Nusa Dua, Indonesia - International Conference on Family Planning

Nusa Dua, Indonesia
Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center
(ICFP conference venue), Building 2, Tanjung Benoa Hall
All youth and young researchers attending the 2015 ICFP are welcome to attend
the pre-conference free of charge. The event is mandatory for youth selected through
the ICFP Youth Video Contest. Participants must be able to attend the full two days.
Questions?
Contact youth@fpconference.org
The ICFP2015 Youth pre-conference will bring together youth delegates and young researchers from all
over the word. This interactive event will tackle opportunities and challenges specific to youth and family
planning, including the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in all of their diversity.
The event features both presentations and workshops that will equip attendees with information and skills
for navigating ICFP and for moving the global youth family planning agenda forward post-conference.
Specifically, the pre-conference is designed to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Strengthen participants’ knowledge on issues of SRH/family planning
Create a forum for youth to share their experiences and identify common priorities
Introduce participants to ICFP 2015; how to navigate the conference, set goals and advocate
Facilitate networking amongst youth themselves and with senior leaders
Facilitate knowledge and skills building to equip youth beyond the conference
Create a space for youth to set their own and common goals for moving the family planning agenda
forward post-conference
Date and time: November 8, 9:00–17:00, and November 9, 9:00–15:30
Venue: Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (ICFP conference venue), Building 2, Tanjung Benoa Hall
Participation: All youth and young researchers attending the 2015 ICFP are welcome to attend the preconference free of charge. The event is mandatory for youth selected through the ICFP Youth Video Contest.
Participants must be able to attend the full two days.
Collaborating organizations: Advance Family Planning, Advocates for Youth; Alliance for Reproductive,
Maternal, and Newborn Health; Emerging Leaders Foundation; EngenderHealth; International HIV/AIDS
Alliance; Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health; DSW; Engender Health;
FP2020; GOAL Cameron; Global Health Strategies; Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS; IntraHealth
International; HACEY Health Initiative; IPPF; IFMSA; IYAFP; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health; K4Health; MSH; Palladium; PAI; PATH; Pathfinder International; Planned Parenthood Association of
Ghana; PMC; PRB; UNF; UNFPA; Women Deliver; WHO
Sponsors: Alliance for Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation;
EngenderHealth; Guttmacher Institute; International HIV/AIDS Alliance; PAI; PATH; Pathfinder
International; Population Media Center; Population Reference Bureau; United Nations Foundation; UNFPA;
Women Deliver; personal donation from Ms. Judith Helzner and a matching gift from the John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Questions?
Contact youth@fpconference.org
2
Sunday November 8, 2015
Time
8:00
9:00
9:40
Event
PRE-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (ICFP conference venue), Building 2, Tanjung Benoa Hall
Note: All participants must pick up their ICFP 2015 badges at the Westin hotel prior to the preconference.
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Robert Wm. Blum (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, JHSPH)
Jillian Gedeon (International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, IYAFP) and Priya Limbu,
(EngenderHealth), Romaric Ouitona (IYAFP)
TWITTER-THON AND BLOG-A-THON DEBRIEF
Willow Gerber (K4Health) and Kate Cho (Management Sciences for Health, MSH)
9:45
PLENARY, PART 1: “WE ARE NOT PLANNING FAMILIES”
In this opening session, participants will be given an introduction to ‘Family Planning’ and
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and an opportunity to reflect on what these
terms mean to them, and to others working in different locations and contexts. Featuring a panel
discussion with young leaders, the plenary will highlight what family planning means to young
people in different contexts all while challenging the term.
Speakers: Jean Christophe Rusatira (IYAFP), Anggraini Sari Astuti, (UNFPA Indonesia), Priya
Limbu (Engender health) and Sharafdzhon Boborakhimov (Y-Peer)
Moderators: Arthur Erken (UNFPA) and Jillian Gedeon (IYAFP)
10:45
11:00
COFFEE/TEA BREAK
PLENARY, PART 2: INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION
This interactive full-group session picks up from the initial introduction and panel discussion on
youth FP and SRHR. The session will provide a space for participants to share with one another
their experiences and perspectives on access to FP and SRHR in their communities and countries.
Topics to be discussed will be generated by young people and will address challenges, needs,
barriers, and opportunities.
Organized by Representatives from IYAFP, EngenderHealth, IPPF, the ICFP 2015 Indonesian
youth sub-committee, Advocates for Youth, UNFPA
12:00
PLENARY, PART 3: 20 YEARS OF PROGRESS ON AYSRHR:
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
This session will build on the morning introductory plenary sessions to look back at a timeline of
progress for youth SRHR over last 20 years, and how we’ve come to a key moment of opportunity
to drive forward progress on in the next 20 years. Inputs will include policy advances from the
ICPD and associated review processes and the Post-2015 process, other government commitments
to youth SRHR, advances in learning and evidence on what works to reach young people with
information, education and services, and key moments for youth participation and engagement.
Speakers: Laura Laski (UNFPA), Sangeet Kayastha (Y-PEER), and Jamila Gacheri (Emerging youth
leader, Kenya)
Organized by FP2020, WHO, UNFPA and DSW
13:00
14:00
LUNCH
PANEL: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ICFP 2015
This panel will provide an overview of ICFP 2015, and introduce strategies for youth to navigate the
conference program, network and contribute to discussions. Prior youth delegates and members of
the ICFP Youth sub-committee will share advice and ideas for making the most of this large-scale
event.
Moderator: Jillian Gedeon, IYAFP
Panel members: Kate Baye and Anna Kågesten (ICFP International Youth Sub-committee), Burcu
Bozkurt and Romaric Ouitona (IYAFP), Andi Muhammad Yusuf Ridwan (Indonesian Youth subcommittee) and Chelsea Ricker (FP2020)
3
Sunday November 8, 2015
Time
14:45
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA DURING ICFP 2015
Matt Matassa (Global Health Strategies)
15:00-17:00
ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOPS: DAY 1
All workshops will occur simultaneously at parallel roundtables in the conference
hall. Participants should select one (1) workshop per day during registration to the
pre-conference.
Option 1
1.1: Global Commitments, Local action
This workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about and discuss current
global initiatives and how to ensure youth voices are heard in Global Processes in a post 2015
world. Participants are encouraged to share theirs experiences and ideas for engaging locally on
global commitments, and to identify potential advocacy targets.
Facilitators: Allie Doody (Population Action International, PAI), Kiki Kalkstein (Pathfinder
International), Sara Pellegrom (Women Deliver), M.A. Keifer (Advocates for Youth)
Option 2
1.2: Games, Trivia, and Fun: new ways to teach SRHR to youth
while busting harmful myths
To complement the information being learned at this conference, this session aims to provide youth
with hard skills to bring back to their community. By the end of the session, youth will be equipped
with the skills necessary to go out into their communities and educate peers on SRHR using
technology and games molded to fit age groups and subject matter appropriately. Through this
session, participants will also have the chance to clear any myths or misconceptions around family
planning and SRHR.
Facilitators: Jillian Gedeon (IYAFP), Jennifer DeAtley (EngenderHealth), Michalina Drejza
(International Federation of Medical Students ‘Associations)
Option 3
1.3: Four Practices of Good Leadership: Examples from the Field*
What it means to be a leader? What does leadership look like in your community or country?
What traits do strong leaders have? This session will feature an overview of different leadership
practices, followed by a moderated discussion between youth panelists and audience. Participants
are encouraged to think about how we can increase the number and have more young people
in leadership roles, and what opportunities exist for young people to be involved in leadership
platforms, especially in SRHR.
Facilitators: George Ouma (DSW), Isaiah Owolabi (IYAFP), Sarah Lindsay (MSH)
*Note: This session is tied to workshop 2.3, “Leadership in Action: Inspiring Others and
Overcoming Barriers”, on Nov 9th. Participants are encouraged to register for both workshops.
Option 4
1.4: Youth faith interface
The objective of this workshop is to help participants better understand the role of faith institutions
in enhancing access of SRHR services for the youth. Participants are encouraged to share best
practices and effective approaches used by faith institutions, as well as identify emerging issues and
propose solutions to core challenges.
Facilitator: Kennedy Chande (DSW)
Option 5
1.5: Public speaking: How to give a good presentation*
The objective of this session is to provide participants will skills for public speaking, with special
focus on preparing those with speaking roles at ICFP. The session will focus on the key steps to be
taken and to give an effective presentation including: knowing your audience, managing time, use
of slides, verbal and nonverbal communication. Participants will have the opportunity to practice
giving an “elevator speech” (a one minute speech on an issue of importance to you).
Facilitator: Robert Blum (JHSPH)
*Note: This session is mandatory for ICFP Youth Speakers
4
Sunday November 8, 2015
Time
Option 6
Event
ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOPS: DAY 1
(cont’d)
1.6: Family Planning Costed Implementation Plans (CIP) and Youth
This workshop will introduce participants to what a CIP is, how they are created, and who is
involved with the process. After participating in the session, youth will be able to confidently
read a CIP and understand where to find issues relevant to their campaigns. Participants will also
come away with the knowledge on how to leverage a CIP for their advocacy strategies in both
development & implementation stages. Parts of this session will be led by young people who have
been engaged with CIP processes in their home countries.
Facilitators: Chelsea Ricker (FP2020), Katelyn Bryant-Comstock (PAI), Nichole Zlatunich
(Palladium), Ishmail Selassie (Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana)
Option 7
1.7: Story of Us, Story of Now, Story of Change*
Personal narrative is the foundation of social change: it’s what articulates the values of an individual
or organization, and what inspires individuals to support a cause. Personal narrative can power
ideas and action across the engagement spectrum, from volunteers sharing their experiences in
the field to young advocates advancing reproductive rights in their communities. The goal of this
workshop is to empower young leaders to tell their own stories and to use the power of their own
voice to create meaningful change in their countries.
Facilitators: Suzanne Ehlers, President and CEO, Population Action International, and Florence
Machio, Editor-in-Chief, Kenya Gazette Weekly
*Note: this session will be continued by IYAFP on Nov 9th, 6-8 pm.
Option 8
1.8: How can we break down the walls?
Identifying and addressing barriers to pro-youth services
This session will engage participants in visualizing a world in which pro-youth contraceptive
services and information are widely available, identifying some of the key barriers that prevent
young people from having access to pro-youth services, and in outlining potential ways in which
they can engage in helping break down those barriers. The final product of the session will be the
outline of a pro-youth advocacy plan that participants can use in their own work.
Facilitators: Laura Hoemeke and Maureen Corbett (IntraHealth International)
Option 9
1.9: Youth and the demographic dividend
The objective of this workshop is to clarify the term demographic dividend (DD) for youth
participants. With the DD playing such a pivotal role at ICFP, this workshop is intended to prepare
participants to speak confidently on the topic, and also to show participants how adolescents and
youth (ages 10-24) are key drivers for the achievement of the DD. Participants will be able to take
their lived experiences and connect them to the DD, bringing the concept to life.
Facilitators: Sylvia Wong (UNFPA), Stephanie Kimou (PRB)
*Note: This session is tied to workshop 2.5, “Using data to develop policy messages” on Nov 9th.
Participants are encouraged to register for both workshops.
Option 10
1.10 Raising our voices: recognizing the diversity of young people and a rightsbased approach
The objective of this session is to address the importance of an inclusive, rights-based approach
to sexual and reproductive health and rights—starting with an examination of the term “family
planning” and what it means to young people living with HIV, young LGBT people, and young
sex workers. The session aims to strengthen participants’ knowledge on issues of SRHR for young
people from key populations and of all ages, as well as provide a forum for young people from key
populations to share their experiences and priorities, and set goals for how to advocate on their
own behalf throughout the conference.
Facilitators: Julie Mellin (Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS) and Link Up Youth advocate
5
Sunday November 8, 2015
Time
17:00
Event
Wrap up and reflection
Jillian Gedeon (IYAFP) and Priya Limbu (EngenderHealth)
17:30
17:30 - 18:00
Adjourn
Optional Q&A session about conference logistics
Kate Baye and Anna Kågesten (ICFP 2015 Youth sub-committee)
17:30 – 18:30
Women and Young People: Advocacy Centered on Stories
Please join Marie Stopes International for an interactive film screening and discussion about the
role that storytelling plays in advocacy efforts and maintaining a client-centered approach. This past
year, Marie Stopes International US gathered first-person stories from Cambodia and Tanzania,
making a collection of 12 films that depict the reality for women and providers on the role
contraception plays in their lives.
Facilitator: Francis Oko Armah (Women Deliver Young Leaders Program)
Hosted by Marie Stopes International US
6
Monday November 9, 2015
Time
9:00
Event
WELCOME AND RECAP
Jillian Gedeon (IYAFP) and Priya Limbu (EngenderHealth)
9:30
PLENARY: WHAT DO WE WANT TO CHANGE?
A REVIEW OF EXISTING POLICIES AFFECTING YOUTH ACCESS
TO QUALITY SRHR INFORMATION AND SERVICES
The objective of this plenary is to provide an overview of typical policies currently in place which
act as obstacles for young people’s access to quality FP information and services. The session will
feature two brief presentations, followed by an group exercise where participants discuss potential
areas for intervention in their own regions in order to set “SMART” objectives.
Moderator: Ana Aguilera (Emerging Youth Leader, Mexico/US)
Speakers: Halima Shariff (CCP and AFP/Tanzania) and V. Chandra-Mouli (WHO)
Note: Participants will have the opportunity to refine their objective and advocacy strategy if they
opt to attend the Building Advocacy Messages session at 12:30pm that afternoon
10:30
PLENARY: Way forward: action points post-conference
This plenary-style workshop is an opportunity for participants to connect to one another and to
come up with a plan to stay engaged with each other during and after ICFP. Participants will be
introduced to the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, IYAFP, which was born during
ICFP 2013. The session will also highlight social media strategies and individual goal setting.
Moderator: Burcu Bozkurt (IYAFP)
Organized in collaboration with FP2020, Advocates for Youth and the Indonesian youth subcommittee
11:30
LUNCH NETWORKING SESSION
This lunch is an opportunity for youth participants to network with senior global leaders as well as
fellow pre-conference peers over an informal roundtable luncheon.
Organized in collaboration between MSH, IYAFP, PAI, IntraHealth International, YHRC,
Pathfinder, Women Deliver, FP2020 and Advocates for Youth.
12:30-14:30
Option 1
Option 2
ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOPS: DAY 2
All workshops will occur simultaneously at parallel roundtables in the conference
hall. Participants should select one (1) workshop per day during registration to the
pre-conference.
2.1: Building Advocacy Messages
This workshop will provide participants with skills and resources to create their own advocacy
messages. Participants will build on the content from the advocacy plenary that morning and, using
the Advance Family Planning SMART advocacy tool, develop their own advocacy messages that
can be used during and/or after the International Conference on Family Planning.
Facilitators: Alison Bodenheimer (AFP), Allison Doody (PAI), Eva Ros (MSH), Kiki Kalkstein
(Pathfinder International), M.A. Keifer (Advocates for Youth)
2.2: Social Media: The Power of Networking for Promotion
Capitalizing on youth’s natural affinity for using social media, the objective of this workshop is to
demonstrate the power of this tool for advocating for health and social development issues. In
particular, the workshop will demonstrate how demographic and socio-economic indicators can be
used to design a social media promotion campaign for a health/social development program.
Participants will use existing, readily available information to design an advocacy campaign using
social media (+ new media and other media) to share issues highlighted during ICFP. By the end
of the session, participants will have hands-on experience in designing a promotion or advocacy
campaign using social media and how best to use each media channel to reach a desired specific
audience.
Facilitators: Kriss Barker (Population Media Center) and Jennie Greaney (UNFPA)
7
Monday November 9, 2015
Time
Option 3
Event
ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOPS: DAY 2
(cont’d)
2.3: Leadership in Action: Inspiring Others and Overcoming Barriers*
Who are YOU as a leader? What are the barriers/challenges to leadership? How can they be
overcome? Following on the content discussed in workshop 1.3, this interactive session will focus
on individual strategies for navigating power structures and how to shape spaces to participate
and lead. The session will feature four interactive mini-presentations, followed by an interactive
discussion. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own leadership strategies, and
how to apply and adapt these leadership skills to local contexts.
Facilitators: Caren Wakoli (Emerging Leaders Foundation), Jillian Gedeon (IYAFP), Desmond Nji
Atanga (GOAL Cameroon)
*Note: This session is tied to workshop 1.3, “Four Practices of Good Leadership: Examples from the
Field”, on Nov 8th. Participants are encouraged to register for both workshops.
Option 4
2.4: Youth-led Research and the Research Agenda on
Adolescent Access to Contraception
This session will help participants to identify and develop strategies to build on what is known and
what we need to know about youth access to and use of contraception through an investigation
of the current state of the evidence. Participants will be introduced to the IPPF and Rutgers WPF
Explore Toolkit for involving young people as researchers in SRHR programs, including discussions
on how to create the necessary conditions for meaningful youth participation in research and three
manuals for young people to conduct qualitative research. Current and former youth researchers
will speak to their experiences while program implementers and advocates will help participants
develop the case for investment in youth-led research to improve family planning programs.
Facilitator: Chelsea Ricker (FP2020), Laura Hurley (IPPF), Judith F. Helzner (Alliance for
Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health), Arushi Singh (The Pleasure Project), Faiqoh (ARI)
and Miranda van Reeuwijk (Rutgers WPF)
Option 5
2.5: Using data to develop policy messages*
The goal of this workshop is to provide youth participants the skills and resources to find up-todate and pertinent data in order to support their policy messages or asks. During the workshop,
PRB, UNFPA and PAI will share with participants the best online resources for demographic
and socio-economic data. Next, the group will work together to shape a policy message, which
combines the lived experiences of youth with accurate data. Opportunities for young people to
organize themselves and influence country-level advocacy and policy discussions will also be
discussed.
Facilitators: Jonathan Rucks and Katelyn Bryant-Comstock (PAI), Stephanie Kimou (Population
Reference Bureau, PRB), Sylvia Wong (UNFPA)
*Note: This session is tied to workshop 1.9, “Youth and the demographic dividend” on Nov 8th.
Participants are encouraged to register for both workshops.
Option 6
2.6: Trending Now: #dataviz to share results
Good data visualization is key in sharing results effectively. It engages viewers (the audience),
improves the audience’s understanding and likelihood of recalling the information presented,
respects the time and energy of the audience by relaying data directly, and promotes the work as
quality and credible. After the session, participants will understand the principles of effectively
visualizing data, and why it is important to do so. Participants will know how to select an
appropriate visualization for a data set, and will have practiced how to design a visual that
communicates key messages and results to their intended audience. Participants will also be
familiar with a variety of computer-based programs that can be used for visualizing data in different
ways, as well as experts in the field to follow on social media for further learning.
Facilitator: Meghan Guida (MSH)
8
Monday November 9, 2015
Time
Option 7
Event
ROUNDTABLE WORKSHOPS: DAY 2
(cont’d)
2.7: The Art of Moderating
This will be a highly interactive session that will allow participants to develop and practice core
skills for moderating and leading discussions, including session preparation, appropriate tools,
opening the session, managing time effectively, using effective communication techniques,
managing questions/answers and group dynamics, dealing with conflict, and closing sessions in a
memorable way. This is a workshop in which participants will learn from each other and have an
opportunity to practice core facilitation skills.
Facilitator: Laura Hoemeke (IntraHealth International)
*Note: This session is mandatory for ICFP Youth moderators
Option 8
2.8: Project Development and Leadership
Young people have increasingly played pivotal roles in the development of many communities; they
also display high level of creativity, energy and innovation in solving pressing developmental needs
even in resource-limited settings. Building the capacities of young people in project development,
monitoring and evaluation (M&E), community mobilization and leadership is important in
preparing them to effectively lead the change irrespective of location, sex, religion or age. This
workshop will feature three interactive sessions which will cover program planning, leadership and
M&E. It is expected that at the end of the workshop, participants will understand the concept of
program planning and M&E and also be able to innovatively design a program.
Facilitators: Paul Ojajuni (HACEY Health Initiative), Shaikat SM and Ramaya Jawahar (IYAFP)
Moderator: Isaiah Owolabi (HACEY Health Initiative)
Option 9
2.9: User-Centered Design: Innovating to address youth needs
for family planning services and information
User-centered design (UCD) is a design process that empowers participants to observe behaviors
and draw conclusions about what people want and need. UCD is increasingly being applied in
the global health and development context to generate more impactful and innovative solutions
to complex challenges. Examples of such innovations include the mSakhi, an interactive mobilephone-based job aid developed by IntraHealth for community health workers in India or the
Embrace, a low-cost infant incubator developed by social entrepreneurs for use in rural areas,
after carefully observing the most pressing health needs in Nepal. This session will introduce
participants to the basic concepts UCD. Participants will go through a hands-on design exercise to
learn the basic principles of the process. They will also have an opportunity to consider applications
for in their own work as youth advocates for reproductive health.
Facilitator: Rebecca Kohler (IntraHealth International)
Wrap up and questions
14:30
Jillian Gedeon (IYAFP) and Priya Limbu (EngenderHealth)
14:45
15:00
15:00 – 15:30
Coffee/tea
Departure for the ICFP 2015 opening session
Orientation for those participating in the shadowing-mentoring program
This session is specifically for those that have signed up to participate in the ICFP mentor/
mentee program. Stop by to pick up the shadow-mentor folder packet, get a quick overview of any
scheduled activities during the conference, what to expect and to potentially meet your mentor.
Sarah Lindsay (MSH)
9
Biosketches
ICFP 2015 Youth Secretariat
Dr. Robert Wm. Blum
William H. Gates, Sr. Professor and Chair of the Department of Population, Family and
Reproductive Health, JHSPH and Director of the Hopkins Urban Health Institute.
Dr. Blum is the Co-chair of the ICFP 2015 Youth Sub-committee and internationally recognized
for his expertise and advocacy related to adolescent health and well-being. He is a Past-President
of the Society for Adolescent Medicine; past board chair of the Guttmacher Institute, a member of
the National Academy of Sciences and a consultant to UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO. He received
the Society for Adolescent Medicine’s Outstanding Achievement Award and the American Public
Health Association’s Herbert Needleman Award “for scientific achievement and courageous
advocacy” on behalf of children and youth. In 2014 he received the American Public Health
Association’s Martha May Eliot Award honoring “extraordinary service to mothers and children
[and adolescents]”.
Dr. Kate Baye
Youth Coordinator and Co-chair of the ICFP 2015 Youth Sub-committee
Dr. Kate Baye is a family planning advocate and a physician pursuing an MSPH degree at the
department of Population Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public
Health. She obtained her medical degree with first class honors at the Faculty of Medicine and
Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) in Cameroon. She is a public relations chair of the International
Youth Alliance for Family Planning, co-chair of the youth sub-committee for ICFP2015 and
interning at the Gates’ Institute. She has a strong passion for adolescent medicine, sexual and
reproductive health and policy strategies.
Ms. Anna Kågesten
Co-chair of the ICFP 2015 Youth Sub-committee
Ms. Kågesten received her MPH from JHSPH in 2012 and is now a PhD candidate with the
department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. She is a passionate youth SRHR
advocate with broad experience in the development of programs and curriculums both globally
and in her home country of Sweden. Her dissertation research explores early sexual trajectories
and gender norms among young adolescents aged 10-14 years in Nairobi informal settlements.
Ms. Kågesten is a consultant to the WHO on several projects and led the youth component during
ICFP 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ICFP 2015 Youth pre-conference Facilitators/Speakers
Ms. Ana Aguilera
Ipas, Women Deliver Young Leader
Ana is a young public health professional and dual citizen of Mexico and the United States. She
is passionate about the intersection between sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and
international development. Through her work with Amigos de las Americas, she has helped build
the capacity of local young leaders in rural communities, implemented over twenty community
development projects, and supervised more than 70 volunteers in Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and
Guatemala. Additionally, she has worked with women’s sexual and reproductive health non-profit
organizations including Grounds for Health and Ipas. Ana works on integrating youth voices,
content and perspectives into providing safe abortion care access for all women around the world.
Ms. Anggraini Sari Astuti
National UN Youth Volunteer for ASRH, UNFPA Indonesia
Ms. Anggraini Sari Astuti (Ange) graduated from Faculty of Public Health Majoring in
Epidemiology from University of Indonesia. She has a passionate interest for youth SRH, maternal
and child health. She has experience in research and community empowerment about how young
married couple perceived family planning, and has been actively involved with UNFPA work
related to youth decision-making processes. She was awarded as the most outstanding public
health student in scientific category in 2012 and participated as a speaker in several national and
international meetings related to ASRH.
10
Mr. Desmond Nji Atanga
Founding president, DESERVE Cameroon
Desmond N. Atanga has nine years of experience working on youth empowerment and sexual
and reproductive health. He is a Young Leader of the Women Deliver Young Leaders Program
and currently the National First Vice President of the Cameroon Youth Network, which works
with UNICEF-Cameroon. Desmond is the founding president of the DESERVE Cameroon and
an elected delegate to the Cameroon National Youth Council. In 2013, Desmond received an
award as Cameroon’s best youth leader, awarded by the Project for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS
in the Central African Sub-region (PPSAC) in collaboration with the Cameroon Association for
Social Marketing/Population Services International. Desmond holds a Bachelor’s of Science in
Economics from the University of Dschang and a Post graduate Technical Education Diploma
in the Teaching of Economics (DIPET 2) from The University of Bamenda. He speaks English,
French, and Ngemba.
Ms. Kriss Baker
Vice President for International Programs, Population Media Center
Kriss Barker is Vice President for International Programs at Population Media Center, an
international organization that works with broadcast media to produce entertainment-education
programs. Kriss has assisted production teams throughout the world to develop entertainmenteducation serial dramas. She has trained numerous media and health communciation
professionals in the Sabido methodology for behavior change communication using the mass
media. She oversees management of PMC programs in over 20 countries worldwide. Kriss has
authored several papers on the Sabido methodology, including manuscripts, journal articles and
chapters in edited books. She is considered an expert on application of the Sabido methodology
for behavior change.
Mr. Sharafdzhon Boborakhimov
International Coordinator, Y-PEER
Sharafdzhon Boborakhimov is Y-PEER International Coordinator in Charge of International
Organizational development who has been involved with Y-PEER Network in Tajikistan since
2011. He is a dedicated member of his national network, and has actively advocated for young
people’s SRH issues at global and regional forums, most recently in the ICPD Beyond 2014
process. He is also a trainer for youth and peer educators on sexual and reproductive health
including HIV issues.
Ms. Alison Bodenheimer
Francophone Africa Program Officer II - Advance Family Planning, Bill & Melinda Gates Institute
for Population and Reproductive Health of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Alison works closely with in-country partners to implement the AFP advocacy approach in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, and Burkina Faso and forges strategic partnerships
to diffuse the approach throughout Francophone Africa. Her background includes managing
programs in reproductive health, family planning, and infectious diseases throughout SubSaharan Africa and Asia. Prior to joining AFP, Ms. Bodenheimer consulted for Columbia
University in Jordan where she worked with UNICEF to improve monitoring and reporting of
child rights violations in conflict in the MENA region. She has a MPH from Columbia University’s
Mailman School of Public Health and a Bachelors degree in Psychology and French from College
of the Holy Cross and University of Strasbourg in France.
11
Ms. Burcu Bozkurt
International Youth Alliance for Family Planning
Burcu Bozkurt is a public health professional with more than 3 years of experience in policy,
research and advocacy. She is a co-founding member of the International Youth Alliance for
Family Planning, and works on communications and advocacy within the Executive team.
Her fieldwork has spanned from providing technical support to establish an M&E system for
community health workers in Bangladesh to working with women’s cooperatives in Turkey.
Burcu worked for Ipas as a Policy Associate to educate policymakers and other stakeholders on
U.S. foreign policy as it relates to reproductive health access for women globally. Before joining
Ipas, she was an public health analyst for the Women, Children and Families Program at RTI
International. As a women’s rights advocate, she has worked on sustainable development issues
and conducted health systems research in Turkey, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Burcu moved to the United States at age eight from her native Istanbul, Turkey and graduated
with honors and distinction in public service from the UNC-Chapel Hill, where she studied global
studies and health policy and management in the Gillings School of Global Public Health.
Ms. Katelyn Bryant-Comstock
Research Associate, PAI
Katelyn Bryant-Comstock is a Research Associate at PAI where she provides research
support to projects across PAI’s thematic areas. Her analysis focuses on effective AYSRH
programs, the integration of young people in reproductive health policies and programs,
rights and empowerment principles, and access to safe abortion. She has worked in sexual and
reproductive health for over five years, previously researching family planning integration and
advocacy messaging at IntraHealth International, and supporting the capacity-building and
communications team at CEPDA. Katelyn holds a master’s degree in public health from the UNC
Gillings School of Global Public Health, and an undergraduate degree in English and Women’s
Studies from UNC-CH.
Mr. Kennedy Chande
International Programme Coordinator, DSW
Mr. Chande is a social scientist with 11 years’ experience and practice on youth empowerment,
capacity development, sexual reproductive health and rights, advocacy and HIV and AIDS. At
DSW, he is currently a coordinating the Youth-to-Youth initiative in East Africa with a network of
over 400 youth clubs. Prior to his position, he coordinated regional HIV and AIDS programmes
in Sub Saharan Africa. He has broad experience in the development of youth SRHR programs and
curriculums.
Dr. V Chandra-Mouli
Scientist, Department of Reproductive Health and Research World Health Organization (includes
the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Human Reproductive Programme)
Dr. Chandra-Mouli works on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, building the
epidemiologic and evidence base, and supporting countries to translate this evidence into action
through well-conceived and well-managed policies and programmes. In the area of research, his
main project is the Global Early Adolescent Study which seeks to learn how gender socialization
occurs in young adolescents in different contexts, and how this influences their sexual
behaviour as they move into older adolescence and young adulthood. In the area of policies and
programmes, the focus of his work is on taking comprehensive sexuality education, adolescent
friendly health services and creating enabling environments (e.g. to prevent child marriage), from
‘boutique’ projects to large scale and sustained programmes.
12
Ms. Kate Cho
Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
Kate serves as Technical Advisor for Family Planning/Reproductive Health at Management
Sciences for Health (MSH) and supports MSH’s projects in implementing high impact FP
practices, assists with documentation and reporting of innovations, and establishes linkages
among global and local projects. Kate has more than 10 years of international public health
experience with a focus on family planning and reproductive health issues. Prior to joining MSH,
she worked for Abt Associates, where she helped develop their FP strategy and provided technical
assistance to a family planning project in Zambia. She graduated from Yale University in 2003
with a BA in history and from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2007
with a master of health science, specializing in population, family, and reproductive health. Kate is
conversational in French.
Ms. Jenifer DeAtley
Director of US Programs & Adolescent SRH Advisor for EngenderHealth
Jenifer DeAtley has 20 years of experience in public health and social development programs.
With a focus on youth development strategies, SRH and teen pregnancy prevention efforts, and
non-profit leadership, she has developed and implemented several programs that address health
disparities among youth. She began her career as a social worker in schools and health centers
and has developed two award winning youth development teen pregnancy and intimate partner
violence prevention interventions. She is the co-founder and inaugural chair of Healthy Youth
Partnership and currently serves on the board of Healthy Teen Network. She is a professor at the
graduate school of social work at the University of Texas at Austin and holds a Sociology Degree
from the University of Texas at Austin and Masters of Social Work from the University of Illinois
at Chicago.
Ms. Allison Doody
International Advocacy Associate, PAI
Allison Doody is International Advocacy Associate at PAI. She has worked for the past five years
on engaging civil society around the role of reproductive health in global development processes.
Her analysis focuses on access to reproductive health services and supplies in humanitarian
settings and on ensuring that family planning and reproductive health are included in United
Nations declarations. In her current role, Allison also works with PAI’s partner organizations
in the global South on several related issues such as budget advocacy, the needs of youth and
integrating reproductive health and HIV services. Before joining PAI, Allison worked for Sen.
Susan Collins (R-ME). Allison is a graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in political
science.
Ms. Michalina Drejza
International Federation of Medical Students ‘Associations (IFMSA)
Ms. Drejza is a medical student at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland and
the IYAFP Country Coordinator. At IFMSA, she is a Liaison Officer for SRH representing
over 1 million medical students’ worldwide. She is a passionate researcher in the field of global
SRH, infertility and reproductive endocrinology. In 2014, she coordinated the project "Mission
Madagascar - reproductive health and medical aid" in cooperation with Polish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to help with family planning in PHC facilities in Madagascar.
13
Ms. Suzanne Ehlers
President and CEO, Population Action International
Ms. Ehlers has worked for the last 15+ years to promote family planning and reproductive health
as a basic right for women across the globe. She repeatedly serves on U.S. government delegations
to United Nations’ conferences. She sits on the Boards of Directors of the Global Health Council
and Ibis Reproductive Health. Ms. Ehlers is a frequent speaker on women’s empowerment and
reproductive health issues and has been profiled by the New York Times, National Journal and
Grist. She was honored as one of Devex’s “40 under 40” International Development Leaders for
2011 and as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2012.
Mr. Arthur Erken
Director, Division of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, UNFPA
Since joining UNFPA in 1993, Mr. Erken has held a range of increasingly senior positions, both in
policy (ICPD Secretariat; Technical and Evaluation Division; Office of the Executive Director), and
programme (Division for Arab States and Europe; Africa Division; Asia and Pacific Division). He
has served in both Headquarters and the field. Since April 2015, he is the Director of the Division
of Communications and Strategic Partnerships. Prior to that, he served as UNFPA Representative
in Vietnam, providing strategic leadership and direction to the country programme and office.
Prior to that, he served as UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh, where he successfully positioned
UNFPA as a leader in maternal health and on the prevention of violence against women. Arthur
Erken, a national from the Netherlands, holds a masters degree in cultural anthropology. He is
married and has two daughters.
Ms. Faiqoh
Aliansi Remaja Independen
Faiqoh is national coordinator for Aliansi Remaja Independen, an Indonesian youth led
organization working in the area of advocacy in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rigths,
Education and Employment for young people. Previously, she has worked as Indonesian Youth
Expert Advisory for Formative Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management, collaboration
among Burnett Institute, SurveyMeter, Water Aid and Aliansi Remaja Independen. She has a great
passion to be a researcher in the future.
Ms. Jamila Gacheri
Emerging Youth Leader, Kenya
Jamila worked for the past 3 years with NOPE under USAID Aphia plus Kamili project serving
as a BCC (Behavior change communication) Associate Programme officer reaching youth in and
out of school and supervising service provision in youth-friendly centers. She served as a Y-peer
focal person in Meru County and rolled out digital peer education programmes in higher learning
institutions and strengthened networks on ASRH. She is a passionate advocate for adolescents and
youth and their SRH issues in her community, especially their access to SRH services, including
family planning, HIV prevention, and sexual/gender-based violence programmes.
Ms. Jillian Gedeon
International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP)
Jillian Gedeon completed a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences from the
University of Ottawa, Canada in 2014, where she researched women’s experiences with longacting reversible contraception (LARC) on the Thailand-Burma border. She has been contributing
to qualitative studies on women’s reproductive health for over 3 years, on topics ranging from
abortion in Canada to medical education in Jordan. Her passion for reproductive health, coupled
with her ability to connect with youth, has led her to mentor, train, and educate youth locally,
nationally, and internationally. She is currently working as the Program Officer for IYAFP and
works on administration, communications, advocacy, project management, and public relations.
14
Ms. Jenny Greaney
UNFPA
Jennie Greaney works within UNFPA’s Technical Division on advocacy initiatives, external
relations and on documenting best practices in family planning. She has over 20 years’ experience
in advocacy and communications roles, including for the World Health Organization, the
European Commission, and for public health institutes and development organizations. Jennie
has a particular passion for and experience in developing skills-building courses in advocacy,
communications and media, and has delivered workshops for youth, health-care providers,
journalists, programme managers and policy-makers in over 40 countries. She has a Master’s in
Science Communication and holds additional qualifications in marketing and public relations,
public health, journalism and education.
Ms. Meghan Guida
Senior M&E Associate, Management Sciences for Health
Meghan Guida is a Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist with the Leadership, Management &
Governance Project at Management Sciences for Health. In her portfolio, Meghan supports project
M&E, as well as conducts discrete research and evaluation activities. Recently, these activities have
included mapping a network of HIV & AIDS support organizations, conducting a global review
of effective youth leadership programs, and leading a webinar on data visualization techniques to
share results. Prior to working at MSH, Meghan worked in democracy and governance with the
National Democratic Institute, and refugee resettlement with the International Rescue Committee.
Meghan earned her Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from the George Washington
University, concentrating on international development and conflict resolution, and her Bachelor
of Arts in Political Science from Wake Forest University. She speaks Spanish and is interested in
learning French.
Dr. Laura Hoemeke
Director of Communications and Advocacy, IntraHealth International
Laura Hoemeke, DrPH, MPH, is IntraHealth International’s Director of Communication and
Advocacy and a global health and family planning advocate, overseeing the organization’s
communications initiatives and leading its advocacy portfolio. She has nearly 25 years of
experience in global health, including long-term field assignments in the Central African
Republic, Benin, Senegal, and Rwanda, and short-term assignments throughout Africa. Hoemeke
served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central African Republic, worked for Africare in
Washington, DC, and served as a Population Leadership Program Fellow at USAID in Benin.
Prior to her current role on IntraHealth’s leadership team, served as the Regional Director for
West and Central Africa and the director of the Twubakane Decentralization and Health Program
in Rwanda. Hoemeke earned her doctorate in public health from UNC Gillings School of Global
Public Health in health policy and management and has an MPH from Johns Hopkins University.
Ms. Judith Helzner
The Alliance for Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health
Judith Helzner is currently a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and an independent consultant.
From 2002-2014 she worked at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, serving from
2003 to 2013 as Director of Population and Reproductive Health. In that role she oversaw grantmaking of approximately
$16 million annually to groups in India, Nigeria, Mexico and the global North, primarily on youth reproductive health
and maternal mortality. Ms. Helzner also has worked for International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western
Hemisphere Region, the International Women’s Health Coalition, Pathfinder, and other NGOs. She has master’s degrees
in demography and international relations from the University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor’s degree in French from
Tufts University.
15
Ms. Laura Hurley
Youth Access, Gender and Rights Officer – IPPF
Laura Hurley is the Youth Access, Gender and Rights Officer at the Central Office of IPPF, the
International Planned Parenthood Federation. Before joining the Adolescents, Gender and Rights
team at IPPF, Laura managed ‘Education For Choice’, a UK project dedicated to providing young
people with accurate and impartial information on pregnancy and abortion. She has worked
directly with young people for over five years and currently volunteers with Gendered Intelligence,
a UK organisation which supports young trans people. Laura has a First Class BA in Gender
and Cultural Studies from the University of Warwick, and an MA (with distinction) in Gender,
Sexuality, Politics and Culture from Birkbeck, University of London.
Ms. Kiki Kalkstein
Senior Policy Analyst, Pathfinder International
Kiki Kalkstein has dedicated her career to advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights
of women and girls globally. In her current role, Kiki works to improve the U.S. and global health
policy environment by influencing and informing relevant policy and appropriations decisions.
She represents Pathfinder in coalitions across a spectrum of global health issues including: family
planning and reproductive health; maternal, newborn, and child health; and HIV and AIDS
and also co-chairs the Youth Health and Rights Coalition (YHRC). Prior to joining Pathfinder,
Kiki worked at the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) as Program Associate and
Advocacy and Outreach Associate. Kiki holds a B.A. in Public Health and Global Poverty and
Practice from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mr. Sangeet Kayastha
International Coordinator, Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER)
Mr. Kayastha is a SRHR Youth advocate and development studies graduate from Nepal. He is
working as International Coordinator for Y-PEER, which is one of the largest youth network
working in issues of SRHR around the globe. Mr. Kayastha started working in issues of Sexual
reproductive health and rights(SRHR) in 2006 starting as a peer educator in grassroots level &
gradually started working on national and regional level. He has expertise in programs and polices
related to youth issues, Migration Issues & SRHR Issues. Had has been involved in different global
agendas such as post ICPD, SDGs and other issues related to young people.
Ms. M.A. Keifer
International Policy Manager, Advocates for Youth
M.A. Keifer specializes in global adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and
rights (SRHR) advocacy. Keifer leads Advocates' U.S foreign policy work in Washington,
D.C., advocating with Congress and the Administration to promote LGBTQ rights; young
peoples' access to reproductive health care, including safe abortion and contraception; girls'
empowerment; and HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment for young people. Managing the
organization’s policy initiatives at the United Nations, Keifer coordinates youth representation at
the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Population and Development, and
the UN General Assembly, and works closely with partner organizations and US State Department
representatives to advocate for youth SRHR in resolutions and political declarations. She is leading
Advocates' work on promoting youth inclusion, especially the health and rights of girls and young
women, in the post-2015 development agenda.
16
Ms. Stephanie Kimou
Policy Analyst, Population Reference Bureau
Stephanie A. Kimou is currently a policy analyst at PRB where she works on demographic
dividend projects in Francophone Africa. She is tasked with creating activities across Senegal and
the DRC, which will advance the demographic dividend into national planning initiatives. She is
also actively engaged in the expansion of PRB’s youth activities, focusing on the operationalization
of SRHR policies, and further engaging young people in the policy process across sub-Saharan
Africa. Prior to PRB, Stephanie was a program manager in Tanzania where she worked with over
300 refugee-impacted women to implement various capacity building programs. Ms. Kimou is
a graduate of Georgetown University where she obtained an MA in International Affairs and
Gender Studies.
Ms. Rebecca Kohler
Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development, IntraHealth International
Rebecca Kohler works side-by-side with president and CEO Pape Gaye to guide the organization
toward its vision of a healthier global population by creating stronger health systems around the
world. Kohler works to expand IntraHealth’s portfolio of programs, funders, and partnerships,
and leads IntraHealth’s many engagements with the community of global health and development
professionals and organizations around the world that share our values and goals. As head of
the corporate strategy and development division, Kohler oversees functions such as program
development, communications, advocacy, knowledge management, fundraising, private-sector
partnerships, and business strategy. Her experience spans more than 20 countries across several
continents, including long-term assignments in Armenia, Eritrea, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Ms. Laura Laski
Chief of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch in Technical Division, UNFPA
Laura Laski MD, MPH is currently Chief of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch in
Technical Division at UNFPA in New York, and the Team Leader of the Adolescent and Youth
Cluster Strategy, also at UNFPA. Laura worked for many years in evaluation and research of
adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmes at the University of California in San
Francisco and as an OB/GYN in her native country, Argentina, where she provided services to low
income women in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires.
Ms. Sarah Lindsay
Senior Technical Officer, MSH
Sarah Lindsay is a Senior Technical Officer for the LMG project working on advocacy, global
partnerships, gender, and youth. Prior to joining LMG, Sarah worked with the Ministerial
Leadership Initiative for Global Health, a five-year project that worked with ministries of health
in Ethiopia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Sierra Leone to advance country ownership in health
financing, donor alignment, and reproductive health. Sarah also has experience working with the
Health Worker Migration Initiative in which she assisted in editing the WHO Global Code of
Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. Sarah holds a MA from American
University in Ethics, Peace and Global Affairs and holds a BA in English Language and Literature
from North Carolina State University along with minors in Africana Studies and History.
17
Dr. Priya Limbu
EngenderHealth
Dr. Limbu graduated from school of health and related research, University of Sheffield in 2014
with a degree in Public Health. In July 2014, she joined EngenderHealth as a program officer for
family Planning project and Adolescent SRH project in Bihar. In her position, she implemented
an awareness campaign including group education sessions for in-school and out of school
adolescents, adolescent health services at the facilities, adolescent led rallies, and creating a
coordinated effort to bring the key gate -keeper like parents and community leaders engaged
in the campaign. In Bihar, Priya conducted a focus group discussion for parents in Katihar to
understand their perspectives on Adolescents Sexual and Reproductive Health and the facilities
providing such services. Her area of focus remains on subjects related to gender inequality in
health and strengthening the health system of countries with limited resources.
Mr. Matt Matassa
Global Health Strategies, Digital Communications Consultant
Matt Matassa is a digital communications and engagement strategist with over 15 years of global
health and human development experience. He specializes in designing and implementing crowdsourced strategies that rely heavily on social content, video and other interactive components.
Additionally, Matt has a diverse set of skills in digital storytelling, video production, social content
curation, identity management, creative direction and digital marketing. Prior to becoming an
independent consultant, Matt worked for FHI 360 (formally Family Health International and
AED) for almost six years. In his capacity, he transformed their digital communication and social
engagement strategies to help support a global structure of more than 70 local offices around the
globe. Prior to working at FHI 360, Matt has served in communication leadership roles at some
of the top international NGOs and even took a short break to work at digital communications
firm where he learned the ins and outs of web development. Matt has a spirit of innovation that
has allowed him to push the boundaries of what is expected while creating highly effective and
measurable approaches.
Ms. Julie Mellin
Manager, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS
A long-time feminist and advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights, Julie manages
GYCA and its role in the Link Up project, which aims to improve the sexual and reproductive
health and rights of young people living with and affected by HIV in five countries in Asia and
Africa. Julie served as a Peace Corps Volunteer at a small community-based organization in
Botswana (2008-2010), where she built organizational capacity and designed HIV/AIDS and
SRH life skills programs. Julie has a Master's in international affairs, and is a volunteer advocate
for survivors at of sexual assault and domestic violence at Mt. Sinai Beth Israel hospital in New
York City.
Mr. Oluwasibomi Paul Ojajuni
Co-founder and Director of Research and Development, HACEY Health Initiative
Paul is a public health and development professional with over eight years of domestic and
international experience in implementation research, monitoring and evaluation, community
mobilization, project design and management. He is the Co-Founder and Director of Research
and Development of HACEY Health Initiative – an organization committed to helping young
people and women lead healthy and productive lives through capacity development, policy
advocacy, research and education with a special focus on adolescent sexual and reproductive
health, maternal health and the social inclusion of vulnerable populations. He is committed to
health systems strengthening in resource poor settings, health policy advocacy and improving
health outcomes of women and young people. He has coordinated and led numerous grassroots
and regional programs of the organization and has helped build the organization into one that has
representatives in 11 states in Nigeria and focal points in 15 African countries.
18
Mr. Francis Oko Armah
Young Leader, Ghana, Women Deliver Commitment to Action
Oko Armah is a young leader at Women Deliver. He is currently studying communications as
an undergraduate student at the African University College of Communications in Accra and is
a Project Officer at Curious Minds Ghana. He has worked extensively with global organizations,
including Marie Stopes International, Ipas, and DKT International, under the Reducing Maternal
Mortality and Morbidity Project (R3M). He has served in various capacities as a peer educator,
facilitator, communications officer, youth ambassador, and youth counselor for sexual and
reproductive services. He strongly believes in using the media as a tool for development and is
actively involved in radio and TV broadcasts at Curious Minds Ghana. Armah is also currently
serving as the country coordinator at the International Youth Alliance on Family Planning
(IYAFP).
Mr. Romaric Ouitona
(IYAFP)
Romaric Ouitona, 22 years old is a young cultural actor from Benin. He is passionate about
promoting youth and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (ASRHR). Romaric
is the president of the Alliance des Jeunes Ambassadeurs pour la Santé de Reproduction et
la Planification familiale. Romaric is involved in issues related to youth employment, mental
health and ASRHR. He has represented youth in his country and Africa in many national and
international conferences including but not limited to the International conference on Family
Planning ICFP 2013, November 2013, the 69th session of the United Nations General in New
York, September 2014, advocacy reinforcement workshop by AFP SMART in Bamako, Mali
in September 2015. He is motivated by the active participation of youth and adolescents in
promoting sexual and reproductive health.
Mr. George Ouma
Program Coordinator, DSW Kenya
Mr. Ouma is a trained community and public health specialist highly familiar with the health,
development and management of projects with a focus on result based program development
and implementation. He holds and MPH and bachelor in community and health psychology.
Mr. Ouma has 11 years work experience in public health, community development and strategic
project management, and monitoring and evaluation, as well as training, facilitation and
capacity building. As a Program Coordinator, he serves as a program and technical manager and
supports DSW’s community development, and health intervention efforts managing diversified
reproductive health, leadership development, economic empowerment and other development
projects. He oversees the implementation of national projects focusing on Maternal and child
health, HIV and Aids, safe motherhood, Sexual Reproductive health, Young adolescent health,
women and girls economic empowerment, nutrition and family planning supported by EU, Dutch
- FLOW, Bayer HC among other donors.
Mr. Isaiah Owolabi
HACEY Health Initiative
Isaiah is the co-founder of HACEY Health Initiative: A development organization implementing
and consulting on programs that support a healthy and productive society for vulnerable
populations in over 10 African countries. He has experience working in Brazil, South Africa,
Nigeria, U.S A, and Turkey on issues related to SRH and maternal and child health. Isaiah is an
alumnus of the Prestigious President Barack Obama Washington Fellowship for Young African
Leaders and also an awardee of the Queen Elizabeth II Young Leaders Award.
19
Ms. Sara Pellegrom
Senior Associate, Women Deliver
Sara is a Senior Associate for Women Deliver’s Young Program. She manages the Speakers Bureau
and consistently communicates and provides technical assistants to Young Leaders working incountry. Prior to Women Deliver, she worked at International Planned Parenthood / Western
Hemisphere Region, researching and composing materials on sexual and reproductive health
indicators and trends, and USAID in Nairobi, Kenya, monitoring projects that receive USAID
funding. Sara graduated with an MPH from Columbia University and wrote her thesis on the
importance of integrating family planning and HIV/AIDS services around the world. Before
moving to New York City for graduate school, Sara worked at a Planned Parenthood clinic while
majoring in International Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN.
Ms. Chelsea Ricker
Rights and Empowerment Working Group Manager, FP2020
A lifelong rights activist, before joining FP2020 Chelsea Ricker worked with the International
Planned Parenthood Federation, Amnesty International, the International Women’s Health
Coalition, OneWorld UK. Her background includes counseling, training, curriculum
development, advocacy, and grant and program management. Chelsea holds an MA (with
distinction) in Education, Health Promotion and International Development from the Institute of
Education in London, a BA in Religion and Human Rights from Columbia University in New York
and studied Sexuality, Culture and Society at the University of Amsterdam.
Ms. Eva Ros
Global Partnerships and Advocacy Director, MSH
Eva Ros is the Director for Global Advocacy and Partnerships for the USAID-funded Leadership,
Management and Governance (LMG) Project at Management Sciences for Health (MSH),
where she currently manages the project’s activities that build and strengthen the leadership and
management skills of women and youth working in family planning/reproductive health. She is
an international public health expert with 17 years of experience in public-private partnerships,
capacity building and organizational development across multiple countries and regions.
Previously, she directed The Kaizen Company’s health strategy and new business development
efforts. As Operations Officer with IFC (World Bank Group), she worked with governments in
Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to identify, design and implement public-private
partnerships. Ms. Ros also served in Jordan as the Deputy Chief of Party for a USAID-funded
family planning/reproductive health project. She holds an MBA and MPH from the University of
California, Berkeley.
Mr. Jonathan Rucks
Director of Advocacy, PAI
Jonathan Rucks serves as the Director of Advocacy for PAI where he works to champion policies
that put women in charge of their SRHR. Jonathan is responsible for the development and
management of advocacy strategies to inform and influence public policy at the federal level in the
US as well as in developing countries. Jonathan has more than 10 years of experience in SRHR.
Prior to joining PAI, Jonathan worked for Pathfinder International, a major U.S. governmentimplementing partner, and spent eight years working in the House of Representatives for both
Representative Jan Schakowsky and Representative Jim Oberstar. Jonathan holds a master’s degree
in Strategic Security Studies from the College of International Security Affairs at National Defense
University in Washington, D.C. He earned his BS in Political Science and English from St. John's
University in Collegeville, MN.
20
Dr. Jean Christophe Rusatira
Finance Officer, IYAFP
Dr. Jean Christophe is a medical doctor, member of Medical Students’ Association of Rwanda and
Finance Officer of IYAFP since its inception in 2013. Dr. Rusatira has broad experience in the
field of maternal and SRH, focused on youth access to health care and family planning. He is the
founder of Healthy People Rwanda; a local registered NGO, focusing on the development of health
and human resources in the health sector of Rwanda and has worked with different international
NGOs such as Edinburgh Global Partnership, the YOU-Manity and Bristol Volunteers for
Development Abroad. In 2013, he founded the medfoster group, and initiated the web-based
medical education platform www.medfoster.com and has worked with the Rochester Institute of
Technology and the University of Rwanda to further develop user-centered Interactive technology
for Medical education.
Mr. Ishmael Selassie
Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana
Ishmael Kwasi Selassie is an advocate of Sexual and Reproductive Health for young people. He
has worked with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana since 2002 in various capacities
including managing the Association’s youth project, Young & Wise Center. Currently, he works as
the Youth Focal Person and Learning Center, implementing ASK project, facilitating LDP+ etc.
Selassie holds a strong view on the importance of CSE for young people as a critical requirement
for their development and informed decision making around their reproductive health. In 2010,
Selassie was selected as a member of the UNFPA Global NGO Advisory Panel representing youth
led and youth serving NGOs on the Panel. He is currently a member of the National Organizing
Committee for the 2016 upcoming African Conference on Sexual Health and Rights to be held in
Ghana.
Ms. Dilly Severin
Director of Communications, PAI
Dilly crafts and implements PAI’s communications and media strategy and manages the
communications team. She also supports PAI’s international partners, providing them with
training and communications assistance as needed. Dilly is co-chair of the International Family
Planning Coalition Communicators’ group along with the Guttmacher Institute and Planned
Parenthood Federation of America. Before joining PAI in 2008, she served as Communications
Coordinator at the Consortium on Race, Gender and Ethnicity (CRGE) and was the Program
Coordinator of the YouthActionNet program at the International Youth Foundation. Dilly holds
a Master’s of Public Policy in International Development from the University of Maryland and a
Master’s of Communication from American University. She has a BA in English Lterature with a
minor in Asian Studies.
Ms. Halima Shariff
Director, Advance Family Planning Tanzania
Johns Hopkins University, Center for Communication Programs (JHU-CCP)
Ms. Halima Shariff is an accomplished Tanzanian media specialist and communication strategist
with more than 30 years’ experience in both national and international print and broadcast media
and more than two decades of experience and knowledge in smart advocacy and public policy in
SRHR. Having managed a number of national and international-funded programs and projects in
HIV/AIDS, adolescent SRH, family planning, and gender, Ms. Shariff ’s has served in leadership
positions in national and international bodies. She is the Country Director of AFP and serves
in the FP2020 Country Engagement Working Group. Ms. Shariff is a gender activist in women
coalitions under the Women Fund Tanzania, Tanzania Media Women’s Association and the
African Women Leaders Network that promotes universal access to reproductive health services.
She is also a co-chair of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Advocacy and Accountability
Working Group, and serves as Board of Directors’ Chairperson of three local NGOs in Tanzania.
21
Ms. Arushi Singh
The Pleasure Project
Arushi Singh provides technical consultancy on gender, rights and sexuality, and on youth-centred
programming to several international NGOs and UN agencies. She is also a Pleasure Propagandist
for The Pleasure Project, which is a volunteer-led initiative working on eroticising safer sex.
Previously, she has worked with the Commonwealth Youth Programme, Amnesty International,
and the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Dr. Miranda van Reeuwijk
Rutgers WPF
Miranda is a senior researcher for Rutgers, center of expertise on Sexual and Reproductive Health
and Rights, based in the Netherlands. Internationally, Rutgers supports organisations to improve
SRHR and the acceptance of sexual rights and gender equality. Miranda holds a PhD in medical
anthropology and her expertise include research relating to children, adolescents and young
people’s sexuality, particularly in low income countries in Africa and Asia. Central to her work
is the active participation of children and young people in various levels and stages of research,
intervention development, implementation, and Monitoring & Evaluation.
Ms. Caren Wakoli
Founder and Executive Director, Emerging Leaders Foundation
Ms. Caren Wakoli is a social entrepreneur who delights in mentoring young women and men
to reach their greatest potential in life. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Emerging
Leaders Foundation, an organization that focuses on raising young people as positive agents of
change in society. She has over 14 years experience of youth empowerment work in Kenya and
Africa at large. She has taken part in various policy formulation processes including Kenya Vision
2030, National Youth Policy, National Alcohol Policy and National Human Development Index
2010. Caren also serves on various boards, governmental and non-governmental – she is the
Chair of The Youth Congress; Board Member at Uwezo Fund, Impact Africa Industries, Within
Foundation, Ngazi Aid, and Youth employment summit-Kenya. She holds a Master’s Degree in
International Studies and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from the University of Nairobi.
Ms. Sylvia Wong
Technical specialist in adolescent at youth issues, UNFPA
Sylvia Wong is Technical Specialist in Adolescent and Youth issues at UNFPA, the United
Nations Population Fund. She has 15 years of experience in adolescent development, SRH, and
improving health services for adolescents in low and middle-income countries. At UNFPA, she
manages a portfolio on adolescent SRH that has addressed adolescent pregnancy, child marriage,
girls’ education and health linkages, and urbanization and adolescents. Previously, she worked
on women’s health issues with Asian immigrants, youth development and culture in Southeast
Asia, and adolescent reproductive health in China. She holds joint Masters in Public Health and
International Affairs from Columbia University in New York.
Dr. Nichole Zlatunich
Senior program advisor, Palladium
With over 10 years of experience in population, family planning, and SRHR programs, Dr.
Zlatunich is an expert in program and policy design, advocacy, strategic planning, program
management, and capacity building. Currently a senior program advisor at Palladium, she is
responsible for providing technical and coordination oversight to develop government-owned
costed implementation plans (CIPs) for family planning. She has managed the development of
CIPs for Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia, and provided costing assistance
for the Myanmar CIP. In addition, she has extensive experience in providing training and capacity
building technical assistance for adult and youth learners with varying skill sets, in both formal
and informal settings, and working with nascent organizations and governments in Africa.
22
23
Alliance for Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health
24