How to support girls and adolescents’ power in Latin America and the Caribbean

When girls and adolescents are free to make choices about their own lives, their power is limitless and they can defend their rights.

While this is certainly true, in Latin America and the Caribbean, child, early and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) are still a barrier to many girls and adolescents making decisions for themselves freely.[MD1]

Over the past nine months, we have worked together on the Power to Girls campaign to call on governments, international agencies and civil society organisations to take concrete actions to address CEFMU.

Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage member organisations in Latin America and the Caribbean – alongside [MD2] young people – spoke out and demanded actions to strengthen girls’ and adolescents’ rights. Some clear themes emerged through these campaigning efforts, including reflections and recommendations on how to ensure girls and adolescents can access their own power. Read on to see our shared reflections and recommendations around four key themes.

1. Ensure all girls, boys and adolescents have access to comprehensive sexuality education

• Comprehensive sexuality education offers a tool for girls and adolescents to make informed decisions and establish healthy social and sexual relationships.

• Comprehensive sexuality education is a right that should be guaranteed within and beyond schools, to ensure all girls and adolescents can access it.

• Government and other programmes on comprehensive sexuality education should be offered in accessible language and formats, avoiding stigma and taboos.

2. Protecting girls’ and adolescents’ right to decide

• The right to bodily autonomy is the right to make informed decisions over your body, life and future. When girls and adolescents exercise this right, they have the power to choose when and with whom to have relationships.

• Issues like gender-based and sexual violence, adolescent pregnancy and the lack of access to sexual and reproductive health information and services are barriers to girls and adolescents exercising their autonomy.

• Recognising bodily autonomy is not only about promoting laws; it’s also about developing and resourcing programmes from a gender and diversity perspective to end violence and guarantee that girls and adolescents can access appropriate information and services.

3. Promoting girls’ and adolescents’ leadership in their communities

• When communities take girls’ and adolescents’ opinions into account, they can exercise their power to promote change.

• We should guarantee that girls and adolescents have safe spaces to express their needs and participate in decision-making in their communities.

• It’s important to work with girls and adolescents to develop tools that build their leadership skills and contribute to more and better life options for them.

4. Involving parents and teachers in education about girls’ and adolescents’ rights

• Parents and people who work in the education sector are responsible for ensuring girls and adolescents know their rights and exercise their power to achieve their dreams.

• Institutions and organisations need to consider the local contexts and work from an intercultural perspective, committing to offering training for girls and adolescents on their rights, without prejudice or stereotyping.

Find out more about the Power to Girls campaign, the commitments made and reflections from adolescents, youth and Girls Not Brides member organisations. You can also see the #PoderParaNinasYAdolescentes and #PowerToGirls hashtags on Twitter and Facebook.

For more stories from across the global Partnership head to our articles page.