“I think that it’s important all teens understand how important sexual health is. If we decide to have sex, we can use contraceptives to help prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs.” –Student from Shoreline, WA
The Healthy Youth Alliance believes youth have rights to accurate and comprehensive sexual health education; youth deserve respect, and society has a responsibility in ensuring youth have access to the information and services they need.
RIGHTS
Youth have the right to accurate and complete sexual health information, confidential reproductive and sexual health services, and a secure stake in the future.
RESPECT
Youth deserve respect. Valuing young people means involving them in the design, implementation and evaluation of programs and policies that affect their health and well-being.
RESPONSIBILITY
Society has the responsibility to provide young people with the tools they need to safeguard their sexual health, and young people have the responsibility to protect themselves from too-early childbearing and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.