When Sokhna Aminatou Sarr started menstruating, as a young girl in Senegal who had not yet reached her teenage years, her mother warned that she would become pregnant if she went near any boys.

While taboos surrounding sexual and reproductive health may be common among older generations across West and Central Africa, they are also often perpetuated by teachers, religious leaders and health workers, the 27-year-old activist said.

"Doctors and nurses behave more like parents than health professionals, they should provide counseling and guidance but instead pass judgment," said Sarr, a representative for AIESEC, a global youth network that provides leadership opportunities.