A major focus of our work is to provide sexual and reproductive health services to young women and girls.
Why?
- Adolescent girls aged 10-19 account for 23 per cent of the global burden of disease due to pregnancy and childbirth
- An estimated 2.5 million adolescents have unsafe abortions every year and these account for 46 per cent of deaths related to unsafe abortion worldwide
- Newborn mortality constitutes 37 per cent of childhood deaths under age 5, and when maternal death occurs child mortality is doubled
Further info about the Girls Decide initiative
FAQs
Films
Girls' Journeys
Turning decisions into reality: part of the Girls Decide initiative.
Child marriage: Hosna's journey, Bangladesh
IPPF considers child marriage to be a human rights violation.
Living with HIV: Nomvelo's journey, Swaziland
With proper care and medications, young women living with HIV who want to have children can conceive without transmitting HIV to their partner or their baby.
Unplanned pregnancy: Valeria's journey, Argentina
Abortion is a very safe health procedure when done by a trained professional, using safe, effective methods in a sterile environment.
Young motherhood: Halimah's journey, Indonesia
IPPF believes that all young women have the right to education, including pregnant girls and young mothers.
Sexual violence: Ayla's journey, Syria
Worldwide, up to 50 per cent of sexual assaults are committed against girls younger than 16 years.
Pregnancy: Odeta's journey, Albania
Millions of adolescent girls have unintended pregnancies and need support from their loved ones, including their male partners.
Read the press release
Other activities
Competition
Girls Decide: consultative meeting
Youth Sexual Awareness of Europe (YSAFE) - I [heart] being a girl project
Have you seen our publications?
I Decide: abortion diaries
For more information contact us: girlsdecide@ippf.org