Blog

On April 22th I had the privilege to be part of the “Educate. Empower. Transform.” panel on the role of girls’ education in the developing world hosted by the Simmons School of Management Center for Gender in Organizations in conjunction with Simmons Institute for Leadership and Change.

Heran Abebe is a Senior Gender Advisor for Pathfinder’s Integrated Family Health Program (IFHP) in Ethiopia. In this Q&A Heran shares her thoughts on why gender is important in Ethiopia, how she was first drawn to gender work, and IFHP’s exciting gender initiatives on the horizon.

Celia, a maternal and child health nurse in the Machava Area of Mozambique, knows what empowerment looks like. She sees it in the faces of the women she serves when she hands them a female condom.

Last week, Theresa Leone Meyer stood before a special session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women—an adolescent girl speaking on behalf of the millions of girls whose needs aren’t all that different from her own.

I can’t remember the last time I was this excited to read so many books—and I’m a pretty voracious reader. Just in time for Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, here are three books about the state of the world’s women—two from international leaders and one from a US business executive. All showcase the importance of fighting for change.

It's no newsflash: women are daring to change the world. Nearly every day there are headlines, from Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan to Hillary Clinton in the US, detailing accomplishments from courageous women of all ages and backgrounds.

Nafis Sadik has been called one of the most powerful women in the world. One of the greatest women’s advocates of the twentieth century, Nafis is an obstetrician, author, mother, and global thought leader who, for decades, has emphasized the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights as a means to women’s empowerment.

Susan Akajo Oregede has dedicated the past several years of her life to changing gender norms in Uganda, daring to challenge resistance, tradition, and even her community’s leaders to address issues like women’s equality, gender-based violence, and adolescent sexuality.

Pinki Kumari’s life has not been without its challenges. Staying in school meant overcoming financial and societal barriers. She lost her husband at a young age and struggled to support herself because of cultural and religious restrictions that limit her mobility as a woman in India. Against all odds, Pinki not only dared to find her own voice, but found her passion in helping others find theirs.

This week, we celebrate the International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum taking place in Bali, Indonesia. I’m thrilled Pathfinder was able to support the efforts of two young sexual and reproductive health advocates to attend the forum, a first-of-its-kind opportunity in which young leaders are coming together to discuss the future of our world.

In honor of International Youth Day 2012, Pathfinder revisits three recent stories highlighting the leadership, courage and vision of young people addressing reproductive and sexual health issues in their communities.

Fifteen year-old Susan Cossa highlights the importance of educating young adults about HIV and AIDS, abortion, and reproductive health in her native South Africa.

When the US chooses politics over science, Pathfinder stands strong in support of adolescents' right to obtain emergency contraception.

Half of the now 7 billion on this planet are under 25 years old. That's half the world's population in or entering their reproductive years without access to family planning.

In a growing world of almost 7 billion people, it's more important than ever to invest in obtaining universal access to family planning and to stand up for adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive rights.

Pathfinder's Gwyn Hainsworth and Kristy Kade outline why donors, developing country governments, and international health communities should invest in the world's 3 billion young people.

Sarah Eckhoff shares a first-hand account of her journey to Burundi to observe and document our Maternal and Child Health Project.

On Sarah Eckhoff's journey to Burundi to observe and document our Maternal and Child Health Project, she meets an inspiring little boy.

Pathfinder's Dali Al Eryani talks about meeting Lubna, a young girl in Yemen who was married at the age of 8.

Pathfinder's Callie Simon talks about how we can--and are--addressing young people's sexual and reproductive health challenges with a multisectoral approach.