Bringing SRHR to young people!
Veeslee Mhepo
My Age Zimbabwe continues to bring SRHR to the people and the hosting of the provincial business conference by the Ministry of Youth Sports Arts and Culture in Masvingo saw an opportunity for My Age Zimbabwe in collaboration with the National Aids Council to provide SRHR services and information at the business conference.
Young people are diverse, and their sexual and reproductive health needs are as well. My Age Zimbabwe has made it a mandate to provide young people with information and access to modern contraception, emergency contraception, menstruation, HIV and STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing and treatment, gynaecology, pregnancy testing and services, counselling, gender-based violence and harmful practises counselling and referral, and other services.
My Age Zimbabwe took the business conference as an opportunity to reach young people ,for they face face a number of obstacles accessing sexual and reproductive health services these barriers relate to availability and accessibility as well as the quality of the services provided, for example, laws and policies may limit young people’s access to services and contraceptives, and health centres may only address the needs of married women.
Because of entrenched social standards and gender inequity around young people’s and girls’ sexuality, young people’s activities are restricted, and they may face stigma for being sexually active.Young people’s ability to make judgements or express an opinion may be underestimated due to their age. All of this complicates and frequently prevents young people from getting sexual and reproductive health services.
My Age has contributed in advocacy and awareness around the School Health Policy, Child Marriages, Gender Sensitive Schools and Communities, ASRH Strategy implementation and Violence against Women and Girls working with government departments, CSO’s among other influencers, donors and partners in SRHR work.