African Population and Health Research Center’s Post

Adolescents sexual and reproductive health is one of the key issues that require attention across conteninet. It’s great to see results of qualitative research we have conducted with fantastic team of colleagues in Ghana and provide insights of adolescents themselves, health professionals and parents. - At the individual level, limited understanding of adolescence/puberty, desire of adolescents to belong and misperceptions about contraceptives. - At the interpersonal level, issues relating to technical capacity needs of service providers, disrespect exhibited by service providers, and parental failure were identified as influential factors. - Then at the community/societal level, we identified structural constraints and compromised social safety concerns in accessing contraceptives and services.

ICYMI: Our new Global Reproductive Health initiative is designed to expand and accelerate progress on reproductive health and gender equity so more people throughout South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa can thrive and fulfill their aspirations. Together with our grantees and partners, we will propel, amplify, and expedite progress. Learn more about our next chapter ⬇️

📢 Call for contributions to the ESR Review: Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa 🌍 The Socio-Economic Rights Project (SERP) at the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI), University of the Western Cape invites contributions for the ESR Review, a quarterly publication aimed at informing and educating politicians, policymakers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, and legal practitioners about key developments in socioeconomic rights at both national and international levels. The ESR Review also seeks to stimulate innovative thinking on how to advance these rights as a tool for poverty alleviation in South Africa and abroad. The upcoming ESR Review issue will highlight key aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dATceTdS

#Periods are normal, but more often, this natural and healthy part of life is seen as shameful and dirty. In South Sudan 60% of girls skip school for 4 to 8 days during their menstrual periods which affects their grades and education in general. Ahead of the Menstrual Health Day, We recognize efforts of young girls like Lina Nyok who has chosen to study Public health at the university so she can help young girls easily access correct information on sexual reproductive health and rights especially on menstrual health. #MHDay2024 #EndPeriodStigma

Newly published research findings on sexual and reproductive health literacy needs of young adolescents. An area in sexual and reproductive health that has received little scholarship. This research was done in the Effutu Municipality in the Central region. The findings show that young adolescents have poor knowledge of the concepts of sexual and reproductive health and its essential domains. Abstinence was the predominant sexual and reproductive health goal of the participants. Yet, many males admitted to having sexual partners. The study also found that adolescents have difficult linguistic and physical access to structured and safe information on sexual and reproductive health. See the link below for detailed findings. https://lnkd.in/dAmnRkqh #planinternationalghana #UNFPA #PPAG #UNICEF

The UN Special Programme on Human Reproduction (HRP) leads on global sexual and reproductive health research, with the end goal of achieving access to #SRHR services for everyone everywhere. Headquartered in Geneva and executed by the World Health Organization and cosponsored by UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO and the World Bank, HRP fosters global collaboration, conducts impactful research and empowers communities for improved sexual and reproductive health for all. The 2023 Annual report of HRP has just launched! For a deep dive into what HRP is doing to ensure access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for all, experience and download the report here: https://bit.ly/3xEowA7. You will find results on everything from research to improve maternal health outcomes to access to comprehensive sexuality education, global estimates on infertility and much more. 

Our work is the result from a baseline survey from the project which was funded by the Global Affair Canada (GAC) and implemented by HealthBridge Foundation of Canada, Vietnam Office. Please feel free to click the link below to take a look at the latest article from our team to be on-air this May in the International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. "Girls outperformed boys in their knowledge of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), covering basics, teenage sexual activities, and contraceptive methods. Key knowledge factors, including understanding sexual intercourse, addressing misconceptions about first-time sex, and increasing awareness of contraceptive methods, significantly influenced adolescents’ SRH perceptions. To enhance SRH outcomes, future interventions should prioritize improving contraceptive knowledge and raising awareness for both boys and girls with more focus on boy groups. By addressing these knowledge gaps and fostering awareness, we can empower mountainous adolescents in Vietnam to make informed choices about their SRH, ultimately contributing to healthier and more fulfilling lives." ---------------- #sexualreproductiveheatlh #mountainousarea #adolecents #SRH #knowledge #perceptions https://lnkd.in/gKxa5zBR

Kenya has made remarkable progress towards the realization of universal access to full range of sexual and reproductive health information education and services, management of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and reduction in harmful traditional practices. However, the equality and empowerment for women, universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights remain a distant dream for many women and girls in Kenya today. From KDHS 2024 report 5,500 women die every year during childbirth, 23% girls marry begore age of 18, more than 40% do not have access to modern contraceptive methods and almost half 45% of women 15-49 years have reported being victims of GBV in their families. Let’s all collaborate to strive toward zero unmet needs for contraceptive, zero preventable maternal deaths and zero gender -based violence and harmful practices. I was please to be part of the Accelerated project Midterm evaluation that is implemented by PS Kenya, GVRC, PSI, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Ministry of Health, KenyaMarieStopesKenya_KE

We are excited to announce the launch of our latest report, "Regional Policy Analysis of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Framework in Africa," which took place during the Opening Ceremony of the MenEngage Africa SRHR Learning and Exchange Symposium on the 12th of August 2024. This comprehensive analysis provides an in-depth look at the current frameworks, policies, and human rights instruments that shape sexual and reproductive health and rights across the African continent. This report aligns with the objectives of the MenEngage SRHR Learning and Exchange Symposium, to identify gaps and potential areas for reinforcement within existing SRHR policies, aligning with the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development ICPD30. The report highlights critical issues regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa, including significant barriers to accessing essential services due to legal, cultural, and systemic obstacles, the prevalence of gender-based violence, the severe impact of child marriage on young girls, and the lack of comprehensive sexual education, which contributes to misinformation and stigma. To address these challenges, the report recommends comprehensive law reforms to align national legislation with international standards, adequate resource allocation to comply with the Abuja Declaration, continuous engagement with non-state actors to combat prejudices, implementation of education and awareness campaigns, technical support for civil society organizations, investment in health infrastructure and training, and ongoing research and data collection to inform policy decisions. The report fosters a comprehensive understanding of the SRHR landscape, encouraging collaborative efforts to ensure that all individuals can enjoy their rights and access necessary health services. You can access the report here https://lnkd.in/ejikfWsP #PROGRESS2024 #MEASRHR2024