Under the UNFPA-supported Asia Regional Project "Strengthening Advocacy for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Programs through Youth Initiative" (RAS5R205), or Movah! for short, two meetings and a study tour were held from 18th to 28th July in Manila and Capiz, the Philippines, organized by JOICFP.

Until now, concerned adults have mainly been conducting advocacy for ASRH programs, with young people being involved mainly as peer educators. The meetings aimed to enhance capacity and determine ways to support adolescents and youth to participate at the forefront in decision-making processes in ASRH advocacy and program management.

Youth meeting

The Youth Advocates' Preparatory Meeting, 18th to 20th July, saw youth advocates and leaders working in ASRH from Cambodia, Malaysia and the Philippines take part specifically to:

• Develop a framework for youth participation and initiative in ASRH programs
• Enhance participants' advocacy skills in promoting ASRH
• Develop a plan-of-action for youth-initiated advocacy activities at all levels, including for a Skills Building Workshop at the 3rd APCRSH in Kuala Lumpur in November 2005.

Youth advocates discuss ASRH promotion at the youth meeting

Outcomes

The concept of youth participation and initiative has changed to focus on leadership, advocacy and project development rather than youths simply being a "beneficiary group." During the meeting, the participants assessed their own participation in the current ASRH programs by utilizing IPPF's Setting Standards for Youth Participation (2004).

The participants were trained by a local network NGO, Leaders for Empowerment, Advocacy and Development Network (LEADNet) in communication and advocacy, effective writing, public speaking, and facilitation skills.

During the workshop, an advocacy action plan was drafted by each country, and these plans are expected to be implemented at the country level with support from the UNFPA Country Programs. A program for a skill building and empowerment workshop at APCRSH, entitled "Delivering voices of young people at the grassroots to policy and decision makers" was also prepared by youth participants.

Joint meeting

On 21st July, a joint workshop among the youth advocates, managers and trainers of community-based ASRH programs in the region took place as a part of the Movah! Regional Workshop.

The managers reviewed and strengthened the framework for youth participation and initiative, and roles of youth and adults, and identified factors for community advocacy through youth initiative.

Observation study tour

The joint workshop was followed by a visit to Capiz Province to observe and learn from the activities initiated under the Integrated Community-based Reproductive Health (RH) Project (PHI/05/01/P17), which was phased out ended in December 2004 and is being sustained by community initiative.

The three key points observed were

• Creation of a supporting and enabling environment for ASRH programs
• Youth participation and their roles in ASRH programs
• Sustaining ASRH programs

Youth advocates learn about project sustainability
through interviews in Capiz

Youth advocates and managers discuss findings
from the observation study tour

Regional workshop

After the observation tour, the managers met for the Regional Workshop 2005, where they:

- Shared the results of situation studies to develop strategies for community advocacy through youth initiative in Bangladesh and Cambodia

- Shared experience on the EU/UNFPA RHIYA project in Nepal, Laos and Vietnam

- Shared experience from Malaysia and the Philippines on strategies on advocacy for ASRH and youth participation to deliver young people's opinions to policy and decision makers

In addition, the managers enhanced their advocacy skills through training by LEADNet. Participants from Bangladesh and Cambodia modified their strategies for community advocacy through youth initiative developed during the Planning Meeting in October 2004, based on what they had learned in the workshop.

Regional workshop members
discuss issues of power sharing

Outcomes

The outcomes of the meeting emphasized that young people must be the main actors in making services and projects youth-friendly, with adult support, and that youth initiative goes beyond mere participation as implementers, as in peer education, but in decision-making processes, such as in governance and programming, and even in policy making

Furthermore, young people at all levels, including in rural communities, need to be empowered to take responsibility for ASRH.

Socio-cultural barriers of youth participation in ASRH