Andrew Francis, member of the International Youth Leadership Council at Advocates for Youth (AFY), blogs for us from the Women Deliver conference in London as part of a series of youth voices provided by AFY. Check back for more youth coverage of the conference!

A new day now dawns in world history as statesmen, stateswomen, young people, social activists and others gather under one roof at the Women Deliver Conference here in London to address issues affecting the blessed ones who brought us into this world and gave us our first taste at anything nutritional--we're talking about women.

We're talking about safe pregnancy, child birth, maternal death and morbidity, sexual reproductive health and rights, including access to information and services, and family planning; HIV and AIDS; education; economic empowerment and gender equality. However, we cannot address these issues without considering youth. Young people are at the cusp of their reproductive lives and are the parents and teachers of future generations. As such, the world is realizing more and more that today's young women and men are by far the greatest asset we have towards re-shaping the universe. Young people are probably our greatest asset not only for future investment but also for this very moment--the present.

Though some recognize that young people are tremendous assets--not liabilities--far too many decision makers continue to fail us by only offering lip service to our importance in nation-building as well as our right to know how to live the best life possible. As the Women Deliver conference takes place over the next three days we must pause, as world leaders, media personnel and young people, to consider the facts. What are these FACTS?

• THE FACT is that almost half of all persons alive today are young people under 25.
• THE FACT is that pregnancy-related complications are the leading cause of death for young women ages 15 through 19.
• THE FACT is that young women ages 15 through 19 are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or child birth than those over age 20 and girls under age 15 are five times more likely to die.

As young people, we are the tendons and cartilage of our communities, nations and the world. Unfortunately, many of us are going to waste; many of us are not being given the opportunity to be that binding medium that crosses color, class or creed. The reality is young people are having sex, young women are having complications, young people are being led in the dark, young people are not being given the chance to make their own informed choices about their own lives.

We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the facts and realities of life. We cannot and should not fool ourselves that teaching our children that the cow jumps over the moon is enough. Teaching them about the bees, the trees and the fishes in the deep blue sea isn't enough either. Instead, we must urgently deliver to young people, girls in particular, by creating educational programs that leave no stone unturned. We must teach and embrace comprehensive sex education. We must offer medically accurate and youth-friendly services that will address the sexual and reproductive health of our young women, men and girls. They have a right to know. It should not be a privilege to access services that will suit their specific needs but rather a right.

Respect that right by giving us the opportunity to express ourselves, access all the information we can possibly take and get contraception when we need it. Do it for us, do it for your son, daughter, cousins, nephews, nieces. Do it for the world. It's time to deliver youth-friendly family planning and reproductive health policies, programs, and services to young women and young men.