Family Care International (FCI) strives to empower young people by providing them with the information, skills, and services they need to make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives. 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 19 are currently living in the world—85% of them in developing countries—representing the largest generation of adolescents ever. Meeting the needs of this underserved population is critical to FCI’s mission to ensure access to life-saving services and information to improve health, and to avoid unwanted pregnancy and HIV infection. We advocate for greater attention to young people’s needs and craft educational materials to reach adolescents and the groups that serve them. Finally, we work with reproductive health care providers to help them make their services more welcoming to young people.

Increasing Recognition of Youth Rights

At the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children in May 2002, FCI worked with a coalition of more than 50 Northern and Southern non-governmental organizations to advance recognition of and protection for adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, preserve language supportive of the ICPD agenda, and counter opposition. In Latin America and the Caribbean, FCI is working with local partners at the national level to increase awareness and promote the implementation of supportive national youth laws and policies.

Increasing Access to Care

Although most men and women become sexually active during adolescence, young people often face significant barriers to getting the services and education they need. Some of the biggest barriers are social norms and cultural taboos about young people's sexuality. FCI is training service providers in Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to provide confidential, affordable and “youth-friendly” reproductive and sexual health care to young people.            
 

Increasing Access to Education and Information

FCI develops and disseminates education materials for youth on sexuality, reproductive health and building life skills in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and trains youth-serving organizations to use the materials effectively. Studies show that adolescents who receive comprehensive sexuality education are more likely to delay sexual activity, less likely to engage in risky sexual practices, more likely to use condoms and other contraceptives, have fewer sexual partners, and have sex less often than those who do not. Adolescent health programs are most successful when young people are active participants in design, implementation and evaluation.

Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS

In partnership with local organizations in Kenya, Mali, Niger, and Tanzania, FCI is advocating for the creation and implementation of policies and programs that will help young people, especially girls, avoid HIV/AIDS.

Building Capacity

FCI is working to strengthen the capacity of groups working with rural, indigenous and other vulnerable youth in the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Bolivia. We have developed a series of tools that youth serving groups can use to plan, monitor and evaluate their work with adolescents, and to advocate for increased youth-friendly health services.