Meeting the development and health needs of the poor have been the focus of BRAC’s activities since 1972. The impact of its activities has given BRAC credibility among the communities in which it serves and thus provide a good entry point for introducing the Reproductive Health Education for Adolescent and Youth programme. This programme focuses on two age groups - 8 to 11 years and 11 to 18 years.  Boys and girls are reached separately.

For the 8 to 11 age group, the activities are: literacy, family life education, menstruation, hygiene and nutrition. Topics on family planning and STDs including RTI and HIV/AIDS are added to the curriculum for the 11 to 18 age group.

In the Comprehensive Health Development Project, 1,000 schools for  adolescent girls were established. In addition to offering a two-year non-formal  primary education, a course on reproductive health and nutrition is added. Topics such as age at marriage, contraception, nutrition supplementation of iron and folic acid are core topics in this course.

Like other developing countries, the majority of adolescents in China are still uninformed about their bodies, their sexuality and reproductive health. While results of numerous studies provide evidence of the urgent need to address youth health and sexuality, progress in this direction has been slow. In recent years, however, there have been a handful of activities targeting youth. These activities include:

• workshops on sexual health education
• publications on youth-related issues that are made available to youth
• educational programmes on the radio
• exhibitions
• counselling hot line

The focus on youth started in 1993 and activities are currently limited to two urban poor communities in Metro Manila. Targeting female youth in the age group 9-23, the activities promote:

1. Interactions to evoke youth perception of their needs and problems  especially in relation to their health; and
2. Self-awareness and educational sessions on various topics arising from the interactions.

To improve the programme, GABRIELLA plans to develop: (1) staff skills; (2) youth oriented teaching materials; and (3) clinical services for young women. Documentation of young women’s health situation is also planned.

The presenter argued that without legislation, the provision of adolescent  reproductive health services will be a very difficult task. In the Philippines, the non-existence of policy specific to adolescent reproductive health care is attributable to the influence of the Catholic Church and the sensitivity of the subject matter. As such, youth access to reproductive health information and services is very limited.

Almost all existing activities or programmes implemented by the NGOs, the government, and the private sector do not go beyond information, education and counselling services. As such, advocacy groups are pressuring for the expansion of existing services as well as for the provision of clinical services.

Founded in 1978, the Centro de Orientacion para Adolescentes (CORA) was designed as a preventive and formative as well as a multi-service programme. As such, the themes covered are broad: general health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, drugs, alcohol, prevention of accidents, etc. The educational and clinical services are delivered through various strategies: student clinic; youth brigades; youth promoters; youth clubs; performances; outreach activities; etc. In the last few years, CORA has developed a programme called "Teen Mothers’ Home" for pregnant girls and teenage mothers.

The programme was designed with the help of young people. The tradition to invovlve youth has been maintained and today, core staff are youth leaders between 17 and 24 years of age. They are selected from schools, communities, and street gangs and then given appropriate training. In addition, a number of youth volunteers are involved in project implementation.

Over the years, CORA has learnt the following: (1) it is important to provide community preventive services before problems arise; (2) it is crucial to provide space for leisure-time activities; and (3) young people need more than just health information, they need help in other areas such as general education and employment; and (4) girls and young women needs to be informed that they can do more than just giving births.

The Gente Joven programme, instead of creating new youth centres, brings innovative sex education and awareness to adolescents in the schools, recreation areas and meeting points; places where adolescents convene.

Based on the results of surveys on the felt needs of young people, the themes included in the Gente Joven sex education model are: (1) communication within the family; (2) puberty and human reproduction; (3) ethics of sexuality in youth; (4) the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases; and (5) early pregnancy and the use of contraception.

Youth themselves are very much involved in the programme implementation. The project coordinator is a capable young person who is responsible for the management of the programme. Working with the coordinator is a group of trained youth volunteers. These volunteers conduct educational activities, distribute non-medical contraceptives and refer fellow youth to MEXFAM’s clinics. Parents, teachers, other professionals, and leaders are also the target group of this programme. They are always invited to participate in project activities.

This programme is supported by high quality films and videos as well as audio-visuals. Contents and scripts have been made with young people’s participation and have been tested through focus groups chosen among target audiences before production. The materials generally present real-life facts that provoke discussion and controversy. The idea is to make young people reflect on the proposed issues and reach their own conclusions.

The Indonesian Planned Parenthood Federation began working with youth two decades ago. Since then, projects have been carried out through various approaches:
 

school-based programmes	telephone hot line
out-reach programmes	peer counselling
youth centres	youth clinics
campaigns	mass media

All groups of youth -- in educational institutions, out-of-school, urban and rural youth, etc. -- are targets. The objectives are: (1) to improve the knowledge, understanding and awareness of youth about reproductive health and responsibility; and (2) to increase awareness about the importance of delaying marriage.

The activities have not only been successful but well received for several reasons: (1) strong youth involvement in the programme design and implementation; (2) respect for cultural and religious sensitivities; and (3) networking and collaboration with other NGOs and agencies.

The Vietnam Youth Union has effectively exploited its mass organizational structure (extending to the grass roots level) in providing youth with information about reproductive health through two types of Youth Clubs: (1) clubs for unmarried youth; and (2) clubs for young couples for family planning and income generation.

Providing sexuality and family life education in a systematic way as well as recruitment and training of youth as motivators are the objectives of the two clubs. Activities of the clubs include:

• information and counselling on sexual and reproductive health
• referral services
• follow-up of motivated couples
• distribution of contraceptives such as condoms
• training on agricultural techniques and other income generating skills
• provision of revolving funds to deserving club members

The youth programme of the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE), started in 1990, aims to promote responsible reproductive health behaviour among adolescents by providing them with knowledge about sexuality and responsible parenthood.

Prior to programme development, FGAE first sought the collaboration of the Revolutionary Ethiopia Youth Association (REYA). Together the two institutions selected a site for the youth centre, publicised the project and garnered support for activities. Key authorities and important community decision makers were approached for support. After REYA disbanded in 1991, FGAE continued activities on its own.

The activities of the FGAE are listed below.

IEC activities. Develop various materials that provide youth reproductive health information. Make available reference materials. Various plays by young men and women are performed for youth and their parents. Themes cover unwanted pregnancy, gender issues and generation gap.

Youth centre. The youth centre provides counselling and education, distribute condoms and offer twice a week clinic sessions provided by a physician and a nurse.

In-school activities. Ten secondary schools participate in this project where the objective is to create semi-autonomous FLE, condom distribution, and counselling programmes. In each school, FGAE chooses a teacher to act as coordinator and, who in turn selects a male and a female student to act as peer counsellors.

Outreach activities. A recreational centre was established in 1991. While youth can enjoy recreational activities such as games and films, they also have access to informational services, contraceptives (condoms and foaming tablets) and referrals. This centre has become self-reliant by charging a small fee for its services. It is run by youth volunteers while supervision and technical assistance are provided by several full time staff.