Montreal, April 16, 2026 – Doctors of the World today unveiled RESPECT+, an interactive web documentary produced by Atelye TOKAY and funded by Global Affairs Canada, which aims to break the shame and taboos surrounding sexuality and young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health services. Through the personal stories of Dembélé, Patricia, and Maria – three young people aged 17 to 22 from Burkina Faso, Benin, and Haiti – the platform asks: “What would young people’s sexuality look like if they were truly free to choose?”.
A web documentary designed like a social network to raise awareness about human rights in a new way
Available online now, RESPECT+ gives a voice to young people who have faced concrete obstacles to exercising their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights – SRHR. The platform, designed for mobile use, highlights the effects of shame, taboos, social norms, and misinformation on young people’s sexual autonomy through the stories of these three individuals:
- Dembélé, 22 – Ouagadougou: He teaches respect to boys… but must confront his own contradictions when his cousin is raped.
- Patricia, 17 – Cotonou: Pregnant after a relationship, she hears everywhere that abortion would condemn her. No one tells her she has the right to choose.
- Maria, 20 – Port-de-Paix: She almost lost everything because a boy told her that love must be proven… until the day she understood that saying no is also a right.
Beyond individual stories, RESPECT+ brings together discussions among young people in the form of agoras, offering a social perspective on the issues presented, along with testimonies from experts in Burkina Faso, Benin, Haiti, and Canada, as well as resources tailored to each country. Doctors of the World thus invites young people in Canada to participate in an open conversation about sexuality, to break down taboos and enable real bodily autonomy.
“With RESPECT+, we wanted to create a platform where young people can talk about sexuality without shame or taboo. Behind every testimony, every space for exchange, there is a very concrete reality: too many young people are still deprived of essential information and resources to exercise their right to health in sexual and reproductive matters. Giving young people a voice and access to resources is a way to act for their autonomy.” – Nathaniel Allaire Sévigny, International Programs Coordinator at Doctors of the World Canada.
LINK TO RESPECT+
A manifesto for action
After watching the web documentary, young people in Canada are invited to sign a manifesto calling on the Canadian government to strengthen its financial and political commitment to comprehensive sexuality education, both in Canada and internationally, and to maintain its investments in international aid programs that empower young people to live healthy, free, and responsible lives.
LINK TO VIEW AND SIGN THE MANIFESTO:
About Doctors of the World
Present in Canada and in over 70 countries, Doctors of the World is a volunteer-driven, independent, and international movement that works at the local and global levels through its 17 delegations. Through innovative health programs and evidence-based advocacy, we empower marginalized individuals and communities to take action and claim their right to health, while fighting for universal access to care.
Media request?
Guillaume Bambina
Communications and Mobilization Advisor
guillaume.bambina@medecinsdumonde.ca
+1 438 404-6997