CYS 2023 Health and Family Life Education

The young people who participated in the Caribbean Youth Summit (CYS) 2023 were given opportunity to focus their attention on the need for access to sexual and reproductive health information. These services increase awareness and enhance their well-being and that of the generations to come. 

The 2023 Summit 

The summit was over four days at the AC Hotel Marriott Kingston, Jamaica. The theme for this year was “Securing Our Future: Youth Co-Creating a peaceful and sustainable Caribbean Community.” 

This session focused on how youth in and out of school can receive the care and knowledge they need for their reproductive and sexual well-being. These topics need to be started at home with families for a base understanding and then can expand into their learning at school and from others. 

Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) is the system that ensures youth are getting correct information about their ever-changing bodies. 

The discussion also brought to their attention the universal access to reproductive health, with the main focus being on marginalized communities, providing friendly services for the youth, gender equality, and the role sexual and reproductive health services play in preventing and addressing gender-based violence. 

Providing Health Services 

In some parts of the world, 29% of girls between the ages of 15-19 have already had children and are not receiving the proper care. 

These issues put our youth into substantial social and economic predicaments, leading to dropping out of school, furthering their struggle with poverty, and limiting their opportunities in the future. The youth need us to continue providing reproductive health services and education. 

This issue is a small part of what our youth will continue experiencing without the proper education and support. 

“One by one, all my friends stopped school because they became pregnant,” says Thokozani, who recently became a volunteer. “I want to save as many girls as possible from teenage pregnancies and child marriages, precisely because I have seen with my own friends what kind of miserable life they ended up in,” says the 19-year-old. 

Health and Family Life Education 

Wrapping it all up, the Caribbean Youth Summit (CYS) 2023 played a pivotal role in empowering young participants by emphasizing the importance of access to sexual and reproductive health information. This focus not only heightens awareness but also promises to improve their well-being and the health of future generations. Such initiatives are crucial in nurturing an informed and healthy society. 

CITED: www.today.caricom.org, www.djj.state.fl.us, www.amrefusa.org