NEW YORK March 15 - About 90 people gathered today for the panel session about the realities of young women's lives, organized by Youth for Women's Rights member Mariana Nasser from GTPOS in Brazil. Young women from all the regions in the world spoke about the problems they and others have to face and moved the audience with their stories. From Latin America to Eastern Europe, from Africa to Asia, young women face specific problems but also have a lot in common. At the end of their presentation the panelists all came with recommendations for governments to follow up on.

Ms Rose Koenders, from the Dutch Council on Youth and Population in the Netherlands presented some of the problems young women are facing in Western Europe and her country in particular. She focused on the importance of sexuality education in and out of schools and the difficulties young women face sharing work and care. Ms Selma Gasi, from Female Citizen Association Women to Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina brought the audience to tears with her true story about the violence committed against young women in situations of armed conflict, when rape and torture are used as weapons of war.

The stories from Africa were very much related to what effects some traditions and cultures have on the girls and young women in this region. Ms Roughiatou Thiam from Senegal focussed on forced marriage at an early age, the dangers of early pregnancy and the fact that women have no say in whether or when to become pregnant. Ms Elizabeth Ukpebor from Action Health Incorporated in Nigeria told about the realities of incest unwanted pregnancy and forced silence. Elizabeth pointed out that it is very important that these problems are addressed from a more holistic and less judgmental approach, that this is the only way these realities can be improved.

The harsh realities for young women in rural areas were the subject of the speech by Ms Marcela Rueda from Profamilia in Colombia. A lot of these young women don't have access to reproductive and sexual healthcare facilities and information. She told the story of a girl who had nowhere to turn to for help when she was pregnant as a result of rape. She had to deliver the baby in secrecy and by herself. After the baby died at birth the girl was accused of infanticide and sentenced to 42 years in jail. For the Asia and Pacific region Ms Lalaine Viado from the Network of Asia Pacific Youth (NAPY) explained that her region is the largest and most diverse of all the regions in the world. However there are problems that young women from every country have in common, like the presence of social, economic, political, religious and cultural barriers to youth's development and the lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services, especially sexuality education and information.

Conclusion

After all the panelists spoke and gave their recommendations, the conclusion could be made that where ever in this world, young women are facing specific problems that need to be addressed. According to Vanitha Subramaniam from ARROW in Malaysia, facilitator of the panel session, the stories pointed out the vulnerabilities of young women and made clear that there is an urgent need to empower them. One of the ways to do this, as brought up in the panel session, is by education, especially on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Another way is to provide structures that address the immediate needs of young women and make it possible for young women to participate in power and decision making processes.