Strengthen our sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially for young people in rural areas and those with disabilities. Give us access to information and services, including condoms in schools, to allow us to make informed choices. This resounding call was made by young Namibians at a youth dialogue.

A young woman lies on a bed in Mutambara Mission Hospital’s maternity waiting home, looking tired but at ease. Chioniso Mutenda, 18, is 9 months pregnant. Just weeks earlier, her life – and that of her unborn baby – was at grave risk when one of the southern hemisphere's worst-ever cyclones hit.

Unmet need for family planning not only challenges the ability of women and girls to control their bodies and their future, but also comes as a great cost to the government, said Botswana’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Wellness.