Problem Analysis: Young people, aged 10 – 24 years of age, constitute approximately 30% of the population of Sri Lanka. Despite an overall satisfactory state of general wellbeing this cohort, their associated mental and social well being falls far short of desired levels. This is evidenced by:

• More than 50% of suicides victims
• Increasing trend in the incidence of STIs & HIV AIDS
• Incidence of abortion is high in girls
• Increased level of unsafe sexual behaviour of young people 
• This cohort is also a disempowered cohort because: 
• Knowledge and awareness of SRHR are not freely available to them
• Traditional service delivery systems have heavy bias against un-married people and a having little or no access to services. 
• Those migrating from rural urban areas for employment and education, particularly the girls, are vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
• Lack of support systems to help youth overcome the problems relating to physical and mental health and their overall well being.

Strategic Direction: FPA will provide national leadership in developing youth friendly and gender sensitive approaches in close collaboration with the FPA’s Youth Committee to generate lessons learnt to strengthen its mainstream youth programmes targeting young people aged 10-24 years.

Goal: Young people are aware of their Sexual and reproductive rights, and empowered to make informed choices concerning their sexual and reproductive behaviour and health.

Objectives:

• To advocate for increased commitment and support for improved SRHR of young people, especially the vulnerable and marginalised.
• To increase access to a broad range of youth friendly gender sensitive services for young people.

Activities Objective 1: To advocate for increased commitment and support for improved SRHR of young people, especially the vulnerable and marginalised.

• Gather baseline data on knowledge, attitudes, behaviour and practices on the SRHR of young people.
• Establish partnerships with youth focussed civil society organisations and governmental agencies for increased capacity to advocate for improved SRHR of young people in Sri Lanka e.g. identify links between SRHR and MDGs, good governance/ economic progress, review the gender construction of sexuality .

Objective 2: To increase access to a broad range of youth friendly gender sensitive services for young people.

• Develop and pilot test youth friendly and gender sensitive approaches in close collaboration with the FPA’s Youth Committee to generate lessons learnt
• Secure funding to conduct feasibility study to establish Youth Friendly SRH Centre in Colombo
• Expand the access to SRH counselling services to young people through trained counsellors at community levels in all areas where FPA is active. .
• Operate a referral system in all areas where FPA is active, to facilitate youth to have access to youth friendly clinical & other services.
• Document best practises and lessons learnt and disseminate them among individuals/agencies involved in similar work.

Outcomes and Indicators: