Art for Advocacy: Empowering Youth in Sexual and Reproductive Health
In a world where youth voices are too often dismissed or overlooked, it has never been more urgent to create meaningful platforms for expression—especially in areas as critical as sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights-Justice (SRHRJ). Recognizing this need, the Global Roadmap for Action (GRA), in collaboration with FP2030, PMNCH, Population Council, and the William H. Gates Sr. Institute, launched a global youth-led initiative titled "Art for Advocacy: Empowering Youth in Sexual and Reproductive Health."
The event served as a rallying cry for young creatives to submit original visual artwork reflecting their lived experiences, visions, and demands for SRHR justice. This initiative did not simply ask for art; it invited young people to shape narratives, to turn pain into protest and silence into bold declarations through their visual voices.
Out of 31 incredibly powerful submissions spanning 13 countries, 10 finalists emerged, each piece deeply rooted in personal truth and community realities. The selected artworks were featured in the Art for Advocacy Gallery, a dynamic space curated not only to display art, but to transform it into advocacy connecting stories of resilience, hope, and resistance with decision-makers and influencers in global health.
One of the most powerful aspects of this initiative is the opportunity for youth stories to transcend borders. The top 10 artworks were selected by a panel of experts from GRA and FP2030 and proudly displayed at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City. These pieces will also take center stage again at the upcoming Youth Summit at the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP 2025), further embedding youth perspectives at the heart of policy conversations.
The first-place honor and Trailblazer Travel Award to ICFP 2025 was awarded to Ruth Eskender from Ethiopia, whose evocative piece, “Breaking Free,” struck a global chord. Ruth’s artwork embodies the personal and collective journey of liberation—challenging stigma, advocating for bodily autonomy, and pushing forward the movement for reproductive rights.
We celebrate the following youth artists whose works stood out as finalists:
👏🏼 Jola Praise Ademola – Nigeria 🇳🇬 | “The Clinic Floor”
👏🏼 Ocampo Gauna Camila Belen – Argentina 🇦🇷 | “Scraps of Fight”
👏🏼 Jacqueline Cruz Aguila – Mexico 🇲🇽 | “Self-awareness to Get a Comprehensive Discovery”
👏🏼 Youri Victoriel Philip – Madagascar 🇲🇬 | “Towards a New World of Equality and Choice”
👏🏼 Lovemore – Malawi 🇲🇼 | “Silent Blossom”
👏🏼 Daanon Daniel Othniel – Benin 🇧🇯 | “Bird of Tomorrow”
👏🏼 Laraib Abid – Pakistan 🇵🇰 | “Driving Change – Truck Art”
👏🏼 Lee – Colombia 🇨🇴 | “Roots of Freedom: Flourishing with Courage and Self-Autonomy”
👏🏼 Romasa Javed Chandio – Pakistan 🇵🇰 | “Agony”
These artists brought forward raw emotion and radical hope, challenging taboos and inviting audiences to confront the realities faced by youth globally—from access to safe abortion and quality SRH services to the right to autonomy, choice, and justice.
Through this collective exhibition, GRA and its partners have proven once again that art is not only a tool of expression, but a vehicle of disruption and transformation. When youth create, they do more than illustrate—they advocate, they resist, and they demand the world to listen.
To all 31 artists: thank you for your courage, your vision, and your voice. Your work fuels the global movement for SRHR justice.
The journey continues. The movement grows. And the art? The art speaks louder than ever.
#ArtForAdvocacy #LetThemKnow #YouthVoicesMatter #SRHRJustice #ICFP2025 #UNGA #GRAYouth
