But even more importantly, young people have the basic human right to receive the information and services necessary to protect themselves from STDs, early pregnancy, and their associated poor outcomes. Targeting young people for health information and services can be a gateway to promoting healthy behaviors. Programs should help young people develop skills and talents that offer them opportunities for economic viability and develop their sense of having a potentially successful adulthood. Such opportunities, combined with reproductive health information and services, can help motivate youth to postpone sexual activity by helping them understand the long-range impact of their decisions and the importance of planning their futures. Both young men and women may need reproductive health education, including information on sexuality, contraception, reproduction, abstinence, abortion, STDs, and gender roles.
Adolescent sexuality is a sensitive subject in all cultures.
Programs that offer reproductive health services to adolescents can expect to encounter some resistance from their community.