VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Valuing/Supporting Diversity of Individuals
We believe each person is unique and important. We respect, value, and commemorate the diversity of individuals of every race, age, gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, and family background.

Universality of Human Rights
We believe that all human rights are universal and must not be limited on grounds of conflicts with religion, culture or tradition.
Sexual and reproductive rights are human rights, and therefore apply equally to young people without discrimination based on race, age, gender, nationality, socio-economic status, culture, religion, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, family background and health status.

Valuing Youth &Youth participation
We believe youth have an obligation to educate and encourage policy makers to be active in acknowledging, protecting, and enhancing the Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights of youth. Young people have a valuable contribution to make to society and collectively they can change the world for the better.
Youth participation is essential to ensure that sexual & reproductive health and rights programmes and policies address the needs of young people & have real impact. Involving youth in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluating of youth-related policies, programmes and services - in a manner which recognizes and respects their contribution - makes them more relevant, efficient and effective for their target group; young people.

Political Commitment
We believe Government has to respect and ensure the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of youth without discrimination of any kind.

Promotion of Healthy Relationship& Alternatives
We believe that the concept of healthy relationships has to be promoted to youth, including information about forms of sexual expression, sexual coercion and violence, high risk sexual behaviors, and the development of such skills as negotiation, communication and listening, and violence prevention in their intimate relationships.
Young people are capable of positive RH behavior & can make informed choices concerning their own health and futures, when healthy, positive options/alternatives are available to them & they have good problem solving and decision-making skills.

Freedom from Coercion& Violence
We believe the sexual and reproductive lives of young people must be free from coercion or the threat of violence. Young people are at high risk to various forms of sexual coercion, and sexual abuse including the violence and abuse endured by the young within their own homes or communities, where perpetrators are often well known to their victims. Forced sex workers, commercial sexual exploitation, male child prostitution, girl child prostitution, rape, sexual assault, and sexual slavery.
Laws must be created and enforced which protect the sexual and reproductive lives of young people from violence and coercion.  Programs must be initiated to sensitize the community, including health care providers and law enforcement officials regarding the need to protect young people against all forms of sexual violence, coercion and abuse.

Access & Provision to SRHR Information and Services
We believe Sexual and reproductive health and rights information, services and education are vital in safeguarding and promoting the life, health and well being of young people. Adequate information and counseling should be provided for youth of both sexes (married as well as unmarried) on various SRHR issues including the avoidance of unwanted pregnancy, use of contraceptives and the risks pertaining to induced abortion, which would lead to a lifetime of better-informed decision making among couples.

Provision of Health Care Services with Privacy & Confidentiality
We believe that all young people have the right to SRH services that are available, safe, accessible, qualified, and youth friendly. Moreover, we believe that young people have the right to privacy and protection of their privacy i.e. confidentiality in SRH health services and personal health data and a secure stake in the future.

Gender Equality
We believe gender equality and the empowerment of women promotes reproductive health through responsible sexuality & mutual respect between sexes. We value women empowerment & transformation of unequal relations between women and men as it leads to equitable & sustainable development for both men & women and their children (?).

Youth/Adult Partnership
We believe youth/adult partnerships play a very important role in achieving the goals of organizations working with, and on behalf of, youth and families. These interactive relationships are built by people acknowledging and honoring each other's uniqueness while striving to achieve a common goal.

Responsibility of Society and Obligation of Youth
We believe Society has the responsibility to provide young people with the tools to safeguard their sexual health, and young people have the responsibility to protect them from Early or forced Marriages, too-early childbearing and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDs.

Recognizing Families as Foundation of Youth and Society
We believe families are the foundation of our youth and society. Further, youth thrive when positive change is effected in the family context. The primary function of the family, at minimum, is to protect, nurture and educate children. Often, for many reasons, families are challenged in this role. We, then, must acknowledge and build on existing family strengths, with the primary objective of unifying families. We recognize that a family environment is the most appropriate setting for youth.

Encouraging Community Based Services
We believe local communities are most aware of the problems and needs of youth in their area. For this reason, communities need to be the creators and partners in the development of innovative youth services. Partnerships between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors need to strive to create innovative community resources that ensure essential needs are met for individual programs and other community endeavors. Volunteerism needs to be encouraged, valued, and recognized.

Effective Utilization of Funds Provided
Funding of sexual and reproductive health and rights programs must meet the needs of all young people.

If you are interested in playing your part for youth representation in youth related SRHR programmes and policies of Pakistan please fill out the attached form and drop, post or email to your local YAN focal point.

For further details, please contact

Muhammad Fahd Shafiq
General Secretary
Youth Advocacy Network
fahd@wpfpak.org