Areas of Focus: Safe, Healthy Lives
Adolescence is recognised as a critical stage in one's life, during which many behavioural patterns that can determine current health status and future health and economic outcomes are established. It's a crucial time for human development.
According to the World Health Organization, half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and untreated.
Mental health, resiliency, and well-being are fundamental to the quality of life and productivity of individuals, families, communities, and nations. Good mental health and resiliency enables young people to experience life as meaningful and to overcome adversity. And it equips them to thrive during good times and cope in the face of challenges. Check out this storymap, or visual representation, of the myriad ways our partners are supporting young people’s mental health as well as our insights and learnings.
We focus on both mental health and sexual and reproductive health, and prioritise keeping girls and other marginalised young people free from domestic, sexual, and community violence, including hate crimes and gang violence. This includes (but is not limited to): sexual and gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, and forced/early marriage.
We aim to ensure that young people, and adolescent girls and young women in particular, have access to integrated sexual and reproductive health information and services. Young people should understand and be able to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights—free of coercion, discrimination, and violence.
EMpower supports programmes that:
- Focus on mental health and well-being by providing psychosocial support and building young people's resiliency, life skills, self-esteem, critical thinking, problem-solving, and conflict resolution as well as their capacity to manage stress.
- Provide young people with accurate information on their health and rights and linkages to integrated services, including: sexual and reproductive health care, treatment for substance abuse, and strategies to combat HIV and AIDS stigma.
- Reduce the risks of sexual and gender-based violence, and/or provide direct services for young people that have experienced sexual and/or gender-based violence.
PROMSEX, Peru
In Peru's Madre de Dios region, adolescent girls are disproportionately impacted by gender-based violence. Unfortunately, many remain unaware of their rights and how and where to access health and legal resources. The organisation PROMSEX seeks to change this reality.
Since its establishment in 2005, PROMSEX has been steadfast in its commitment to effecting positive change in the lives of young people—especially young women and girls—by advancing their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). They work every day to prevent this violence from occurring and to prevent teen pregnancy. Through advocacy and community programmes, the organisation has advanced comprehensive sexuality education in Peru, expanding young people's knowledge about SRHR, reducing gender-based violence, and increasing gender equality.
Our Grantee Partners Working to Promote
Safe, Healthy Lives
East and Southeast Asia
China and Hong Kong
India
Ballygunj Society for Children in Pain (CHIP)
Committee of Resource Organisation for Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (CORO)
Jan Sahas Social Development Society
Pragatee Foundation (Enabling Leadership)
PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research)
Indonesia
Pakistan
Thailand
Latin America
Brazil
Colombia
Mexico
Peru
India
Connect with EMpower
Stay up-to-date on the latest EMpower news, highlights from our grantee partners, upcoming events, and more.
Make a Difference with EMpower
Our Board Directors and the Leadership Council underwrite all of our Management, General and Fundraising expenses, so 100% of your donation goes directly to empowering marginalised young people.
