for the eighth time, bringing together a group of close to 30 young advocates, from Europe and Africa, who connected online to share their recommendations with European Union decision-makers.  This year’s EWAG focused on the relationship between the European Union (EU) and Africa. In the framework of EWAG the young advocates were provided a platform to speak out about how the EU-Africa partnership can reflect their aspirations and unlock their potential. The partnership reflected the points of views of both regions, allowing for mutual learning and joint and coordinated actions, especially on issues that affect girls and young women both in the EU and the Africa – such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Education and Economic Empowerment and Political Participation. Over the summer of 2020 the EWAG young advocates connected on several occasions to define their recommendations to the EU in four key areas. Throughout the course of October, in light of the International Day of the Girl, they spoke out to EU decision-makers on distinct challenges girls face based on their age and gender and how they believe the EU-Africa Partnership could address their concerns to make sure it truly makes a contribution to girls’ lives and their futures. These are their asks.

The Youth-in-Power Youth Strategy is a powerful tool for young activists working on empowering their peers and advocating on behalf of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in Europe and Central Asia. IPPF EN's youth network YSAFE joined forces with regional youth network partners YouAct, Y-PEER and ASTRA Youth, as well as the PETRI-Sofia research institute, to gather young people's knowledge, experience, needs, ideas and visions and bring them together in this up-to-date and comprehensive strategy. The recommendations cover topics ranging from comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services to youth participation in decision-making processes.      

Uluk's story is about young people,  myths and sexuality education in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan.