Sexual Reproductive Health Rights

The Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy (ASRH) 2016 to 2020 Strategy by the Ministry of Health and Child Care identified comprehensive sexuality education as a critical component to mitigate the vulnerabilities of young people related to reproductive health rights. The hard to reach communities are worse than urban areas in as far as knowledge of reproductive health rights are concerned, as well as prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and child marriages. HIV prevalence is high in young women in Southern Africa. There is a growing number of youths who were born with HIV and need to learn how to deal with friendships and intimate relationships as those living and affected by HIV. TaLI in the past TaLI has engaged youths to run in school and out of school empowerment clubs to learn and share about their sexuality and reproductive health.

Teachers, young women, young men, girls and boys have been trained to run with these programmes. Using the Leadership Economic Mentorship hubs and Youths Engaging for Leadership, young women and men are trained about comprehensive sexuality education to be able to access the services and claim these rights for themselves and other young people.

“Heart 2 Heart”

is a community programme/clubs where young people especially young women who’ve been trained run a forum that discusses their sexual reproductive health rights and support each other to take action to enjoy their rights and access services. This platform allows young women to spread information amongst themselves on contraceptives, family planning and for young mothers, create a social capital for support. More than 850 young people have been directly trained on this issue.