The European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs   (DG SANCO) has set up a website ‘Be healthy – Be Yourself’ http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/youth/  in the context of an EU health initiative for young people designed to culminate in an EC Conference on Youth and Health that will take place in Brussels on 9 and 10 July 2009.

400 people are expected to attend the 2009 Youth Health Conference including young people from across Europe, representatives from youth organizations, health professionals working with and for young people and national and EU Institutions.

The main idea of the Youth Health Initiative is to encourage young people to become active partners in promoting their health.

The conference will explore how adolescents are influenced by various factors such as their experience at school/college or at work, the society and culture they grow up in, relationships with families and peers, etc.

The Regional Office and IPPF EN’s youth network YSAFE have worked closely with DG SANCO in the preparation of this major event, promoting the inclusion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the agenda of the Conference.