Youth
Adolescents who seek PAC services often have different needs and experiences than their adult counterparts. Young women and girls are vulnerable to unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion because of social and economic circumstances, lack of comprehensive sexual education, and reproductive health services that do not meet their needs. They are more likely to experience coerced or forced sex and to have inadequate knowledge of, and access to, contraception.
At a PAC Consortium meeting in November 2002, a working group was formed to specifically address the needs of adolescents by developing guidance on youth-friendly PAC services. This group shares and reviews resources and programs that aim to prevent unsafe abortion and provide sensitive and appropriate postabortion care for adolescent clients. In addition, the working group identifies training and programmatic needs and has developed a model for youth-friendly PAC services. For more information on the working group please contact Gwyn Hainsworth, Pathfinder International, ghainsworth@pathfind.org.
- Visit our resource page on Young People and PAC includes useful technical guidance, reports, and tools for health professional providing and working with young people to ensure youth-friendly postabortion care services.
- Youth-Friendly PAC Frequently Asked Questions explains why it is important to focus on young people with postabortion care programs and their special needs.
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