Promoting active youth participation and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and

services in Jamaica
United Nations Commission Population and Development Session Adolescents and Youth on 45th right to be healthy and live free from violence and coercion. Now more than ever, investing in the health, well-being and development of young people must be seen and treated as priority with great urgency. Policies and programmes must better support and enable young people to take control of their sexual and reproductive health and rights responsibly. JYAN convenes a youth leadership council, called the Jamaicans Safely Tackling Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (JSTAR). Through, its members, JYAN actively advocates for policies and programmes to support young peoples sexual and reproductive health needs and rights. JYAN recognizes and upholds the right of adolescents and youth to access comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. In this regard, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights for all young people and the vital role young people play when meaningfully engaged in all levels of decision-making are of great significance. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (1994) also recognizes the right of all individuals to decide freely and responsibly
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Half the worlds population is young people under twenty-five years. In Jamaica, there are 277,380 adolescents, 10 -14 years and 458,854 youth age 15-24. Worldwide, there has been some progress in recognising, promoting and enabling adolescents and youth to access sexual reproductive health and rights information and services. More young people now have access to modern contraception and family planning services. Nevertheless, despite these remarkable improvements, unintended pregnancy, complications from too-early childbearing, unsafe abortion, HIV transmission and gender-based violence are still high among adolescents and youth in Jamaica. A 2005 survey of in-school children (10 to 15 years) found that 12% of adolescents are sexually active and of these, 56% had two or more partners. Of this number, 18% of respondents had 6 or more partners. The current situation, where despite young peoples realities they are being denied essential information and services, is unacceptable. Adolescents and youth have a
Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network

on the number, timing and spacing of their children and to have access to the information and means to do so free of discrimination, coercion and violence. In Jamaica, adolescents and youth continue to have limited access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. They face particular social, economic, cultural, and legal barriers when accessing these services. This does not only increase young peoples vulnerability but also violate their human rights. Much more must be done in Jamaica to adequately address the sexual and reproductive health and rights needs of adolescents and youth and to realize the rights espoused in Cairo nearly 20 years ago. For example: The age sexual initiation/debut for females age 15-17 is 14.4 and for females, 18-19 years, the average age is 15.8 36% of young women ages 15-19 are pregnant (2008). Approximately 40% of Jamaican women have given birth at least once before they reach the age of 20. Approximately 20.4 % of young women between the ages of 15-19 years old report having been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point during their life. Young people, 15 24 years old, who are HIV positive, have shown no significant change over the last decade 1.3% in 2004, 1.0% in 2009
Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network

JYAN calls on the Government of Jamaica and other UN Member States to protect and safeguard the rights of young people. It is their duty to engage adolescents and youth meaningfully and support programmes and policies that enable them to exercise these rights and make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Call to Action We encourage the government to: 1. Support more comprehensive programmes and policies that enable them to exercise these rights and make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health; and 2. Engage adolescents and youth meaningfully in policy and decision-making. We demand immediate action from the government adolescent and youth rights to sexual and reproductive health, to live free from violence and coercion, and to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights is upheld. We further recommend the following: Youth Involvement: Hold more civil society consultations where individuals and groups, including youth-led organizations can come together, discuss issues and identify priorities to be translated into national policies and programmes. The participation and representation of young people in all relevant ministries such as Ministry of
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Education, Ministry of Youth and Culture and Ministry of Health as well as other decisionmaking bodies on sexual and reproductive health issues should be increased and mechanisms be in place to ensure sustained youth participation. Finally, support youth delegations to various international conferences and high-level meetings focused on youth development and training especially in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Amend or supplement the current Health, Family Life and Education (HFLE) curriculum in order to provide comprehensive sex education, which addresses both abstinence and age-appropriate, medically accurate information about contraception. Comprehensive sex education provides developmentally-appropriate information on healthy relationships and builds, decisionmaking, assertiveness and skills building which enables young people to resist social/peer pressure and make responsible decisions. Youth-friendly Services: Enact measures to ensure confidentiality in health care settings that uphold clients rights, including training for health care providers on youth-friendly services. Ensure that these services are nonjudgmental towards young people and that health workers face firm action when they discriminate against clients.

Legal and Socio-cultural Barriers: Develop a national policy for young peoples sexual and reproductive health and rights, including a workplace policy that goes beyond HIV/AIDS and provides a more holistic approach with guidelines to support the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young workers. Additionally, within existing national policies that affect youth, address young peoples sexual and reproductive health and rights. Youth Diversity: Recognise and respond accordingly to diversity within the youth population. More specifically develop, implement and support tailored programming for most-at-risk youth, such as rural youth, adolescent girls, disenfranchised and socially excluded youth, gay, lesbian and transgender (LGBT) youth and youth with disabilities. All adolescents and youth have a right to sexual and reproductive health, to live free from violence and coercion, and to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights. Youth involvement, comprehensive sexuality education, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, an enabling legal and socio-cultural environment, and recognition of youth diversity are critical to ensuring that Jamaicas young people lead healthy lives and where sexuality and reproductive health are positive and enjoyable aspects of being human.

Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network

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Enhancing the Legacy The Jamaica youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) website provides a virtual market on accessing information on our strides to promote adolescent and youth reproductive health and rights. We advocate for on issues related to youth participation, governance, and human rights, among others. Youth and adult allies can join our sister network, International Youth Activist Network (IYAN), hosted by Advocates For Youth, a resourceful online medium for obtaining information on issues surrounding youth reproductive health and rights. Sign up at: www.advocatesforyouth.org/iyan Youth advocates can also visit Amplify and become a part of an international network of young people working together to change the world. You can add your voice to the movement and freely express yourself through blogs and share information on the latest buzz in your country and region. View our campaign page by visiting http://www.amplifyyourvoice.org/jamaica and/or sign up for Amplify at: http://www.amplifyyourvoice.org/ Youth activists and interested persons can add JYAN Interact on Facebook, share information and view updates on our project development and our work in Jamaica.

Potential partners and interested persons are invited to come on board to ensure that the vision of the organisation becomes a reality in Jamaica and internationally. See our contact information below, drop us a line, email or add us on Facebook. We need your support and together we can make it happen. Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) c/o Ministry of Health 2-4 King Street, Kingston, Jamaica T: (876) 922-9477 | W: www.j-yan.org Jaevion Nelson, Executive Director jaevion@j-yan.org Orain Edwards, (SRH) Programme Officer orain.edwards@live.com Reference National Family Planning http://www.jnfpb.org/

Board,

Jamaica UNGASS Country Progress Report 2010, http://www.unaids.org/en/dataanalysi s/monitoringcountryprogress/progress reports/2010countries/jamaica_2010_ country_progress_report_en.pdf Ministry of Health, 2008: Reproductive Health Survey
Written by Orain Edwards
Editors: Jaevion Nelson, Mimi Melles and JSTAR

Jamaica

Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network

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