Gaining access to health education and reproductive health services is vital if today’s young people are to lead healthy productive lives and make informed choices. Yet many youth today find themselves cut off from the information outlets and youth-friendly service providers they so desperately need. Strategic investments in such areas as reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and basic health education are critical in addressing growing health crises in underserved communities worldwide.

HIV/AIDS Prevention in Africa

With about 6,000 young people, ages 15 to 24, becoming infected each day, HIV/AIDS continues to devastate lives, families, and communities around the globe. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected by the pandemic, with an estimated 6.2 million HIV-infected young people, and 12 million AIDS orphans. Building on its knowledge of life skills training and its growing network of implementing partners, IYF ensures a growing numer of African youth are able to make healthy choices and lead healthy lives.

At the core of IYF's efforts to safeguard youth is the Empowering Africa's Young People Initiative , an HIV/AIDS prevention program being implemented in Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Adolescent Reproductive Health and Family Planning

Risky behavior today can have far-reaching consequences that affect adolescents’ immediate health, their future opportunities and those of their children. Adolescent pregnancy and childbirth, for example, are associated with a range of outcomes detrimental to teen’s health, including complications of pregnancy, illegal or unsafe abortion, and death, especially in less developed nations. When compared to women in their mid-twenties, women under age 15 are at 25 times greater risk of dying from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth; 15 to 19 year old women are at twice the risk.

Planning for Life aims to improve the health of young women and men ages 10-24 years old by integrating reproductive health and family planning into youth development programs.