Lack of quality information, capacity building, counseling, and mentoring often resort in poor development for the girl child, which in turn hampers development in many countries, leaving them with less access to opportunities and less power over their own destiny. Restrictions on access to education and opportunities for women’s health and well-being perpetuate a generational cycle of poverty. It is imperative that we invest in the girl child by conceiving and implementing strategic programs that promote their growth, health, and well-being.

Safe space is a place where people can be themselves without fear of being harassed, bullied, or otherwise harmed, and where they can express themselves without fear of being judged or ridiculed. For girls, safe spaces are especially important because they provide a welcoming and empowering setting to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for a bright future.

Our PAVE for Girls program which is to be implemented in two local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos state: Ikorodu and Lekki, will engage and empower the girl child. Due to the fact that the primary health facilities in the project locations are most times not youth-friendly, this may create a barrier to access sexual and reproductive health care services and may lead to increased unfavorable outcomes such as pregnancy at a young age. We solicit the participation and cooperation of girls, educational institutions, and other important community organizations (including community leaders).

viding access to resources (human and information) on mental, sexual, and reproductive health and rights for adolescent girls is one of our project’s main goals. It also aims to empower girls to make their own decisions and take advantage of opportunities by providing life-skills training, mentorship, and information on financial literacy and vocational training.

Please visit our website, hacey.org, for additional information on the PAVE for Girls Project.

Written By:

Michael Adegboye

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Lack of quality information, capacity building, counseling, and mentoring often resort in poor development for the girl child, which in turn hampers development in many countries, leaving them with less access to opportunities and less power over their own destiny. Restrictions on access to education and opportunities for women’s health and well-being perpetuate a generational cycle of poverty. It is imperative that we invest in the girl child by conceiving and implementing strategic programs that promote their growth, health, and well-being.

Safe space is a place where people can be themselves without fear of being harassed, bullied, or otherwise harmed, and where they can express themselves without fear of being judged or ridiculed. For girls, safe spaces are especially important because they provide a welcoming and empowering setting to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for a bright future.

Our PAVE for Girls program which is to be implemented in two local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos state: Ikorodu and Lekki, will engage and empower the girl child. Due to the fact that the primary health facilities in the project locations are most times not youth-friendly, this may create a barrier to access sexual and reproductive health care services and may lead to increased unfavorable outcomes such as pregnancy at a young age. We solicit the participation and cooperation of girls, educational institutions, and other important community organizations (including community leaders).

viding access to resources (human and information) on mental, sexual, and reproductive health and rights for adolescent girls is one of our project’s main goals. It also aims to empower girls to make their own decisions and take advantage of opportunities by providing life-skills training, mentorship, and information on financial literacy and vocational training.

Please visit our website, hacey.org, for additional information on the PAVE for Girls Project.

Written By:

Michael Adegboye

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The girl child victims experience an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, pain, illness, unwanted pregnancy, social isolation, and psychological trauma and, in turn, have resorted to risky behaviors such as substance use, as well as suicidal tendencies in other to cope with trauma. Experiencing child sexual abuse can also increase a person’s risk for future victimization. For example, recent studies have found that; Females exposed to child sexual abuse are at 2-13 times increased risk of sexual violence victimization in adulthood, and people who experienced child sexual abuse are at twice the risk for non-sexual intimate partner violence. In most cases, the girl child is abused and then made to feel personally responsible, guilty, or persecuted. They are often threatened with violence if they speak up about the sexual abuse or abuser, which has affected victims’ self-esteem and confidence. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, the year 2020 recorded a fourfold increase in various forms of violence against women and girls. This underscored the need to continue to fund, respond to, prevent the occurrence and collect robust evidence of violence against them.

No community has developed mechanisms that ensure that none of their female children will be sexually abused, but there are several ways we can help to stop this social menace in our society and this includes; Speaking to a girl child in your family or community about sexual abuse, tell them that unwanted contact is never acceptable and that it’s OK to speak up if someone makes them uncomfortable; Perpetrators should be held accountable for abuse and ensure victims know that justice is served to their abuser; Also members of the society should support survivors and call out sexual violence and harassment when they see it, this would help girls to live and work in safety as they grow up. Parents should watch those they bring to their homes, particularly the so-called aunties, uncles, and family friends. They should also create the time to interact with their children as this would help the children open up when they have challenges or have suffered any form of sexual abuse.

In conclusion, a comprehensive campaign is needed that combats sexual abuse, gender-based inequalities, discrimination, exploitation, oppression, inhuman values, and violations of human rights against the girl child. People must radically change their attitudes and actions towards girl children, this is because the girl children are not a commodity or sex objects but “humans’ worthy to be loved, respected, valued and cared for.”

Visit us at www.Hacey.org for more on the girl child.

Written By:

Mercy Kalu

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Let’s look at Grace’s story (real name withheld). At 17, Grace got admission to the great University of Lagos to study Medicine & Surgery. Grace was excited to move with her Uncle in Lagos, away from her parents, because she heard Lagos was fun. Uncle Gbade, a single working-class man who lived in a rented apartment, was happy to receive Grace. However, two weeks upon arrival, the COVID-19 lockdown was announced, and Grace and Uncle Gbade were locked in the apartment. 

One day, while Grace was making dinner for the two of them, Uncle Gbade walked behind and started caressing her. Grace became uncomfortable and warded him off, but Uncle Gbade wouldn’t desist from her. He eventually raped her several times.

Grace found out she was pregnant three weeks later and didn’t know what to do. She was ignorant about her sexual and reproductive health rights. She finally decided to tell Uncle Gbade about the growing pregnancy. Uncle Gbade would not take it, and he took her to a quack doctor who attempted to remove the fetus. Grace lost her life in the process as a result of ignorance. If she knew better, she would have done better.

Twenty-five years after the (ICPD) 1994 aimed at addressing issues of human rights, population, sexual and reproductive health, many challenges still remain. Too many young people are being left behind on intimate partner or sexual violence.

A range of social, cultural, political, and economic factors and inequalities strongly influences an adolescent’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH). For example, family planning information and services are often tailored specifically for married women. When a young woman asks questions about SRH, she is often frowned at and perceived as promiscuous or immoral.

These factors increase vulnerability to SRH risks (e.g., unsafe sex, sexual coercion) and pose barriers to accessing SRH services. 

Globally, young girls and women have been at the receiving end of the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented. Like many other services, the availability and accessibility to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services were impacted negatively, causing distress, anxiety and fear among women and girls. 

“During the COVID-19 lockdown in April, May and June 2020, there was a reduction in uptake of family planning services compared to January, February and March when there was no restriction”. – Reports from Adolescent and Youth-friendly centres in Lagos State.

Conclusively, in addressing the underlying determinants of the Adolescent and Young people’s sexual reproductive health and rights, it is imperative to work with various stakeholders such as parents, community members, and policymakers. Also, it is a matter of urgency that every nation promotes the digitalization of their health system. This will ensure that everyone has unlimited access to health information and services irrespective of their location, especially in the event of another global epidemic. 

Sexual Right is a Human Right! 

ICPD – International Conference on Population and Development.

Written by Kemi Omole.

Edited by Tomiyin Ayibiowu.

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In a statement, the Coordinator, UNFPA/YP, George Adjete, disclosed that the collaboration by both organisations was aimed at raising awareness, training and granting young people access to available sexual and reproductive health, education.

The statement also indicated that over 100,000 youths in four states: Oyo, Lagos, Osun and Ekiti would be trained successfully under the initiative, Beyond Treatment For You Project (BT4U).

It noted that the project was piloted in response to the new political declaration on AIDS 2021, as well as the emergence of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement revealed that over 300 adolescents were trained on menstrual hygiene. While 63 got free HIV testing services, over 50 young SRHR Policy advocates were trained on evidence-based advocacy.

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HACEY Health Initiative, a leading development organisation focused on improving the health and productivity of the vulnerable and under-served population in Africa formed the group and tasked them with the role of advocating for improved access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) information and services for young people.

The Independent Working Group (IWG) is constituted of 6 students who have shown interest in increasing young people’s awareness of their sexual Health and Rights while also increasing access to youth-friendly SRH services.

The visit which took place at the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Health on Tuesday had in attendance the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Pharm. Folukemi Aladenola;  Director of Family, Health and Nutrition, Dr. Isaac Aladeniyi; other key officers of the ministry and HACEY’s Youth Amplify Project Manager, Kemi Omole.

Aladenola Folukemi applauded the move by the group stating that Young People’s Sexual and Reproductive Health is an integral part of their total wellbeing and needs to be hugely prioritized.

The Permanent Secretary emphasized that it was more pertinent to encourage the spread of the news of abstinence amongst young people as this will help young people preserve their dignity.

HACEY’s Youth Amplify Project Manager, Kemi Omole stated that conservative society often frowns at sex education as it believes that this leads to increased sexual behaviour, but that sexual health education enables young people to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health and rights.

In a document shared by IWG, they stated that “SRH rights and full availability of the associated human rights are at the core of young people’s transition into adulthood and has a good likelihood of influencing their health and life outcomes and there is a mandatory need to support and uphold these rights to prevent the occurrence of its negative impact.

“Young people need to be educated, healthy, free from STIs and HIV, and not exposed to violence, unintended pregnancy or unsafe abortion regardless of their identity.

“Young people are digital natives and mostly turn to social media as a platform for interaction, connection, and access to information, it is of utmost importance to leverage this platform as a tool for disseminating accurate SRH information,” the document read.

They went on to state the importance of providing opportunities for active participation for young people to contribute, learn and explore their sexual health needs and rights. If this is not ensured the consequences for young people are almost always evident in the status of their overall health & wellbeing, education, and future work life.

HACEY selected the students and tasked them with the roles of monitoring and giving recommendations on how to improve the quality of delivery of SRH services in the state, suggest policy recommendations to the State Ministry of Health from learnings from the project, provide feedback from young people who used the services, amongst other key role bothering on Youth and their access to sexual health information.

The Youth Amplify project implemented by HACEY and funded by Amplify Change U.K is designed to increase awareness and uptake of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and products amongst young people in tertiary institutions in Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States, Nigeria. This project seeks to leverage the power of digital media especially social media to create awareness about SRH among young people as well as inform them on available SRH services in each state and how they can access such services.

HACEY supports the ideology that every individual in the society has the right to make his or her own choice about sexual and reproductive health in fulfilling fundamental human rights obligations.  

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Myth 1: Emergency Contraception is Only for the Morning After
You don’t have to wait until the morning after unprotected sex to use the emergency contraceptive pill. In fact, it’s more effective the sooner you take it – as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If pregnancy is not in your plans right now, it’s a good idea to have the emergency contraceptive pill within easy reach, just in case. However, although the emergency contraceptive pill is a safe and effective way to avoid pregnancy for the occasional sexual mishap, it should never be used as a regular method of birth control.

Myth 2: You’re protected for the rest of your cycle
Taking the emergency contraceptive pill does not protect you from pregnancy later on in your cycle. If you have sex again before you have your period, you would need to use another form of contraception. Emergency contraception is not designed to be used as a regular form of contraception but can be used more than once in a cycle if necessary.

Myth 3: The morning after pill makes you infertile
The morning after pill acts as temporary contraception, and there is currently no evidence that using it increases the risk of infertility. It is not even effective for any subsequent times you have sex after taking it.

Myth 4: You’ll experience side effects from the morning-after pill
The morning after pill is considered safe to use, and not everyone will experience emergency contraception side effects. While some people report side effects such as headaches, nausea, tiredness, and irregular menstrual bleeding, many people do not experience anything negative at all.

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However, there are still inadequate Youth Friendly Family Planning (FP) services to cater to this growing population of young people. The proportion who uses contraceptives relies on available methods over the counter (condoms and Emergency Contraceptive Pills ECP’s) or other traditional means for preventing pregnancy (concoctions).
Additionally, the unavailability of a policy that expressly gives young people unrestricted access to FP services without parental consent or providers’ discretion limits young people’s confidence in visiting the available centres due to fear of providers bias. Based on feedback received from beneficiaries on the Youth Amplify project across the five implementation states (Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Lagos and Ekiti), lack of information on contraceptives to make informed choices, socio-cultural beliefs and provider’s attitudes remain a significant challenge to acceptability and use of contraception amongst young people.
Evidence has shown that contraception presents excellent opportunities and benefits for Nations and their economies by preventing pregnancy-related health risks, reducing infant mortality, preventing HIV/AIDS, empowering people, enhancing education, reducing adolescent pregnancies, and slowing population growth. Since 2017, every 26th September has been set aside to commemorate World Contraception Day to raise public awareness on contraception and enable young people to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.
This year’s event, which is themed My life, My responsibility, re-enforces the right of every female to decide when and the number of children to bear.
HAPPY WORLD CONTRACEPTION DAY

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According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey, the median age at first sexual initiation among women is 17.2 years, while 19% of women age 15 -19 have begun childbearing, 14% have given birth, and 4% are pregnant with their first child. This survey also reported that young people who initiate sex at an early age are typically at higher risk of becoming pregnant or contracting a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) than young people who start sex later.

All these statistics point to the need for a more aggressive and targeted SRHR programming towards adolescents and young people in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID 19 pandemic restrictions, lockdown and realities of the new normal, young people, especially girls, were faced with hindrances to access quality SRH information and services; as a result of scale down/closing of SRH management services, SRH staff diverted to fulfil other needs, women and girls living with perpetrators, fear to go to health facilities for SRH services etc. This was evident in the increased reporting of rape, sexual assault, sexual coercion, teenage pregnancy and dropout of children from school during the period by the Lagos State Ministry of Health SRH unit in October 2020.

We are in a digital era, and young people are the primary drivers of this era, from the innovators to the users. This digitization has come to stay and is evident with the rapid introduction of innovations in agriculture, education, health and more. That said, young people seek digital media for reasons ranging from news & information, social connection & communication, and advocacy & advertisement. 

An Engaging Type Of Digital Media;

Social media is a routine activity that research has shown to benefit young people by enhancing communication, social connection and even technical skills. Social media offers multiple opportunities to connect with friends and people with shared interests. Thus a large proportion of communication and information sharing on several topics, including SRH related between young people, occurs through mobile phones and other computer devices.

Therefore, it is strategic to incorporate this platform and digital tools into SRHR programming to meet the SRH needs of young people and develop a working SRH plan and policy for young people that enables them to access needed information and services irrespective of their location.

The Youth Amplify Project

The Amplify change program, #Youthamplify SRHR champions, is designed to increase awareness and uptake of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and products amongst young people in tertiary institutions in Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States, Nigeria. This project seeks to leverage the power of digital media, especially social media to create awareness about SRH among young people and inform them of available SRH services in each state and how they can access such services. To this end, out of 120 students who had applied and shown their interest in becoming an SRH champion, 100 were selected and trained across the tertiary institutions. We have trained them on the components of Sexual and Reproductive Health, creating SRH promotional content such as short videos, graphics, and developing relevant and youth-friendly SRHR information that will increase young people’s awareness of their sexual health rights and access youth-friendly centres. 

SRH rights and full availability of the associated human rights are at the core of young people’s transition into adulthood and reasonably influence their health and life outcomes. Therefore, there is a mandatory need to support and uphold these rights to prevent it’s negative impact. Young people need to be educated, healthy, free from STIs and HIV, and not exposed to violence, unintended pregnancy or unsafe abortion regardless of their identity.

The post Improving access to sexual and reproductive services for young people. appeared first on HACEY.

The training expanded the focal persons’ knowledge to understand Female Genital Mutilation/cutting, its prevalence and trends, its consequences, the medicalization and the laws against FGM/C in Nigeria and Ekiti State.
The training was followed by the distribution of some materials required by the community focal persons, which included; Nose masks, hand sanitisers, and reporting forms.

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