Local Youth Ambassador to CARICOM challenged to Advocate For Sexual and Reproductive Rights

Montserrat’s Youth Ambassador and other Youth leaders across the region have been challenged to advocate for changes to dissonance between the age of consent for sex and the age for independent access to health care.

At the Second Regional Meeting of Youth Leaders on Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV and AIDS in Trinidad and Tobago last week, youth leaders focused on the priority areas of dissonance between the age of sexual consent (16 years), and the age for independent access to health care (18 years), (2) the implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in all schools in the Caribbean and (3) Gender inclusive laws that protect victims of sexual exploitation

In his opening remarks, Director of PANCAP, Mr. Dereck Springer, lauded the PANCAP Youth Steering Committee for developing and executing the agenda and methodology for the Second Youth Meeting.

Springer said that the meeting was a clear indication their growth since the First Meeting of Youth adding that he wishes to commend the entire Youth Network for taking definitive steps in advocating for the priority areas identified at the previous meeting.

The PANCAP Director highlighted the additional progress since the first meeting, which included the establishment of the PANCAP Youth Advocacy Steering Committee and a specialized training workshop held in January 2018 designed to equip participants with skills to develop an advocacy strategy.

He shared his expectations that the meeting would reach agreements on innovative and practical actions for advancing the key priority areas identified in the Caribbean Regional Youth Advocacy Framework (CRYAF) on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, as well as on key issues for advocacy within their respective countries.

He urged the youth advocates to collaborate with the PANCAP Coordinating Unit, other stakeholders and each other to implement those actions. Mr. Springer indicated that PANCAP would facilitate their participation in high-level fora.

Montserrat’s representative was CARICOM Youth Ambassador – Keyola Greene