The first time I learned about menstrual periods was the day I had my first period. “Learn” is a generous term—what I remember is a flurry of instructions and vague reassurances about how it happens to all women. My introduction to the menstrual cycle was less about biology—eggs, ovaries, uterus, hormones, and the ways they would shape my physical and mental health—and more about sociology: how to conceal my periods from the omnipresent male gaze. The experience was far from unique. Two and a half decades later, millions of girls worldwide still lack stigma-free, youth-friendly information on menstruation. Research indicates widespread menstrual stigma makes many adolescents feel embarrassed to talk about it openly. This negatively impacts their physical health and mental well-being, leading to missed school days.

So, how do we tackle information challenges shaped by deeply entrenched cultural norms, religious opposition, and logistical barriers? The Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) project shows the answer starts with youth engagement. At a time when women’s and girls’ SRHR face attacks from powerful governments, we need reminders of these community-led solutions. Funded by the Government of Canada, the seven-year SHE project—led by Oxfam, Jhpiego, and eleven local organizations—operated in six remote, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected regions of the Philippines with high teen pregnancy and gender-based violence (GBV). It demonstrated a cost-effective, culturally appropriate model that integrated community engagement, education, outreach, and service access to drive youth health-seeking behavior.

In contexts where dubious SRHR information is often whispered through grapevines, initiatives that mobilize parents, elders, and faith leaders as key allies offer crucial entry points to opening-up discussions. Facilitated sessions like Parent-Teen talks and Usapan Serye (facilitated group discussions focused on family planning) help bridge generational gaps and foster open discussions about contraception, reproductive rights, and gender equality. Trained Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) who address adolescent SRHR topics during home visits ensure outreach at the household level. Engaging leaders to align SRHR messaging with faith and cultural values and organizing initiatives like “Usapang Maginoo” (Male Engagement Sessions) encourage men and boys to take responsibility. This ‘whole of community approach’ successfully engages various groups traditionally resistant to these conversations.

Within schools and informal learning spaces, a youth-led, evidence-based model ensures SRHR education is both accessible and engaging to both girls and boys. The SHE project’s consistent investment in training Student Peer Educators (SPE) delivered noteworthy results. The SPEs led “SRHR Usapan Serye” (Teen Talks) in schools and communities, “Significantly increased understanding of puberty, contraceptive awareness, and service uptake. In the absence of robust Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), the sessions make lessons open, relatable and impactful. They also prove to be more inclusive as LGBTIQ+ youths often find it safer to talk to trained peers than authority figures. Beyond classrooms, Teen Centers and Safe Spaces within and outside of health facilities offer a confidential environment for adolescents to seek guidance from experts trained on gender and youth sensitive health service delivery. In Sumilao, Bukidnon, a teen-friendly rural health unit (RHU) led to a significant drop in teen pregnancy rates from 45.13% to 27.01%.

For adolescents without direct access to health centers or schools, digital platforms and mass media serve as critical tools for SRHR education. Social media campaigns featuring trusted youth influencers debunk myths and promote reproductive autonomy. In the Zamboanga Peninsula, these campaigns notably increased youth engagement in SRHR, especially men’s. Confidential SRH support through private digital channels allows adolescents to consult trained SPEs, who, if needed, connect them to experts. Additionally, radio broadcasts and barangay loudspeaker announcements normalize SRHR conversations in public spaces, ensuring the message reaches even those without internet access.

Knowledge alone is insufficient without access to essential SRHR services. Increased knowledge creates demand which must be met. Adolescent-friendly Rural Health Units (RHUs) and Barangay Health Stations offer dedicated consultation hours, ensuring privacy and judgement-free service to youths of all identities. In geographically isolated areas, mobile SRH clinics—as deployed in Samar and BARMM—bring essential menstrual knowledge, products and counseling services directly to young girls. Fully stocked school clinics allow discreet access to contraceptives and SRHR information. To maintain and scale these efforts, local government units (LGUs) are lobbied to institutionalize SRHR programs through barangay ordinances and Barangay Development Plans. In hard-to-influence regions, efforts to embed youth-led sustainability mechanisms in communities are financially and logistically supported, with senior peer educators mentoring new batches annually and youth networks actively lobbying for localized SRHR policies. Public-private partnerships further enhance sustainability, with local businesses sponsoring youth-friendly SRHR knowledge mobilization and materials, while universities collaborate on evidence-based research.

By the end of the project, 88% of girls and 82% of boys in target areas knew where to access SRH services, leading to 78% of girls and 68% of boys reporting reproductive autonomy. While challenges remain, this reinforces the effectiveness of youth-led engagement models like Peer Education. When young people receive accurate, stigma-free SRHR information, they make informed choices, improve their well-being, and advocate for their rights. The question is no longer whether we have the solutions—the SHE project proves we do. The real challenge now is sustaining investment and political will to ensure no adolescent is left without the knowledge and services they need to take control of their future.