Expanding Access to Life-Changing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare in Zambia.
Spearheaded by Restless Development Zambia and supported by Marie Stopes International (MSI), Youth for Health (Y4H) is an initiative that works to expand access to life-changing adolescent sexual and reproductive healthcare and rights (ASRHR), with a focus on reaching the poorest and most marginalised adolescent girls, including those with disabilities, in rural and hard-to-reach areas in Zambia. By unlocking demand and access and contributing towards changes in favour of supportive policies and funding environments, Youth for Health increases and sustains access to ASRHR for girls and young women.
Restless Development has joined with other partners, including Ministry of Health Zambia to facilitate the provision of youth-friendly health services for adolescents as well as facilitate youth-led accountability and participation in governance; youth leadership, especially of young women; youth mobilisation; community engagement; and long-standing media and communication experience. Through these platforms, young people are able to apply themselves towards the goal of bridging the Sexual Rights and Health Rights (SRHR) information gap in their communities.
“What inspired me to advocate for sexual health and rights comes from my personal experience growing up. I noticed the gap in our community where young people lacked adequate information, leading them to make uninformed decisions that affect their health. I decided to take the mantle to provide young people with the right information”
Tracy, a young advocate in Zambia
Partners of the Youth for Health project are leveraging their regional, national and sub-national geographical footprints, government relationships, mobiliser networks, knowledge and expertise, supported by MSI’s global best practice and knowledge, to build capacity in delivery of youth-friendly, discrimination free SRHR information and services in the public sector. These partners include Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), Centre for the Study of Adolescence (CSA) Kenya, Health Alert Sierra Leone (HASiL), Youth Advocates Ghana (YAG), Sikika in Tanzania, Restless Development Zambia and Youth Network for Sustainable Development (YNSD) in Ethiopia.
