Mansfield teenager joins global contraception drive for women

Nineteen-year-old Eleanor Frost, a former student at All Saints Catholic Academy, took part in the Family Planning Summit, hosted by the UK government in London.

She was invited in recognition of her work on the International Citizen Services (ICS) programme, which brings together 18-to-25-year-olds to fight poverty in Africa, Asia and Central America.

Eleanor rubbed shoulders with government ministers from around the world, representatives of the United Nations and high-profile figures such as Melinda Gates and the government’s international development secretary, Priti Patel.

She used the knowledge and experience she gained on her ICS placement to India as she took part in workshops and discussions about how access to family planning for women can be improved across the world, giving them the choice of if and when they want to have children. Staggeringly, 214 million women currently don’t have such access.

“Lots of young people never have any sex education because health services are so limited,” Eleanor said. “Lots of girls in India are married before they’re 18 and are expected to have children quickly afterwards.

“I was so excited to attend the summit, which was a great opportunity to raise awareness of this forgotten subject. I gained a deeper insight into how global decisions are made, and it made me proud to be British that the UK government is leading the way.”