At Youth Incentives, we believe that programmes developed from a rights-based framework must recognize young people’s sexual and reproductive rights, promote acceptance of young people’s sexuality and their rights, and involve young people as partners in all phases of programmes. We call this the RAP-rule, and it is our guiding principle.
R – Rights
Recognize and respect young people’s sexual and reproductive rights
A rights-based approach means that young people’s rights are recognized and respected by adults, including parents, government officials and individuals who work with and for young people, as well as by young people themselves. Recognition and respect of rights is linked with responsibilities. We expect responsible behaviour from young people, but responsible behaviour can only be realized when young people’s sexual rights are recognized and protected and they are given access to adequate information, tools and services.
A – Acceptance
Acceptance of young people’s sexuality and their rights
Sexuality remains a controversial and sensitive topic for many people, organizations, communities and governments around the world. Raising awareness and increasing knowledge about sexual and reproductive rights is an important undertaking, but a human rights framework also calls for innovative strategies targeting the social and political environment. It is crucial to foster ‘enabling conditions’ in which young people’s sexuality is accepted so that they can safely exercise their rights. Building acceptance of adolescent sexual and reproductive rights requires time and is difficult to measure, but that does not mean such efforts should be abandoned. Rather working towards the acceptance of young people’s sexuality and their rights should be approached in a culturally sensitive manner through partnerships and dialogue with communities.
P - Participation
Involve young people as partners
A key element of a rights-based approach is a focus on working in partnership with communities, including young people, parents, service providers and other stakeholders. Young people should not be treated merely as recipients of programmes, but as actors involved in all phases of programme development from formative research to program identification, development, implementation and evaluation (IPPF, Implementing a sexual and reproductive health and rights approach resource pack). This means viewing young people as assets, recognizing their strengths and building their capacity by providing opportunities for youth to grow and gain new skills. In a rights-based approach, youth participation is both a means for achieving results and a programmatic goal. Young people’s involvement can take multiple forms, including participation as peer educators, staff, volunteers and members of coalitions and advisory boards.
