Young people should demand adequate sexual and reproductive health care, ensuring measures and the freedom to decide and make decisions for themselves. In this process, young people must have an active role and be involved in political and decision-making processes.
For this process to be successful, they must take care of their mental health, especially after the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to challenges, but also to increase interaction between young people in the region and beyond, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund organized the three-day "Youth for Health" forum in Tirana.
150 young people from 42 countries around the world gathered in Tirana to discuss the very challenges they face, to bring up issuesthey are concerned about and exchange the best experiences from different countries in addressing such issues.
Present in this activity, UNFPA Albania Head of Country Office Dr. Manuela Bello said that meetings at these levels and discussions between civil society actors, young people, and policy-making institutions create valuable opportunities for young people to see more clearly and closely the current situation and address needs for the future.
"Without a strong educated, and empowered, generation of young people, who can make their decisions, it is not possible for their future to be planned and for them to become agents of change. At this forum, young Albanians established links with young people from all countries in Europe and Central Asia. Youth perspective and passion, as well as their power will enable not only our young people, but all of them, wherever in the world, to have their voice heard and with their ideas to build their future," said Dr. Bello.
Among the most important issues requiring immediate action, the “Youth for health” forum highlighted the need for young people to be involved in decision-making about their health issues, so that they can adequately cope with challenges of the future. While well-known national and international experts, and UNFPA and WHO partners and associatesdiscussed the challenges of mental health and reproductive and sexual health.
Participants in the forum committed to transfer all this energy and knowledge to the communities and areas where they live, through taking further concrete actions, encouraging youth peer activism wherever they are. Nothing for young people without young people!
