UNITED NATIONS, New York—At the conclusion of its 2012 session late last week, the United Nations Commission on Population and Development adopted a groundbreaking resolution that provides a major boost to the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of adolescents and youth.

“We strongly welcome this historic resolution by United Nations Member States that recognizes and promotes the human rights and sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth,” said Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

The resolution advances agreements on adolescents and youth, and urges governments to:

• Promote equal opportunities for all and combat all forms of discrimination against young people, particularly against girls and young women. That includes removing all obstacles to gender equality, empowering girls and young women in all aspects of their development and encouraging boys and young men to support the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of young women;

• Provide comprehensive education to young people on human sexuality, sexual and reproductive health, human rights and gender equality;

• Deliver comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services based on privacy, confidentiality and non-discrimination,and improve maternal health, reduce maternal and child morbidity and death, and prevent and respond to HIV and AIDS;

• Ensure that all women and men have comprehensive information about, and access to, a choice of the widest possible range of safe, effective, affordable and acceptable modern methods of family planning, including long-acting methods and male and female condoms;

• Protect the rights of adolescents and youth to decide freely and responsibly about their sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health;

• Ensure the right to good quality education for women and girls—on an equal basis with men and boys;

• Address the high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment and improve and support opportunities for young people to gain access to productive and decent work and facilitate the participation of young people in labour markets.

“The resolution is a clear commitment from countries to protect the rights of adolescents and youth and to invest in their sexual and reproductive health”, said Dr. Osotimehin. “UNFPA will continue to work with governments and other development partners, including young people themselves, to ensure that the promise of this resolution becomes a reality in their lives.”
 

Contact Information:

Omar Gharzeddine
Tel:  +1 212 297 5028
Email:  gharzeddine@unfpa.org