Program Overview
Young persons with disabilities are often excluded from the broader discussions on sexual reproductive health. When they are included, it is often tokenistic and done only to appear diverse. They do not participate meaningfully for numerous reasons, namely, a lack of agency and data, accessibility challenges, limited leadership opportunities, and low investment in strengthening their capacity to participate meaningfully. This is exacerbated by the current academic and professional research, led by trained career researchers. In their research, young persons with disabilities may be consulted, either as respondents or to provide feedback on the findings. However, this research rarely gives them an opportunity to play a core leadership role in the process. We believe that young people living with disabilities can—and should—provide vital voices and evidence-based recommendations in ongoing discussions on SRH issues, and the YRA will do just that.
The Goal and Objectives of the Project
The overall project goal: Empowered Young people with disabilities influence policy discourse on their sexual and reproductive health needs and rights by 2025.
Specific objectives:
Objective 1: To increase young people’s capacity in research on the relationship between Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and climate change in the context of young persons with disabilities.
Objective 2: To strengthen young researchers’ collaboration with research dissemination platforms for effective sharing of research.
Objective 3: To strengthen young people’s evidence-based advocacy for improved access to ASRHR services for young persons with disabilities.
Immediate results
- Young people have improved research skills and confidence to gather and share evidence on the challenges and solutions to improving SRH-R service delivery.
- Young people and decision makers are aware of the SRH-R challenges affecting young persons with disabilities through collated and presented data.
- Young people are aware of the available spaces for engagement with decision makers.
- Improved collaboration among young people, experts from research institutions and youth activists to promote and advocate for SRH-R of young people with disabilities.
Long-term results
- Increased knowledge of young people in research on the relationship between Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Climate Change in the context of young persons with disabilities.
- Governments and institutions increase spaces and opportunities for young persons with disabilities to affect change according to their priorities and recommendations generated from research.
- Targeted decision makers take action in response to the influence and engagement of young persons with disabilities resulting in improved SRH-R service delivery.
