On 26th and 27th September 2024, Partners for Healthy Individuals and Communities (PHIC), successfully hosted the first East & Southern African Youth SRHR Hybrid Conference convened at City Royal Hotel, Kampal. This event addressed the pressing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) challenges facing adolescents and youth in East and Southern Africa, particularly in the face of growing climate change impacts, gender-based violence (GBV), and harmful cultural practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
The hybrid conference, supported by the Hivos Regional SRHR Fund, was part of PHIC’s broader “Empowering Adolescents and Youth for Sustainable Sexual & Reproductive Health” project. With participants attending both physically and virtually, the event provided an interactive platform for young people from across the region, SRHR advocates, and experts to engage in panel discussions, keynote speeches, and small group sessions centered around five key themes:
Climate Change and SRHR:
Discussions highlighted how climate change exacerbates vulnerabilities, particularly for women and girls, emphasizing the urgent need for climate-sensitive solutions in SRHR programming.
A key focus was the impact of climate change on SRHR outcomes. The event explored how extreme weather conditions, including floods, landslides, and prolonged droughts, exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in access to SRHR services. Experts noted that the rise of diseases linked to climate change, such as waterborne and zoonotic diseases, further strains health systems, making maternal and neonatal outcomes more precarious. The conference recommended that governments across the region conduct Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments (VAAs) and implement climate-sensitive health policies like Uganda’s Health National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP).
Social Norms, Gender Inequality, and Harmful Practices:
Participants addressed the cultural and gender-based barriers that hinder SRHR outcomes, focusing on the need for gender equality and eradicating harmful practices.
Policy and Legal Frameworks for SRHR:
The conference explored gaps in existing regional policies, calling for stronger legal frameworks that ensure equitable access to services such as family planning and safe abortion.
Technology and Innovation in SRHR:
One of the standout sessions of the conference was the exploration of innovative approaches to SRHR service delivery. Technological solutions like telemedicine, mobile applications, and digital platforms were showcased as ways to enhance access to SRHR information and services for youth, even in remote areas especially during Climate crisis and social-economic limitations. These innovations were lauded for their potential to scale regionally and address the pressing need for comprehensive SRHR interventions.
Youth-Led SRHR Advocacy and Leadership:
Emphasis was placed on empowering young people to take the lead in shaping SRHR policies and programs, amplifying their voices in decision-making processes.
The conference served as a platform for young people to actively engage in shaping SRHR policies. Youth-led organizations were at the forefront of discussions, with participants emphasizing the importance of involving young people in policy design, planning, and implementation. Key recommendations included the establishment of exchange programs and capacity-building initiatives to enhance youth leadership in SRHR advocacy.
Youth representatives from notable organizations, including Reproductive Health Uganda, SRHR Alliance Uganda, Paradigm for Social Justice and Development, Uganda, and Together Alive Health Initiative Uganda, YALI Ugandan Chapter, The Semi Colon Nation, World Voices, Uganda, Youth Developers Collaboration Theatre, Malawi, Eastern Visionary Youths, Zambia, Youth Voices for choices Africa, Kenya, Stawisha Africa Initiative, Kenya, actively contributed to the event. Through these collaborative efforts, participants shared knowledge, explored innovations, and developed key recommendations for addressing SRHR challenges in the region and advancing youth engagement in SRHR advocacy & Leadership.
Key Outcomes and Call to Action
The conference concluded with a powerful call to action for governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), and communities:
- Communities and governments in the region must work together to address climate change and its effects on SRHR, especially for vulnerable groups like women and girls.
- Governments should assess climate vulnerabilities and create national and sector-based adaptation plans that include SRHR.
- Governments must follow through on promises made in key agreements like the Maputo Protocol and SADC SRHR Strategy to protect young people’s rights.
- Governments should simplify SRHR policies to ensure they are easily understood and accepted by local communities.
- SRHR services must be accessible to people with disabilities, with necessary support like sign language interpreters and adapted facilities in healthcare settings.
- Governments should raise awareness on climate change and SRHR through simple, clear materials, tackling harmful norms and providing accurate information, especially to youth.
- Youth should be actively involved in policy-making and planning for health and SRHR issues to make a real impact.
- Policies must ensure equitable access to Sexual and Reproductive Health services for all, including marginalized groups eg PWDs.
- Governments should provide inclusive and accessible healthcare facilities.
- Governments and CSOs must allocate enough funds to support public health and SRHR services to improve outcomes and meet critical health needs.
Through this conference, PHIC reinforced its commitment to fostering regional collaboration, amplifying youth leadership, and integrating SRHR into climate adaptation strategies. The event not only strengthened regional partnerships but also laid the groundwork for more resilient and equitable SRHR frameworks for East and Southern Africa and Initial steps into formulating the East and Southern African SRHR Youth Coalition were taken.
