PRB

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Population Reference Bureau (PRB) today announced it has been awarded a $1.5 million grant to strengthen youth-friendly family planning information and services, largely in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

The funds will continue the work of the Empowering Evidence-Driven Advocacy (EEDA) project, which supports youth in influencing and shaping the family planning policy decisions that impact their lives.

Launched in 2017, the EEDA project aims to improve the implementation of existing family planning policies, especially those that support access to contraceptives for young people. EEDA has helped drive 19 new family planning funding or policy commitments in eight countries and strengthened the advocacy skills of nearly 150 youth advocates and representatives from local organizations.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even harder for young people to get access to contraception and family planning information,” said Barbara Seligman, PRB’s senior vice president of International Programs. “This funding, awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will help ensure that young people have the support and resources they need to make smart and informed decisions about their own reproductive health and wellbeing.”

EEDA resources are made available via two online information hubs: the Family Planning Advocacy Resource Hub, a suite of communications tools developed by PRB in coordination with local experts and advocates; and PRB’s Youth Family Planning Policy Scorecard, which tracks the policy environment for youth access to family planning in 22 countries. The project also supports evidence-based advocacy efforts led by youth in five sub-Saharan African countries in collaboration with the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning.

About Population Reference Bureau (PRB)

Contact: Liselle Yorke, 202-939-5463
PRB informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations. Find out more at www.prb.org.
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