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nvolving young people in programs related to their well-being, such as reproductive health, is key to a successful development agenda, benefitting not only the generation but also the country.

Reproductive health relates to bigger issues beyond family planning and youth health, Melinda Gates, cofounder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said on the second day of the first National Adolescent Summit held in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

“Young people — boys and girls — are the key beneficiaries in development agenda. When they understand about their bodies, their health, their rights to access on information, education and reproductive health services, it will advance their overall better life prospects, which will later benefit their families, communities and their country,” she said in a discussion with young girls on Wednesday.

Siti Fathonah, director of adolescent resilience at the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), said that in the past, young people had never been involved in creating the programs aimed at them.

“It was always adults who designed their programs. Now, we have to change such an old-school style. It is high time for us to really listen to their aspirations and their voices,” she said.

On Wednesday, the participants eagerly discussed teen pregnancy, childbirth and young people’s access to family planning services with Gates, who patiently listened to their aspirations.

Wulandari, a youth representative from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, shared her experience on trying to prevent her friends marrying at a young age. She said she had many friends who had married at just 12 to 15 years old.

Diana Putri, a medical student and peer educator from Bandung, West Java, said it was very difficult for her and other youth volunteers to convince parents and community leaders that teen marriage could ruin their daughters’ lives.

Teen marriage and pregnancy are sensitive topics in Indonesia as they are closely linked to cultural, economic and religious issues. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showed that 23 percent of children below 18 years old were married.

Gates, meanwhile, said teen marriage and pregnancy would hamper girls in staying at school and obtaining job opportunities.

“These girls will likely get locked in a vicious cycle of poverty,” she added.

With 62 million young people between the ages of 15 and 29, Indonesia can take advantage of the youth bulge to reap a demographic dividend if it invests properly in youth health, education and employment opportunities.

“Embracing youth and listening to their voices are crucial,” Gates said.

The three-day national summit, which opened on Tuesday evening, has brought together young people of diverse affiliations from Indonesia’s 25 provinces, as well as experts, civil society organizations and donor agencies. The BKKBN and the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP) are jointly organizing the summit.

The summit, which bears the theme “Suara Remaja, Aksi Bersama,” (Youth Voice, Joint Action) is the first national gathering of young people to formulate and implement policies and programs related to youth issues.