On 28 September 2015, to support international efforts for the decriminalization of abortion, the Association for Liberty and Equality of Gender (ALEG) and other Romanian women’s rights NGOs organized a large scale public campaign demanding comprehensive and inclusive sexual and reproductive rights for young people living in Romania.
The campaign included an open letter sent out to relevant authorities demanding that all young people should have access to comprehensive sexuality education in schools. The letter emphasized both the dire situation regarding young people’s SRHR (e.g. in 2014, 18,600 women under age 19 gave birth, high rates of rapes and intimate partner abuse among young women, lack of use of contraceptives) as well as the added benefits of sexuality education for healthier and more responsible future citizens. The open letter was initiated by 10 women’s rights NGOs gathered in the platform “Coalition for Gender Equality” and signed by 67 NGOs across the spectrum. The open letter benefited a lot from the involvement of representatives of high school students and youth-led organizations.
In addition to the open letter, the campaign also included a public action. Activists organized a flashmob with supporters showing up in front of the Romanian Ministry of Health, the Romanian Ministry of Education and the Romanian Ministry of Youth and Sport.