Post by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

For many girls, early pregnancy means childhood ends overnight. They are expected to take on adult responsibilities, but are rarely given the resources, respect or agency of an adult. Across Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique, adolescent mothers have told us what they need to support their children and themselves. They did this when provided safe spaces, time, decision-making power and resources to organize and lead. Over the past two years, the Young Mothers Consortium has created these conditions through convenings, education and storytelling experiences to provide young mothers with connection, agency and opportunities for collective action.  The result is the Young Mothers’ Manifesto and a new set of learnings. The manifesto and the report are shaped by young mothers, in their own words, outlining what must change in their homes, communities and systems. This effort is led by a four-partner consortium: Children's Rights Innovation Fund (CRIF), the Children's Rights and Violence Prevention Fund (CRVPF), the IRIS (International Resource for Impact and Storytelling) and Purposeful. They work in partnership with community-based organizations that are rooted in local contexts and relationships. After two years of listening and providing spaces and resources to young women, this is what we have learned together: https://lnkd.in/ePQANm3V