The call was for better signposting to sexual and reproductive health services, for girls-only spaces, for health education and promotion programs to counter myths and misinformation, for confidence and self-esteem building initiatives, and for vocational training to foster economic independence.

CNN: Girls at risk: Starting a revolution for teenage mothers

There are innovators from across the region who are trying to tackle the taboos, break the silence and deal with the fall out, be it getting sexuality education in schools or providing sexual and reproductive health services for young people, or tackling sexual violence, or trying to find space in society for those cross social norms, unwed mothers or men and women in same-sex relations among them.

CNN: Why Arab world must learn to talk about sex