Young People Stand Up for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Health at the United Nations
Every year, Planned Parenthood Global selects a small team of college students and youth advocates as Global Youth Advocacy Fellows, or GYAFs. The fellowship is a one-year leadership development program focused on engaging U.S.-based college students and youth advocates in global advocacy at the United Nations and in their communities, and is a great way to highlight the local and global connections in our shared fight for sexual and reproductive rights.
Today, we would like to highlight the reflections from the fellows’ first visit to the United Nations last week to attend the Commission on Population and Development.Â
“When I walked up to the steps of the United Nations for the first time, I was so overtaken in admiration and the unity of the 193 nations depicted by their shapes, colors, and symbols that it cemented my love of serving people and doing my best to improve the world.” -Cayley, GYAF from Michigan
“Honored to do my part as a member of the international community helping to speak up for the world we want.” -Isabel, GYAF from Massachusetts
“During my awesome tour of the UN, I had the opportunity to look at the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by Brazilian artist Octavio Roth. I found these paintings to be unbelievably beautiful and was so intrigued by them, I stopped and read them all. Getting easily overwhelmed with the jargon and formalities of the CPD conference, I found these articles to be very humbling and served as a strong reminder of my passion and role as an advocate for SRHR and human rights as a whole.”  -Taryn, GYAF from California
