Doortje Braeken

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Former Senior Advisor for Adolescents and Young People at the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)

Doortje has been an instrumental part of the IPPF for many years, and is largely credited as responsible for the ‘youth voice’ within the organisation, which is now considered a vital component in decision making. In 2015, Doortje was awarded a Gold Medal in recognition of her lifetime’s contribution to sexual health, by the World Association of Sexual Health (WAS). 

Within the IPPF, her work has pioneered support for marginalised and vulnerable young people including the LGBT community. As an advocate for the sexual and reproductive rights of young people, including access to services and Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Doortje has coordinated programmes in 26 different countries implementing this rights-based sexuality education method. In her own words, she supports a version of sexuality education in which young people are not merely taught about the mechanics of sex, but also about the ‘personal, emotional, societal and cultural forces which shape the way in which they choose to conduct their lives.’ Doortje has written for the Guardian (amongst others) on this topic as well as more broadly about sexual pleasure and wellbeing and how to increase condom use among the youth community.