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Summary: Statement by Beth Fredrick, Executive Vice President, the International Women’s Health Coalition. Remarks for Congressional Briefing— Global Youth: A Strategic Investment. March 3, 2009

My task today is to connect the remarks of my colleagues on the panel to specific actions that the U.S. government can take to ensure the health and wellbeing of the world's young people.  As often is the case, I gained insight into the issue in the cab ride here.  The driver asked what I was doing with Congress today and I told him that I was asked to speak on what we owe the world's young people.  Without missing a beat, he said, "That's easy.  A clean environment, a good education and freedom."  It is that freedom that we are here to discuss with you today.  The freedom for young people to make informed, supported choices about their own lives.

As you have heard from the other speakers there are more than 1.5 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24 living in the world today, the largest generation ever.

How do we make these young people our allies?  How do we ensure their ability to contribute to global prosperity?  What can we learn from their inspiration?

We are at a historic moment.  Not only do we have the largest generation of youth, but young people's lives are increasingly shaped by a trend towards democracy and the rise of civil society, giving them increased opportunities to participate in local and national decision making. We have a new Congress and a new President committed to reenergizing U.S. leadership on human rights and restructuring foreign assistance to better serve those in need.  ...

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Summary: Delivered by Adrienne Germain, President, IWHC, at the Unite for Sight 4th Annual Conference, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. Details the priorities of the global initiative, "With Women Worldwide: A Compact to End HIV/AIDS," and outlines successful programs (5 pages).

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Summary: Delivered by Kate Bourne, Vice President, International Policy & Regional Programs, IWHC, at "Healthy Women, Healthy Economies," a panel convened by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Explores how increased investment in women's empowerment and reproductive health information and services leads to healthier families, communities, and economies.