YouAct works to empower young people to take an active role in their communities and organisations and to advocate for Sexual and Reproductive Rights as Human Rights. We believe that decisions which affect young people should be planned and formed by young people themselves. Young people should be taken seriously as capable and productive individuals. Meaningful Youth Participation in the designing, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs and services aimed at young people, is crucial for their success.
Our mission is to empower young people in their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) by joining forces in Europe to make our voices heard.
We believe that active and meaningful youth participation is essential to reach the following goals: We envision a world where sexuality is accepted as a positive aspect in life and where the SRHR of young people are realised: young people have access to accurate information and youth friendly services and can decide freely and responsibly about all aspects of their sexuality and reproductive lives.
Welcome to the YouAct website, European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights
YouAct is a European network of young people, who are active in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Since its launch in Lisbon 2004, YouAct has grown into a widely recognised youth organisation, undertaking key advocacy, training and awareness raising activities on national, European and International levels.
YouAct Staff

Ana Rizescu
My involvement in the youth NGO field sector started when I was 15 years old and I became a volunteer of Youth for Youth (member of the Y-PEER Network) working on issues related to youth health and rights, in particular sexual and reproductive health and rights. Since then, I have collaborated with partners from Europe, Central Asia, Arab States and Asia Pacific to organize various capacity building events, conferences and advocacy initiatives.
I got to know YouAct members and some of their activities in 2010 and since then we have been involved in several youth SRHR coalitions. Few years later, in the autumn of 2014, I got even closer to YouAct and became the
network coordinator.
Being part of YouAct brings me the personal and professional satisfaction of working towards something meaningful, towards realization of youth sexual reproductive rights, towards sexuality being accepted as a positive aspect
in life.
I enjoy being in touch with people coming from different countries, with different backgrounds and exploring aspects of youth empowerment,
various team dynamics, building partnerships, management and coordination of various activities.
YouAct Steering Commitee

Camila Ochoa Mendoza
Country: Spain, currently living in the Netherlands
I have always been involved in community service work, especially regarding children rights, and this is the first time I ́ll be working specifically in SRHR. I am currently part of the board of UCWorld, a small NGO that aims to raise awareness about social development issues around the world, and to create opportunities of volunteer work for students in Utrecht. While living in Beijing, I was working as a teacher and mentor in BaiNian, a vocational school for teenagers in disadvantaged situations. We had a few classes on sexual health, and I became very interested on the subject. After I moved to Holland, I started looking for ways that I could become more involved in advocating for SRHR, which lead me to YouAct!
I strongly believe in everyone’s right of choice, especially in regards to sexuality. With this comes the importance of education, and raising awareness about current issues on gender and sexuality around the world, and the ways to overcome them. Another important aspect of these rights is respect and encouragement of cultural exchange and understanding. I am extremely excited to become a part of YouAct, and to be able to contribute in the work that they do.

Charoula Matthaiou
I am an active volunteer of Cyprus Family Planning Association (CFPA) since October 2011, time when I returned back to Cyprus from my postgraduate studies in the UK. Back then I was seeking for new experiences, and volunteering for CFPA seemed to be a good idea. It wasn’t ‘love at first sight’ though. It took me a couple of weeks to realize the scope of the association’s work and how important it is, especially for young people. As a volunteer I participate in the implementation of European and research projects on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and also in awareness-raising campaigns. Between January 2013-January 2015, I was the national project coordinator of the Daphne III «Keep me Safe» project: Empowering Young People with Learning Disabilities (YPWLD) to protect themselves against sexual abuse and violence across Europe, which was coordinated by the European Network of International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Becoming a member of a European network working on SRHR at an advocacy level such as YouAct, felt like a natural sequence in my SRHR journey. While, a YouAct member gains important knowledge and new skills, at the same time every member’s experience, knowledge and time contribute to create something with a higher impact that extents the country levels and reaches European and international levels. What really amazes me in the SRHR world is that the work we do has so much to do with the human existence and what we fight for is nothing more and nothing less than for everyone to be able to exercise their rights. By being part of YouAct, a team of passionate young people, you know that the time you offer, not only has a positive impact to you, but can also impacts young people all over Europe.

Anna Johanson Dahl
I’ve been working within the field of SRHR for four years now. From the beginning I have been driven by the thought of every ones right to their own sexuality. That means every ones right to comprehensive knowledge about SRHR and the right to live how they want with who they want to love. Sexuality should be based on the freedom to choose and to live, with responsibility to respect and listen to yourself and others.
My engagement started within the Swedish member organization of IPPF RFSU (the association for sexual education). At RFSU I’ve been working at a regional and national level focusing on SRHR for everyone in every county, the right to abortion and international SRHR. Right now my engagement in RFSU is a network of youths working with advocate within the field of SRHR on a national level.
My motivation of becoming a YouAct member started out when I became engaged within international politics and recognized the need of youth voices to be heard in the debates around SRHR within Europe and all over the globe. I saw YouAct as the one organization really making a difference in these questions and the factor that it’s an organization all youth lead made my choice to get involved easy.
For the last half year I’ve been a member of YouAct and the organization have given me more experience and fun than I could ask for. The responsibility and respect we members give each other is making our and other youth voices heard in places where we are needed.
</div

Ivy Miltiadou
Country: Cyprus
I started to work in the SRHR field since the age of 15, with the Cyprus Family Planning Association, right after taking a training on how to train peers on HIV/AIDS, within school. My work experience since then has evolved and developed from national level to regional and international throughout my YSAFE membership and by gaining the position of the YSAFE Coordinator for 1,5 years.
I first heard about YouAct, back in Cyprus from fellow SRHR volunteers, who are either members or worked with the organisation (Charoula, Despina). Then by taking over YSAFE coordination I learnt more about YouAct, by assisting to the input provision for the European Advocacy Handbook, attending the EP hearing on CSE and co-writing an article for Entres-Nous magazine with then YouAct coordinator: Grace Wilentz. As my membership with YSAFE came to an end when I became 25, I did not want to stop working in the SRHR field, because of my age. Therefore, when the membership call was out, I went for it!

Cristina Moreno
Country: Spain
I have been active in health activism and advocacy for global health and HIV/AIDS health and rights in the United Kingdom since 2012, when I became a member of Student StopAIDS Campaign whilst studying a degree in biomedical sciences (and specialized in infectious diseases) at the University of Edinburgh. Since then, I have often collaborated with international NGOs such as Restless Development, STOP AIDS or MSF Access in campaigning and lobbying for global access to health care and medicines for infectious diseases. I am currently studying a Masters degree in medical anthropology and global health to continue a career in research and education in health.
While discovering the intricacies of lobbying and advocacy for health, I found myself in the need to seek for a more domestic contribution to the cause within my community in Scotland. That was when I came across Shafted Theatrical Dissidents, discovering the potentials of grassroots activism, and community empowerment. By collaborating in this project creating and organizing a cabaret performance show to raise awareness of the realities encountered by people living with HIV in Scotland, I explored further the powers of using humor, dance, the spoken word, and theater as tools for tackling stigma, and giving people in marginalized contexts a chance to bring their issues forward.
I have received the opportunity of becoming a new member of YouAct with excitement. My previous experience in SRHR advocacy mostly focused on sexual health, however I strongly believe there cannot be progress in public health without procuring people with the rights to health, to choose, or to be educated. I see working with YouAct as an excellent opportunity to build up on my knowledge on human rights, to work with other pro-active young people with comparable interests, and to contribute with my knowledge and cooperation towards SRHR in Europe. On the other side, I will also take this as a chance to promote youth-led participation in my close communities, both in Barcelona, where I will be based, and Scotland, where I have lived most of my youth, to enable them to be heard and represented. I consider myself as part of an ever-growing youth committed to bringing social change. Through working on advocacy towards SRHR I will continue to co-operate to improve our own future.
YouAct Members

Ana Rizescu
Coordinator
My involvement in the youth NGO field sector started when I was 15 years old and I became a volunteer of Youth for Youth (member of the Y-PEER Network) working on issues related to youth health and rights, in particular sexual and reproductive health and rights. Since then, I have collaborated with partners from Europe, Central Asia, Arab States and Asia Pacific to organize various capacity building events, conferences and advocacy initiatives.
I got to know YouAct members and some of their activities in 2010 and since then we have been involved in several youth SRHR coalitions. Few years later, in the autumn of 2014, I got even closer to YouAct and became the network coordinator.
Being part of YouAct brings me the personal and professional satisfaction of working towards something meaningful, towards realization of youth sexual reproductive rights, towards sexuality being accepted as a positive aspect in life.
I enjoy being in touch with people coming from different countries, with different backgrounds and exploring aspects of youth empowerment, various team dynamics, building partnerships, management and coordination of various activities.

Camila Ochoa Mendoza
Country: Spain, currently living in the Netherlands
I have always been involved in community service work, especially regarding children rights, and this is the first time I ́ll be working specifically in SRHR. I am currently part of the board of UCWorld, a small NGO that aims to raise awareness about social development issues around the world, and to create opportunities of volunteer work for students in Utrecht. While living in Beijing, I was working as a teacher and mentor in BaiNian, a vocational school for teenagers in disadvantaged situations. We had a few classes on sexual health, and I became very interested on the subject. After I moved to Holland, I started looking for ways that I could become more involved in advocating for SRHR, which lead me to YouAct!
I strongly believe in everyone’s right of choice, especially in regards to sexuality. With this comes the importance of education, and raising awareness about current issues on gender and sexuality around the world, and the ways to overcome them. Another important aspect of these rights is respect and encouragement of cultural exchange and understanding. I am extremely excited to become a part of YouAct, and to be able to contribute in the work that they do.

Charoula Matthaiou
I am an active volunteer of Cyprus Family Planning Association (CFPA) since October 2011, time when I returned back to Cyprus from my postgraduate studies in the UK. Back then I was seeking for new experiences, and volunteering for CFPA seemed to be a good idea. It wasn’t ‘love at first sight’ though. It took me a couple of weeks to realize the scope of the association’s work and how important it is, especially for young people. As a volunteer I participate in the implementation of European and research projects on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and also in awareness-raising campaigns. Between January 2013-January 2015, I was the national project coordinator of the Daphne III «Keep me Safe» project: Empowering Young People with Learning Disabilities (YPWLD) to protect themselves against sexual abuse and violence across Europe, which was coordinated by the European Network of International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Becoming a member of a European network working on SRHR at an advocacy level such as YouAct, felt like a natural sequence in my SRHR journey. While, a YouAct member gains important knowledge and new skills, at the same time every member’s experience, knowledge and time contribute to create something with a higher impact that extents the country levels and reaches European and international levels. What really amazes me in the SRHR world is that the work we do has so much to do with the human existence and what we fight for is nothing more and nothing less than for everyone to be able to exercise their rights. By being part of YouAct, a team of passionate young people, you know that the time you offer, not only has a positive impact to you, but can also impacts young people all over Europe.

Anna Johanson Dahl
I’ve been working within the field of SRHR for four years now. From the beginning I have been driven by the thought of every ones right to their own sexuality. That means every ones right to comprehensive knowledge about SRHR and the right to live how they want with who they want to love. Sexuality should be based on the freedom to choose and to live, with responsibility to respect and listen to yourself and others.
My engagement started within the Swedish member organization of IPPF RFSU (the association for sexual education). At RFSU I’ve been working at a regional and national level focusing on SRHR for everyone in every county, the right to abortion and international SRHR. Right now my engagement in RFSU is a network of youths working with advocate within the field of SRHR on a national level.
My motivation of becoming a YouAct member started out when I became engaged within international politics and recognized the need of youth voices to be heard in the debates around SRHR within Europe and all over the globe. I saw YouAct as the one organization really making a difference in these questions and the factor that it’s an organization all youth lead made my choice to get involved easy.
For the last half year I’ve been a member of YouAct and the organization have given me more experience and fun than I could ask for. The responsibility and respect we members give each other is making our and other youth voices heard in places where we are needed.
</div

Ivy Miltiadou
Steering Committee Member
Country: Cyprus
I started to work in the SRHR field since the age of 15, with the Cyprus Family Planning Association, right after taking a training on how to train peers on HIV/AIDS, within school. My work experience since then has evolved and developed from national level to regional and international throughout my YSAFE membership and by gaining the position of the YSAFE Coordinator for 1,5 years.
I first heard about YouAct, back in Cyprus from fellow SRHR volunteers, who are either members or worked with the organisation (Charoula, Despina). Then by taking over YSAFE coordination I learnt more about YouAct, by assisting to the input provision for the European Advocacy Handbook, attending the EP hearing on CSE and co-writing an article for Entres-Nous magazine with then YouAct coordinator: Grace Wilentz. As my membership with YSAFE came to an end when I became 25, I did not want to stop working in the SRHR field, because of my age. Therefore, when the membership call was out, I went for it!

Cristina Moreno
Country: Spain
I have been active in health activism and advocacy for global health and HIV/AIDS health and rights in the United Kingdom since 2012, when I became a member of Student StopAIDS Campaign whilst studying a degree in biomedical sciences (and specialized in infectious diseases) at the University of Edinburgh. Since then, I have often collaborated with international NGOs such as Restless Development, STOP AIDS or MSF Access in campaigning and lobbying for global access to health care and medicines for infectious diseases. I am currently studying a Masters degree in medical anthropology and global health to continue a career in research and education in health.
While discovering the intricacies of lobbying and advocacy for health, I found myself in the need to seek for a more domestic contribution to the cause within my community in Scotland. That was when I came across Shafted Theatrical Dissidents, discovering the potentials of grassroots activism, and community empowerment. By collaborating in this project creating and organizing a cabaret performance show to raise awareness of the realities encountered by people living with HIV in Scotland, I explored further the powers of using humor, dance, the spoken word, and theater as tools for tackling stigma, and giving people in marginalized contexts a chance to bring their issues forward.
I have received the opportunity of becoming a new member of YouAct with excitement. My previous experience in SRHR advocacy mostly focused on sexual health, however I strongly believe there cannot be progress in public health without procuring people with the rights to health, to choose, or to be educated. I see working with YouAct as an excellent opportunity to build up on my knowledge on human rights, to work with other pro-active young people with comparable interests, and to contribute with my knowledge and cooperation towards SRHR in Europe. On the other side, I will also take this as a chance to promote youth-led participation in my close communities, both in Barcelona, where I will be based, and Scotland, where I have lived most of my youth, to enable them to be heard and represented. I consider myself as part of an ever-growing youth committed to bringing social change. Through working on advocacy towards SRHR I will continue to co-operate to improve our own future.

Cecilie Morville
I started working on SRHR already in high school as a sexuality teacher. When I started studying anthropology, I became the ambassador for a maternal health campaign; Sign of Life, in Uganda and did volunteer work with the Danish Family Planning Association. It was here my interest for working on women’s health issues started. After my bachelor, I moved to Brussels to be the coordinator for YSAFE, a youth network that is partnering with YouAct in international fora. In this capacity, I participated in several UN and EU meetings advocating for youth SRHR. It was especially my experiences at ICPD+20 and CPD47 where my interest for SRHR advocacy started.
My interest in advocacy lead me to YouAct. I had through YSAFE had the pleasure of working with YouAct members before, so it seemed very natural for me to continue my youth SRHR work with them.
Being part of YouAct gives you the empowerment to keep working on SRHR issues. Even though I am a rather new member, I have already had the chance to engage in different projects and working with diferent people and issues. I like how YouAct can offer it’s members both long-term in depth projects as well as here-and-now advocacy possibilities – for example when we have to mobilize our members to engage with their MEPs, when they are voting on SRHR issues.

Gosia Kot
I’m Gosia (26) from Poland. I’ve been an an activist for sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people, especially comprehensive sexuality education for 5 years. I’ve gained a ground experience through work in Ponton Group of Sex Educators, youth organization advocating forCSE in Poland. I’ve been responsible for counselling for young people, organization of street events and coordination of various projects, e.g. regarding youth access to sexual and reproductive health services and counteracting sexual violence among adolescents. I’ve graduated from sociology and continue studies in social sciences on PhD level. My areas of scientific interest are queer sociology, nonheteronormative identities and relationships, queer motherhood.
I've joined YouAct because I believe that intensified actions for youth SRHR are necessary and YouAct is for me the example of an organization successfully advocating for youth rights. The energy of YouAct members, their experience and tireless continuous work for young people mobilizes me and enables to improve my expertise.

Luciana Grosu
I am a psychologist and journalist passionate about women rights. Over the years, I have engaged in volunteering with several national and international nonprofit organizations , developing my skills in the fields of Reporting, Psychological Counseling, Training and Intercultural Dialogue. I am an innovator at heart with many ideas for combating violence against women and girls.
I joined YouAct because I am a strong supporter of gender equality and I wanted to gain advocacy skills in order to be able to better promote women S&RH rights. Being part of YouAct is a rewarding experience on multiple levels because I get the chance to speak, write, act, react, learn and teach, and most importantly, because it gives me the needed legitimacy to speak in favor of justice, gender equality and women empowerment.

Martin Karadzhov
I have started working in the field of SRHR when I was 14. I was facilitating workshops at my school, then I got more involved by participating on national and international trainings. I worked as youth coordinator of local NGO for three years. During that time I had the chance to work with different groups such as juvenile offenders, minorities andyouth from shelters on topics related to SRHR.
I had always been impressed of the high level of expertise and motivation of the volunteers in YouAct before I joined the network. I joined YouAct because I wanted to develop my advocacy skills and work alongside with people who share my interests. YouAct gives me opportunities to be part of European and international campaigns, meet decision makers and collaborate with different organisations. As a member of YouAct I have the chance to bring changes on topics I feel very passionate about and constantly develop my skills and learn from our work.

Anna Postovoitova
Country: Ukraine

Yana Panfilova
Country: Ukraine

Rhodé Janssen
Steering Committee Member
Country: The Netherlands

Peter Mladenov
Country: Bulgaria

Liam Sutcliffe
Country: UK (Scotland)

Laura Cooper Hall
Country: UK

Hannah Beth Kunzlik
Country: UK (Scotland)

Gersi Gashi
Country: Kosovo

Gabriel Brumariu
Country: Romania

Emma Dooney
Country: Ireland

Eimear Annalivia Sparks
Steering Committee Member
Country: Ireland

Hannah Pearson
I've been working within the field of SRHR for five years now. From interning at Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) in the Netherlands in 2011, to my current role as Policy Coordinator at the Equality Network, an LGBTI human rights organisation in Edinburgh UK, SRHR has always been my passion and a significant part of my work. I hold an MSc in Equality and Human Rights from the University of Glasgow, where I conducted my postgraduate research into barriers to abortion access in Scotland, in collaboration with Amnesty Scotland and Amnesty International's My Body My Rights campaign. I was subsequently asked to be a member of the Abortion Rights Scotland Committee, and accepted to present my research at the Abortion and Reproductive Justice- The Unfinished Revolution international conference earlier this year.
I wish to become a YouAct member to first and foremost work for the advancement of sexual and reproductive rights, and (hopefully) make a positive contribution in this field. My passion lies in sexual and reproductive rights, particularly access to safe and legal abortion, and this is what I want to spend my life working for. I believe becoming a YouAct member would be the ideal next step, and I would value the learning and development opportunities membership would provide me with, particularly the opportunity to further my experience of European advocacy work, as this is ultimately the area in which I aim to work. Additionally, I would enjoy connecting with fellow activists around Europe and the world, making new friends and allies, and sharing information and knowledge to learn more about sexual and reproductive rights on a European and global level. Furthermore, given the current barriers to abortion in the country, I wish to raise the global profile of Scotland in relation to sexual and reproductive rights, and I believe YouAct could give me the platform to do this.

Ana Mosiashvili
Steering Committee member
In 2012 I completed the peer educator training program about Gender issues and SRHR. The 5-days TOT-course was organized by (GYDEA) with support of UNFPA CO. After TOT, we had to conduct training in our municipalities by ourselves with help of an experienced trainer. It was my very first experience as a trainer and youth peer to conduct two-days training and also very first working experience in this field. After that, In cooperation with active young people from my municipality I founded youth NGO - Center for Youth Development - XXI which currently plays one of the key role in my region with providing accessable information around SRHR using non-formal education activities. Furthermore, organization undertakes advocacy campaigns and is involved in the making of policy documents and strategies regarding Georgian youth. I'm member of UNFPA Youth Advisory Panel and I was involved in EECA regional project "Youth Voice". Also, I did fellowship at Y-PEER PETRI-Sofia for 3 months.
Since I have been working in the field of youth SRHR for past five years, my experience and attitudes to work gives me motivation to become a member of international organization, which will be next successful step and new opportunities to wide my work. I love sharing and I really enjoy when I can share my knowledge, experience, ideas and resources. I think being member of YouAct will be great opportunity to share ideas and put my contribution on international level and also share gained information and experience among my peers in my community as well.

Yana Mladenova
Nevertheless I was always aiming to develop myself in the area of youth work and human rights, my first direct involvement with SRHR was when I started working as a project coordinator in a bulgarian NGO called SMART Foundation last year. I was introduced to their ongoing work on the project "ACT!2015" - a unique youth-led accountability initiative supported by the UNAIDS aimed at empowering young people to advocate towards the effective implementation of CSE - path that led me to participate in the Global Youth Summit - ACT!2015 this year in New Delhi - India where we have set our goals for advocacy in local level for the effective implementation of CSE in Bulgarian schools.
In the context of the bulgarian educational system and the economic and political reality I’m living in, I feel that the importance of education (including CSE) has become even greater. In that connection I believe that every young person should have the opportunity to have his voice heard and taken into account in the decision-making process. For me, being a member of a global network like YouAct, will give me the opportunity to share experience, ideas and to learn a lot from active young people around the world, so I could have the capacity to be an active advocate for youth rights in my own country.

Anamaria Suciu
Steering Committee member
My interest in how societies work started during my studies (Sociology), but it was really my master degree in Politics, Gender and Minorities that changed my perspective and inspired me to become a feminist and to work for achieving gender equality in all areas of life (public and private; regarding health, education, work, political participation and representation etc.). During this master degree I had the opportunity to volunteer for SECS - Society for Education on Contraception and Sexuality and to understand more about sexuality education and SRHR. I was really enjoying the work I was doing and I got involved more and more, both at national level and at regional level by joining YSAFE.
I am volunteering and working in the area of SRHR for 3 years now and I feel I have acquired a lot knowledge, skills and experience that would be a pity to go to waste. My internship in IPPF as YSAFE Coordinator is finishing this August, but I am motivated to stay active in the field of SRHR.
YOUACT'S ACHIEVEMENTS TO THIS MOMENT
OUR PARTNERS

Ana Rizescu
Coordinator
My involvement in the youth NGO field sector started when I was 15 years old and I became a volunteer of Youth for Youth (member of the Y-PEER Network) working on issues related to youth health and rights, in particular sexual and reproductive health and rights. Since then, I have collaborated with partners from Europe, Central Asia, Arab States and Asia Pacific to organize various capacity building events, conferences and advocacy initiatives.
I got to know YouAct members and some of their activities in 2010 and since then we have been involved in several youth SRHR coalitions. Few years later, in the autumn of 2014, I got even closer to YouAct and became the network coordinator.
Being part of YouAct brings me the personal and professional satisfaction of working towards something meaningful, towards realization of youth sexual reproductive rights, towards sexuality being accepted as a positive aspect in life.
I enjoy being in touch with people coming from different countries, with different backgrounds and exploring aspects of youth empowerment, various team dynamics, building partnerships, management and coordination of various activities.

Camila Ochoa Mendoza
Country: Spain, currently living in the Netherlands
I have always been involved in community service work, especially regarding children rights, and this is the first time I ́ll be working specifically in SRHR. I am currently part of the board of UCWorld, a small NGO that aims to raise awareness about social development issues around the world, and to create opportunities of volunteer work for students in Utrecht. While living in Beijing, I was working as a teacher and mentor in BaiNian, a vocational school for teenagers in disadvantaged situations. We had a few classes on sexual health, and I became very interested on the subject. After I moved to Holland, I started looking for ways that I could become more involved in advocating for SRHR, which lead me to YouAct!
I strongly believe in everyone’s right of choice, especially in regards to sexuality. With this comes the importance of education, and raising awareness about current issues on gender and sexuality around the world, and the ways to overcome them. Another important aspect of these rights is respect and encouragement of cultural exchange and understanding. I am extremely excited to become a part of YouAct, and to be able to contribute in the work that they do.

Charoula Matthaiou
I am an active volunteer of Cyprus Family Planning Association (CFPA) since October 2011, time when I returned back to Cyprus from my postgraduate studies in the UK. Back then I was seeking for new experiences, and volunteering for CFPA seemed to be a good idea. It wasn’t ‘love at first sight’ though. It took me a couple of weeks to realize the scope of the association’s work and how important it is, especially for young people. As a volunteer I participate in the implementation of European and research projects on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and also in awareness-raising campaigns. Between January 2013-January 2015, I was the national project coordinator of the Daphne III «Keep me Safe» project: Empowering Young People with Learning Disabilities (YPWLD) to protect themselves against sexual abuse and violence across Europe, which was coordinated by the European Network of International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Becoming a member of a European network working on SRHR at an advocacy level such as YouAct, felt like a natural sequence in my SRHR journey. While, a YouAct member gains important knowledge and new skills, at the same time every member’s experience, knowledge and time contribute to create something with a higher impact that extents the country levels and reaches European and international levels. What really amazes me in the SRHR world is that the work we do has so much to do with the human existence and what we fight for is nothing more and nothing less than for everyone to be able to exercise their rights. By being part of YouAct, a team of passionate young people, you know that the time you offer, not only has a positive impact to you, but can also impacts young people all over Europe.

Anna Johanson Dahl
I’ve been working within the field of SRHR for four years now. From the beginning I have been driven by the thought of every ones right to their own sexuality. That means every ones right to comprehensive knowledge about SRHR and the right to live how they want with who they want to love. Sexuality should be based on the freedom to choose and to live, with responsibility to respect and listen to yourself and others.
My engagement started within the Swedish member organization of IPPF RFSU (the association for sexual education). At RFSU I’ve been working at a regional and national level focusing on SRHR for everyone in every county, the right to abortion and international SRHR. Right now my engagement in RFSU is a network of youths working with advocate within the field of SRHR on a national level.
My motivation of becoming a YouAct member started out when I became engaged within international politics and recognized the need of youth voices to be heard in the debates around SRHR within Europe and all over the globe. I saw YouAct as the one organization really making a difference in these questions and the factor that it’s an organization all youth lead made my choice to get involved easy.
For the last half year I’ve been a member of YouAct and the organization have given me more experience and fun than I could ask for. The responsibility and respect we members give each other is making our and other youth voices heard in places where we are needed.
</div

Ivy Miltiadou
Steering Committee Member
Country: Cyprus
I started to work in the SRHR field since the age of 15, with the Cyprus Family Planning Association, right after taking a training on how to train peers on HIV/AIDS, within school. My work experience since then has evolved and developed from national level to regional and international throughout my YSAFE membership and by gaining the position of the YSAFE Coordinator for 1,5 years.
I first heard about YouAct, back in Cyprus from fellow SRHR volunteers, who are either members or worked with the organisation (Charoula, Despina). Then by taking over YSAFE coordination I learnt more about YouAct, by assisting to the input provision for the European Advocacy Handbook, attending the EP hearing on CSE and co-writing an article for Entres-Nous magazine with then YouAct coordinator: Grace Wilentz. As my membership with YSAFE came to an end when I became 25, I did not want to stop working in the SRHR field, because of my age. Therefore, when the membership call was out, I went for it!

Cristina Moreno
Country: Spain
I have been active in health activism and advocacy for global health and HIV/AIDS health and rights in the United Kingdom since 2012, when I became a member of Student StopAIDS Campaign whilst studying a degree in biomedical sciences (and specialized in infectious diseases) at the University of Edinburgh. Since then, I have often collaborated with international NGOs such as Restless Development, STOP AIDS or MSF Access in campaigning and lobbying for global access to health care and medicines for infectious diseases. I am currently studying a Masters degree in medical anthropology and global health to continue a career in research and education in health.
While discovering the intricacies of lobbying and advocacy for health, I found myself in the need to seek for a more domestic contribution to the cause within my community in Scotland. That was when I came across Shafted Theatrical Dissidents, discovering the potentials of grassroots activism, and community empowerment. By collaborating in this project creating and organizing a cabaret performance show to raise awareness of the realities encountered by people living with HIV in Scotland, I explored further the powers of using humor, dance, the spoken word, and theater as tools for tackling stigma, and giving people in marginalized contexts a chance to bring their issues forward.
I have received the opportunity of becoming a new member of YouAct with excitement. My previous experience in SRHR advocacy mostly focused on sexual health, however I strongly believe there cannot be progress in public health without procuring people with the rights to health, to choose, or to be educated. I see working with YouAct as an excellent opportunity to build up on my knowledge on human rights, to work with other pro-active young people with comparable interests, and to contribute with my knowledge and cooperation towards SRHR in Europe. On the other side, I will also take this as a chance to promote youth-led participation in my close communities, both in Barcelona, where I will be based, and Scotland, where I have lived most of my youth, to enable them to be heard and represented. I consider myself as part of an ever-growing youth committed to bringing social change. Through working on advocacy towards SRHR I will continue to co-operate to improve our own future.

Cecilie Morville
I started working on SRHR already in high school as a sexuality teacher. When I started studying anthropology, I became the ambassador for a maternal health campaign; Sign of Life, in Uganda and did volunteer work with the Danish Family Planning Association. It was here my interest for working on women’s health issues started. After my bachelor, I moved to Brussels to be the coordinator for YSAFE, a youth network that is partnering with YouAct in international fora. In this capacity, I participated in several UN and EU meetings advocating for youth SRHR. It was especially my experiences at ICPD+20 and CPD47 where my interest for SRHR advocacy started.
My interest in advocacy lead me to YouAct. I had through YSAFE had the pleasure of working with YouAct members before, so it seemed very natural for me to continue my youth SRHR work with them.
Being part of YouAct gives you the empowerment to keep working on SRHR issues. Even though I am a rather new member, I have already had the chance to engage in different projects and working with diferent people and issues. I like how YouAct can offer it’s members both long-term in depth projects as well as here-and-now advocacy possibilities – for example when we have to mobilize our members to engage with their MEPs, when they are voting on SRHR issues.

Gosia Kot
I’m Gosia (26) from Poland. I’ve been an an activist for sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people, especially comprehensive sexuality education for 5 years. I’ve gained a ground experience through work in Ponton Group of Sex Educators, youth organization advocating forCSE in Poland. I’ve been responsible for counselling for young people, organization of street events and coordination of various projects, e.g. regarding youth access to sexual and reproductive health services and counteracting sexual violence among adolescents. I’ve graduated from sociology and continue studies in social sciences on PhD level. My areas of scientific interest are queer sociology, nonheteronormative identities and relationships, queer motherhood.
I've joined YouAct because I believe that intensified actions for youth SRHR are necessary and YouAct is for me the example of an organization successfully advocating for youth rights. The energy of YouAct members, their experience and tireless continuous work for young people mobilizes me and enables to improve my expertise.

Luciana Grosu
I am a psychologist and journalist passionate about women rights. Over the years, I have engaged in volunteering with several national and international nonprofit organizations , developing my skills in the fields of Reporting, Psychological Counseling, Training and Intercultural Dialogue. I am an innovator at heart with many ideas for combating violence against women and girls.
I joined YouAct because I am a strong supporter of gender equality and I wanted to gain advocacy skills in order to be able to better promote women S&RH rights. Being part of YouAct is a rewarding experience on multiple levels because I get the chance to speak, write, act, react, learn and teach, and most importantly, because it gives me the needed legitimacy to speak in favor of justice, gender equality and women empowerment.

Martin Karadzhov
I have started working in the field of SRHR when I was 14. I was facilitating workshops at my school, then I got more involved by participating on national and international trainings. I worked as youth coordinator of local NGO for three years. During that time I had the chance to work with different groups such as juvenile offenders, minorities andyouth from shelters on topics related to SRHR.
I had always been impressed of the high level of expertise and motivation of the volunteers in YouAct before I joined the network. I joined YouAct because I wanted to develop my advocacy skills and work alongside with people who share my interests. YouAct gives me opportunities to be part of European and international campaigns, meet decision makers and collaborate with different organisations. As a member of YouAct I have the chance to bring changes on topics I feel very passionate about and constantly develop my skills and learn from our work.

Anna Postovoitova
Country: Ukraine

Yana Panfilova
Country: Ukraine

Rhodé Janssen
Steering Committee Member
Country: The Netherlands

Peter Mladenov
Country: Bulgaria

Liam Sutcliffe
Country: UK (Scotland)

Laura Cooper Hall
Country: UK

Hannah Beth Kunzlik
Country: UK (Scotland)

Gersi Gashi
Country: Kosovo

Gabriel Brumariu
Country: Romania

Emma Dooney
Country: Ireland

Eimear Annalivia Sparks
Steering Committee Member
Country: Ireland

Hannah Pearson
I've been working within the field of SRHR for five years now. From interning at Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) in the Netherlands in 2011, to my current role as Policy Coordinator at the Equality Network, an LGBTI human rights organisation in Edinburgh UK, SRHR has always been my passion and a significant part of my work. I hold an MSc in Equality and Human Rights from the University of Glasgow, where I conducted my postgraduate research into barriers to abortion access in Scotland, in collaboration with Amnesty Scotland and Amnesty International's My Body My Rights campaign. I was subsequently asked to be a member of the Abortion Rights Scotland Committee, and accepted to present my research at the Abortion and Reproductive Justice- The Unfinished Revolution international conference earlier this year.
I wish to become a YouAct member to first and foremost work for the advancement of sexual and reproductive rights, and (hopefully) make a positive contribution in this field. My passion lies in sexual and reproductive rights, particularly access to safe and legal abortion, and this is what I want to spend my life working for. I believe becoming a YouAct member would be the ideal next step, and I would value the learning and development opportunities membership would provide me with, particularly the opportunity to further my experience of European advocacy work, as this is ultimately the area in which I aim to work. Additionally, I would enjoy connecting with fellow activists around Europe and the world, making new friends and allies, and sharing information and knowledge to learn more about sexual and reproductive rights on a European and global level. Furthermore, given the current barriers to abortion in the country, I wish to raise the global profile of Scotland in relation to sexual and reproductive rights, and I believe YouAct could give me the platform to do this.

Ana Mosiashvili
Steering Committee member
In 2012 I completed the peer educator training program about Gender issues and SRHR. The 5-days TOT-course was organized by (GYDEA) with support of UNFPA CO. After TOT, we had to conduct training in our municipalities by ourselves with help of an experienced trainer. It was my very first experience as a trainer and youth peer to conduct two-days training and also very first working experience in this field. After that, In cooperation with active young people from my municipality I founded youth NGO - Center for Youth Development - XXI which currently plays one of the key role in my region with providing accessable information around SRHR using non-formal education activities. Furthermore, organization undertakes advocacy campaigns and is involved in the making of policy documents and strategies regarding Georgian youth. I'm member of UNFPA Youth Advisory Panel and I was involved in EECA regional project "Youth Voice". Also, I did fellowship at Y-PEER PETRI-Sofia for 3 months.
Since I have been working in the field of youth SRHR for past five years, my experience and attitudes to work gives me motivation to become a member of international organization, which will be next successful step and new opportunities to wide my work. I love sharing and I really enjoy when I can share my knowledge, experience, ideas and resources. I think being member of YouAct will be great opportunity to share ideas and put my contribution on international level and also share gained information and experience among my peers in my community as well.

Yana Mladenova
Nevertheless I was always aiming to develop myself in the area of youth work and human rights, my first direct involvement with SRHR was when I started working as a project coordinator in a bulgarian NGO called SMART Foundation last year. I was introduced to their ongoing work on the project "ACT!2015" - a unique youth-led accountability initiative supported by the UNAIDS aimed at empowering young people to advocate towards the effective implementation of CSE - path that led me to participate in the Global Youth Summit - ACT!2015 this year in New Delhi - India where we have set our goals for advocacy in local level for the effective implementation of CSE in Bulgarian schools.
In the context of the bulgarian educational system and the economic and political reality I’m living in, I feel that the importance of education (including CSE) has become even greater. In that connection I believe that every young person should have the opportunity to have his voice heard and taken into account in the decision-making process. For me, being a member of a global network like YouAct, will give me the opportunity to share experience, ideas and to learn a lot from active young people around the world, so I could have the capacity to be an active advocate for youth rights in my own country.

Anamaria Suciu
Steering Committee member
My interest in how societies work started during my studies (Sociology), but it was really my master degree in Politics, Gender and Minorities that changed my perspective and inspired me to become a feminist and to work for achieving gender equality in all areas of life (public and private; regarding health, education, work, political participation and representation etc.). During this master degree I had the opportunity to volunteer for SECS - Society for Education on Contraception and Sexuality and to understand more about sexuality education and SRHR. I was really enjoying the work I was doing and I got involved more and more, both at national level and at regional level by joining YSAFE.
I am volunteering and working in the area of SRHR for 3 years now and I feel I have acquired a lot knowledge, skills and experience that would be a pity to go to waste. My internship in IPPF as YSAFE Coordinator is finishing this August, but I am motivated to stay active in the field of SRHR.
YouAct Alumni

Fatma Hacioglu
1.How and when did you s tart working in the SRHR field? What's your(work) experience?
When I was at the second grade in University (2003) I joined a university club called “Fight Against AIDS”. That’s when I learnt more on HIV/AIDS and started doing outreach activities within the university. Later on I was trained as peer educator on SRHR by Y-PEER Network and UNFPA which enabled me both in terms of knowledge and skills on youth SRHR. Later on with my involvement in national and international activities in Y-PEER Network I heard about YouAct, I applied and selected as a member in 2006.
While working on youth SRHR issues within Turkey, European region and globally, I was graduated from university as a science teacher and already decided then I should focus on more SRHR so I enrolled to Masters on Women and Gender Studies which was an amazing opportunity to academically be involved in gender issues with SRHR perspective. Around the same time with Masters , I have started working for UNFPA Turkey Country Office as a Youth Project Assistant, coordinating a youth SRHR campaign in Turkey. Since 2007 I have been working with UNFPA under Reproductive Health Programme where I am Programme Associate under RH Programme.
2. What was the most important opportunity you had as YouAct member? There are many but I can list what I believe the most important two opportunities ;1 – I was part of advocacy task force (ATF) and we organized a hearing at the European Parliament. Prior to the Hearing we organized a capacity building workshop with young people from the region and I found it very empowering to work with young people from different organization and developing a joint statement together. Following day I had one of the greatest – most unique opportunity to chair the Hearing.
2- I was part of YouAct Steering Committee for two years , in my second year I was the chair of the organization. I was lucky enough to work closely on development of the organization internally and representing YouAct to its partners . Those two years indeed helped me many ways to become who I am today.
3. How did YouAct membership influenced who you are / what you do today?This is the most difficult question, where should I s tart 🙂 Overall I can say during my membership in YouAct I have learnt that you do not need to be in a huge organization to make change, you need to be able to work in a team that is effective. Also you do not need to meet face to face in order to work (although that would be amazing), you can get creative using wonders of internet.
Moreover because of YouAct, I have improved my knowledge and skills on advocacy, especially on SRHR issues . I also learnt a lot regarding the SRHR s ituation in European countries , how European Union functions and so on. I got to meet and work with many advocates throughout the world and learnt each and every one of them. Last but not least, YouActers those amazing people I got to work with thought me a lot about international friends hip.

Joana Almeida
Country: Portugal
1.How and when did you s tart working in the SRHR field? What's your(work) experience?
My work in SRHR started early with my parents doing sex education in schools and me being embarassed with them. At 24 years I started meeting more people involved in pro-abortion movements in Portugal, in family planning and LGBT community. That is how I came to the SRHR wonderful field.
2.What was the most important opportunity you had as YouAct member?
Cannot say. They were so many wonderful opportunities and amazing moments . I can say this : I had knowledge, people and skills that I will never forget.
3.How did YouAct membership influenced who you are / what you do today?
In many ways - I learned how SRHR can be so different in different cultures (and similar!); I made friends that still make me happy and privileged to have in my relations ; I developed skills in advocacy, therapy, team work that would not be developed this way without YouAct.

Rada Elenkova
1.How and when did you s tart working in the SRHR field? What's your(work) experience?
My active involvement in the SRHR sphere began with my membership in You Act. Beforehand, I was manly dealing with gender-based violence topics . That happened in 2009 when I applied for a volunteer. Since then, I am a keen activist pushing for the realization of women and young people’s SRHR. My work experience includes , among other, implementing youth campaigns for HIV prevention, safe sex and healthy relationships. Lobbying on national and international levels for women’s right to abortion and eradication of violence against laboring women.
2. What was the most important opportunity you had as YouAct member?I consider my participation in You Act as a very important experience. As a member I had the chance to meet wonderful and likeminded young people who expanded my viewpoints in life. I admired the determination of our members and learned how to take an active s tand s o that young people’s voices are heard. The collaboration with other members gave me discipline and patience in our mutual work. I expanded my knowledge on different cultures and social backgrounds . A very exciting part was when I had the chance to participate in key international meetings like Women Deliver, CSW 2010, and World Youth Catholic Day 2011.
3. How did YouAct members hip influenced who you are / what you do today?I keep very warm memories which I believe have made me a better and ultra-tolerant person. It was a very happy and fulfilling period that had its role in my decis ion on career development. I acquired es s ential s kills in advocacy, lobbying and campaigning and met very committed and ins piring young people.

Magdalena Pochec
My involvement in the field of SRHR started in 2007 at the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, which advocates for the liberalization of the restrictive anti-abortion law in Poland. At the Federation I was responsible for compiling alternative report on the implementation of CEDAW and then I became a coordinator of Astra Youth, a network of young people from Central and Eastern Europe. For over five years I have worked for KARAT Coalition (www.karat.org) as a Programme Officer of its Women’s Human Rights initiative. Currently I work at the Stefan Batory Foundation, where I coordinate the grant-making process in the field of combating discrimination. Being a part of YouAct (a member and then a vice-chair) had a huge formative influence on me. It introduced me to advocacy at the UN level (e.g. UN High Level Meeting on the Rights of the Child) and provided me the opportunity to participate in a dialogue with decision-makers , which was a very empowering and energizing experience. I remember YouAct as a group of amazing, inspiring and professional young people who are determined to make a positive change. Thank you YouAct!

Gvantsa Khizanishvili
Country: Georgia
I started out as a volunteer/peer educator for local youth camps when I was a medical student. After graduating from Tbilisi State Medical University with degree in medicine, I started working with Planned Parenthood organization in Georgia. This experience let me expand my work to community and national level SRHR work. My work/volunteer experiences have strongly impressed me and showed the need for reproductive health and rights awareness and advocacy, both at home and abroad. This is when in 2007 I became a member of YouAct - The European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights . As a member of YouAct I was able to attend trainings, several conferences and meetings , where I truly enjoyed learning, strengthening my skills , and sharing my country experiences with others . To explore further into this field from a global pers pective I got awarded the Edmund S. Mus kie Graduate Fellows hip that allowed me to purs ue Mas ter's in Public Health at the Univers ity of Mis s ouri-Columbia. I chose to specialize in global health, promotion and policy.
During the time with YouAct, I had the opportunity to facilitated several trainings on human rights, youth sexual and reproductive health and rights , youth participation etc. I learned a lot about working with the youth led organization by given the opportunity to served as a member of steering committee, fundraising officer and communications task force member. I has been involved in various national and international events as a participant and pres enter.
Today, having worked in the field of s exual and reproductive health and rights for 7 years , looking back I realize that YouAct membership influenced me strongly, allowing me to grow professionally and personally. At YouAct, I had excellent mentors , who taught me how to share my experiences with others . I developed leadership skills needed to effectively advocate for sexual and reproductive rights and influence global processes .

Adam Ovist
Country: Denmark
I first heard of YouAct when volunteering for Sex&Samfund (Danish member of IPPF). I became a YouAct'er soon after, during our actions and HIV- campaign at the 2005 Catholic World Youth day in Köln. Lessons learned through years of YouAct'ing continue to prove valuable in how I engage myself with organizing and collectives today, and in insisting on the significance of transparent decision-making.

Margarita Kapsou
I started working in SRHR as a volunteer, then Program Officer with the Cyprus Family Planning Association, which is also how I found out about YouAct. An important experience for me was the Study Session during which a group of 28 young people from different parts of Europe worked together to draft the European Youth Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights . Several years on, I am still interested and attracted to anything that has to do with SRHR, especially if it involves Youth. Last year I organized a very successful Summer School on Sexual Rights for students and young graduates in the university where I work!

Agata Loewe
1.How and when did you s tart working in the SRHR field? What's your(work) experience?
I have been working in SRHR field for last 7 years . started at Campaign Against Homophobia, later with Trans -fuzja, Ponton sex educators and IGLYO, You Act and now both in Campaign Against Homophobia and my own Sex Positive Institute. I work in help (psychologist,sexologist) , educator (workshops on GSD- gender and sexual diversities and activist for sexposotve/critical movements .
2.What was the most important opportunity you had as YouAct member?
In YouAct i was responsible for news digest, it kept me up to date with all the news and groups working in this field.
3.How did YouAct membership influenced who you are / what you do today?
I continue this work, I train professionals , educate peer groups , I am also covering media sex education to mainstream.

Anush Hayrapetyan
I started working in the SRHR field while getting involved with YouAct in October, 2011. I had just graduated the University with a Master's degree in Public International Law and Human Rights and was eager to learn more about gender equality issues. While getting involved with YouAct I learned more than I expected. YouAct has been a great platform for learning about and engaging into action not only for gender equality issues, but also comprehensive sexuality education and informed decision-making, youthfriendly services and many other issues of the field which are so vital for the well-being of each person.

Sanda-Daniela Alexeiciuc
I have always believed in SRHR and cultural-intellectual interchange. My strong desire to promote developing influence of human rights in the post-Soviet countries stimulated my interest to participate at a ToT at national level organized by UNFPA, later I start being active and work in different SRHR organizations. Working as a volunteer, staff member, activist, trainer and expert with the non-governmental organizations all over the world in SRHR from Kenya and Britain to Sweden and Czech Republic, I tried to develop an ability to think globally and to operate locally in a successful way. High quality of the intellectual environment in You-Act with emphasis on creative approach and social participation, improved my growth as the defender of human rights and promoted enrichment of my scientific potential. This was also a unique possibility to come into important contacts with civil activists from the different countries.
My special anxiety is concerning gender discrimination, LGBTQ rights, violence and is caused with that as the practical worker I observed intended distortions of a HR problematic both in authorities, non-governmental sector and in mass media. That motivated me to become You-ACT member. Being part of You-Act young people I have gained new and developed existing skills in advocacy and SRHR cause all these serious and painful problems should be professionally discussed not only by politicians, but also by youth, and also within the non-formal environment. With You-Act help I attended a number of trainings, conferences, meetings focusing on SRHR and HIV&AIDS. I started exploring SRHR within my local community but as well international community as well supported young people to explore SRHR.
Only having united our efforts on the basis of respectable cooperation, we can find decisions for these problems and prevent SRHR.

Johanna Selander
Country: Sweden
I started studying Human Rights in 2011 and shortly I realized that SRHR interested me most. In 2013 I took a course in gender studies and decided to become an active member of RFSU (the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education). Since then I have been a group leader of activity groups within the association, I did my internship at RFSU and was active in RFSU Gothenburg’s network working with HIV and AIDS prevention as well as in the abortion rights network of RFSU. I am a certified informant in the field of sexual education and in 2014 I was responsible for the coordination of informants in the field of sexual education in RFSU Malmö.
One of the reasons why I want to become a YouAct member is that I think that I can learn about and gain experience in SRHR. I have a genuine interest in working with SRHR and always want to broaden my knowledge. I also find it motivating that I will be able to meet and share experiences with other young people from different countries.

Ruth Ennis
Working in the field of SRHR has become something of a second skin, given my active engagement over what is now almost a decade. I first became a member of YouAct in 2006 and have now been a member for so long that I feel like the Old Age Pensioner of the young people of Europe. The passion, intelligence and expertise of YouAct members motivates me every day to keep up the fight for full recognisement and fulfillment of Sexual Rights.