gender discrimination impedes girls and young women especially in today s youdidominated populations girls and young women face the largest gaps between their enrolment in secondary school a critical gateway to participation in society and the economy similarly they face overall discrimination that further inhibits their engagement and contributions to their families communities and the larger society as illustrated by comparing percentages of young people in country populations and those countries rankings on a united nations development programme index of gender discrimination this is especially harmful because good health paves the way to economic opportunity long life and overall wellbeing in most countries their numbers compound challenges in escaping violence in finding dignified work or in gaining access to decent schooling and youthfriendly health services including reproductive health and family planning services among the most promising strategies for spurring national development and improving the prospects of young people are energetic and welltimed investments in education health including sexual and reproductive health and women s status