In 2008, our 41 Member Associations in Latin America and the Caribbean provided 29, 819,125 services. We helped improve individual lives, change attitudes and reduce poverty’s grip throughout the region. We drove on rugged mountain roads to serve women living in remote villages, miles from the nearest clinic. We were in the forefront of opposition to restrictive laws repressive policies and that deprive women of their dignity and the right to determine their own reproductive destinies.  We also empowered young people through peer education programs and increased their access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health education, information and services.

With funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, IPPF/WHR, along with eight organizations in the region, embarked on a process of evaluating their youth programs with the hope of identifying "best practices" for working with youth.

Amidst the backdrop of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) and other international commitments to reduce poverty and improve health outcomes by reaching the most vulnerable and marginalized young people, efforts to effectively meet the health needs of out-of-school youth with high exposure to the street remain limited. Importantly, the appropriate preparation and training of health care and health-education providers is critical to addressing this highly consequential gap in unmet need.

Why should youth participate in decision-making? The vision of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere region (IPPF/WHR) is that youth should be empowered to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives, both in the present and the future. For this reason, IPPF/WHR works to ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of all youth, investing in their potential and their capabilities.