By: Kat Watson

Over my decade and half of working in the international 'development' sector, I have witnessed worrying trends in the way that we measure progress. Namely, a lack of creativity and a default mode that seeks to quantify and commodify people's lives, decisions and identities. We want to know the number of young people reached by sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services or information, but not their quality. We want to know the percentage decrease in the prevalence of child marriage, without knowing whether those girls' life opportunities have been enhanced through life skills training. We want to know how effective women's rights organizations are at changing policies and laws, without investing in the sustainability of their movements. What gets lost in the focus on numbers and statistics is a deep understanding of the ever-evolving, complex realities of the human experience.

By: Marissa Billowitz

What would be different if we took sex-positive approaches to sexuality and comprehensive sexuality education (CSE)? People often assume that sex-positive approaches are naive. They believe advocates for sex positivity only talk about the positive aspects of sex without recognizing that the reality for many, especially women and adolescent girls, includes negative experiences of sexuality, in particular sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

By: Lindsay Menard-Freeman (CEO), Kacie Lyn Martinez (COO), & the Collective’s legacy members

The Torchlight Collective is celebrating historic growth this year. We are thrilled to welcome our newest cohort of members: 13 experts from East Africa, South Asia, Western & Eastern Europe, and South America who are rolling up their sleeves to work on visionary projects in the fields of international development, human rights, and global health.

By: Génesis Luigi

As a feminist living in Latin America, I have seen the rise of anti-rights movements against sexual and reproductive health (SRH), rights, and justice. It is easy to find them campaigning online through sensationalist - and formidably viral - messages.

By: Cecilia García Ruiz

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Cause and effect of structural inequalities and a development model that hasn’t been able to address the needs of the most marginalized, this global crisis has forever changed the ways in which we live, work, and interact with others.

By: Kacie Lyn Martinez

At the close of 2019, the Torchlight Collective faced a pivotal moment in our growth as innovators in international development, human rights, and global health consulting. We knew we had to reckon with a central question in order to realize our mandate: What would it mean to live and work our values at scale?

By: Caitlin Chandler

It’s that time of the year when you’re likely thinking about which organizations to donate to and also deluged with requests to give. At Torchlight, many of us have been on both sides of the giving spectrum - working as donors giving money and as nonprofits requesting donations.

By: Marissa Billowitz

I recently joined the Torchlight Collective, and I also hit another milestone - the twentieth anniversary of my first job in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). As I take a step back, I’ve been reflecting on what has changed and what hasn’t.

By: Kat Watson

It all started with an unexpected question: “What actually happens on prom night? Does everyone lose their ‘virginity’?”

My South Asian colleague had watched one of those American high school TV series recently, and was fascinated by prom as a cultural ritual related to adolescent sexuality.

Meaghan Derynck is somewhat of an MVP at the Torchlight Collective. In addition to being Torchlight’s go to person for advocacy and policy around tuberculosis, she’s worked on a wide range of projects for different clients. These have included creating a toolkit of best practices for SRHR service providers working with adolescents and youth in urban settings, developing an advocacy campaign for universal health coverage (UHC) focused on key populations, and helping out behind the scenes with the operations side of the business.

Sara is one of Torchlight’s most active members. She’s been an advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights for nearly a decade, with experience at organizations like Women Deliver and International Planned Parenthood Federation / Western Hemisphere Region. As a consultant for The Torchlight Collective, she specializes in program design and implementation aimed at advancing the health and rights of young people, and also supports Torchlight’s external communications.

This was the question I heard repeatedly from sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service providers in South Asia when I was working for an international SRH organization. The socio-cultural context of conservative South Asia, where sexuality is taboo and women shouldn’t be sexual unless they are married (even then they shouldn’t be seen to actually enjoy sex), means that service providers frequently bring their values and biases into their service provision.

The kind of experience a young person often has when visiting a Kenyan health facility is just a nightmare. This is even more the case if you go for reproductive health issues.  

Hey community! You may remember December’s On The Record With: Lindsay Menard-Freeman. Well, we decided to make it a regular newsletter feature so that you can get to know the beautiful brains behind the faces of Torchlight members. This month we focus on Matt Matassa, our energetic communications and engagement pro.

The energy and engagement around the 2018 International Conference on Family Planning in Kigali proved that investments in reproductive health and rights is a growing priority and the community has continued to evolve and innovate to help meet the the unmet need of women worldwide. Whether you attended in person or watched online, below are a few key items that you will connect you to a few key resources.

If you’ve interacted with the Torchlight Collective, chances are you’ve met our very own Lindsay Menard-Freeman (or LMF as we call her in-house). Lindsay, who co-founded the Torchlight Collective in 2016, is known for her infectious laughter, natural warmth and signature curls.

In the lead up to the 5th International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in Kigali, Rwanda the Kenya Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Network organized the #ICFPYouthRelay to highlight the role of youth in the process of holding their governments accountable and share young people’s stories and perspectives.

This year’s International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP), from November 12 to 15, isn't just in Kigali - you can join, interact, and follow along virtually. ICFP brings together the family planning community to share best practices, celebrate successes and chart a course forward, so don’t let distance stop you from participating.

On May 26, 2018 in a landslide victory (66.4%), the Irish electorate voted to repeal Ireland’s near-total Constitutional ban on abortion: the 8th Amendment. Since 1983, the 8th Amendment forced more than 170,000 women and girls to travel abroad to access abortion services that should have been their right at home. Countless more imported pills, self-administering them without the recommended medical supervision and support. Now, with the impediment of the 8th amendment gone, the government can finally guarantee access to safe abortion in Ireland.