The Youth Amplify SRHR project is a one-year long project aimed at increasing the level of awareness and uptake of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services among young people in tertiary institutions across the southwest, Nigeria. The project will leverage on the use of digital media to reach young people with quality information on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) by engaging with students across the selected states as SRHR Champions. The champions will ensure demand generation for increased SRHR information and access to services. Click here to apply.

Research has shown that dialogue and positive guidance have been instrumental in creating an enabling environment for young people to access the knowledge of their sexual and reproductive health and rights while also creating an environment for them to access the services.

Why is SRHR Important?

 The Sustainable Development Goal 3 reflects the ambition to improve SRH services for people everywhere, including young people. This is important because young people have diverse sexual and reproductive health needs that need to be catered for and access to information about SRH services will empower young people to make informed decisions about their sexual health and well-being while ensuring they are able to maximize their life productively.

When young people are empowered to make the right sexual and reproductive health decisions, they, in turn, boost the demographic dividend of their country thus reducing the level of poverty and increasing their quality of life.

Access to sexual and reproductive service is not dependent on an active sexual life. It involves information on and access to modern contraception, information on menstruation, HIV & STI’s, testing and treatments among others. Research has also shown that knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and access to quality services have the power to improve the lives of people because it boosts their confidence and empowers them to make healthy decisions about their sexuality.

What we are doing to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services?

 Despite the importance of accessing SRHR services, young people face a number of obstacles accessing sexual and reproductive health services including the fear of being stigmatized for being sexually active, unavailability of quality services, lack of information about available SRH services among others.

HACEY Health Initiative with funding support from Amplify Change, UK, aims to work with young people in tertiary institutions across South-West states in Nigeria to increase awareness and uptake of Sexual and Reproductive Health services and products. The project will be implemented in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti States.

Tertiary education students in the participating states with a passion for SRHR are invited to apply to become SRHR Champions. 100 students will be selected from each state to participate in the program. They will be trained to advocate for increased access to SRH services by leveraging on digital media to create contents and disseminate on social media.

Empowering Young People.

   Qualified applicants into the Youth Amplify project will be trained in photography, videography and other digital media tools for storytelling.
They will also be empowered to advocate with government stakeholders in their respective states to increase access to SRHR services.
 It is expected that the engagement of SRHR champions will foster an increased uptake of SRHR services in each participating state and help to improve the health of young people. Applications to the Youth Amplify SRHR project is ongoing and will end on September 30th, 2020. Click here to apply.

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As part of HACEY’s dedication to improving the lives of women and girls in Africa, her clean water project has reached out to several women and girls in Nigeria by providing them with clean and safe drinking water and also training them on proper sanitation and hygiene ethics. 

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The UNFPA/Private Sector Celebration of ICPD@25 and UNFPA@50 will celebrate the success of the UNFPA in the last 50 years as well as showcase opportunities in investing and implementing high impact programs on improving access to sexual and reproductive health, promoting reproductive rights, reducing maternal mortality and achieving gender equality in Nigeria.

Register Here

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was created in 1969, the same year the United Nations General Assembly declared “parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.” Since then, the number and rate of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved, families are healthier, and young people are more connected and empowered than ever before. To celebrate UNFPA’s achievement in the last 50 Years, UNFPA will be holding a one-day private sector summit themed “Sustainable Population Growth, Demographic Dividend and the Future of Nigeria: The Role of the Private Sector”.

The one-day event is geared towards knowledge sharing and discussion on harnessing demographic dividend through investment in youth, the role of private sector in achieving sustainable population growth as well as highlighting strategic opportunities for private sector to partner with UNFPA to deliver high impact health and productivity programs for women, girls and young people in Nigeria. It will also involve various key stakeholders in sustainability and population experts.

The event will convene key private sector stakeholders from different sectors and technocrats from United Nations agencies who will give insights into factors affecting population growth from the lens of gender equality, adolescent and women’s health and youth unemployment and what needs to address these issues. It will also include keynote addresses, leaders’ dialogues and break-out sessions on best practices and strategies for the attainment of a healthy and productive.

Event overview: High Impact Key Stakeholders Meeting: This will be a one-day conference that will bring together key private sector stakeholders, take a holistic approach at highlighting UNFPA’s achievements and opportunities in investing and implementing high impact programs on improving access to sexual and reproductive health, promoting reproductive rights, reducing maternal mortality and achieving gender equality in Nigeria. The objectives of this conference will be:

• Highlight and showcase UNFPA’s works and achievements over 50 years to key private sector stakeholders.
• Increase the understanding of and discussions around improving women and girls’ health, wellbeing and productivity and its potential impact on Nigeria’s development, among private sector organizations.
• Motivate and support private sector organizations to develop strategies and programmes that will accelerate the impact of interventions focused on women, youth, population and poverty eradication.
• Lead a call to action by the private sector to promote investment in improving access to sexual reproductive health and rights services for women and young people through funding, core competence, technology and competence.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday June 18th 2019
Time: 8:30am – 2:00pm
Venue: Access Bank Head Office,999c Danmole Street, Victoria Island Lagos

Register Here

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Press Release on the 2019 International Day for Zero Tolerance of FGM.

The UN observes International Day for Zero Tolerance of FGM on the 6^{th of} February yearly as part of UN’s effort to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Experience of FGM increases short and long term health risks to women and girls and is unacceptable from a human rights and health perspective. It is a decision with immediate danger to their health and life-long consequences for their bodies and relationships. It also risks women’s ability to have children successfully and safely, as FGM significantly increases risk of complications for both the mother and their babies.  According to WHO, About 120 to 140 million women have been subject to FGM over the years and currently at least 3 million girls are at risk each year.

There is an increasing need for us all to work together in order to build on current work, and mobilize the support needed to stop the cycle. Prevention strategies should be comprehensive with multiple interventions undertaken in order to have long-lasting and permanent effects. All sectors, actors and stakeholders need to join the crusade to end FGM.

While evidence exists on what interventions work to eliminate female genital mutilation; from strengthening the health sector response through legislations, to generating knowledge about the causes and consequences of the practice through training and counselling and developing publications and advocacy tools for international, regional and local efforts to end FGM, much still needs to be done to achieve a society where elimination of FGM is acknowledged. Towards such efforts, we, at HACEY Health Initiative, continue to engage in this global initiative for buoying up the principle of non-violence against women and girls. As part of our contribution, we started the EndFGM Initiative which is an innovative project which targets key community influencers who are identified as major gatekeepers of the FGM culture (community leaders, local excisors, traditional birth attendants, women leaders) in Nigeria. Using human-centred design, we have helped several communities understand the dangers of FGM, walked them through the process of abandoning the practice and we have established anti-FGM group that will continuously work to sustain the impact of our intervention. Our programs have seen young mothers become activists to protect their daughters, local excisors give up their practice to speak against FGM, uncircumcised ladies being accepted socially, circumcised ladies telling their stories as a form of activism and community leaders denouncing FGM.

We urge young women and men to step up and make great impact and in the decision making process as part of the elimination of violence against women. We also believe that elimination strategies should be comprehensive, with multiple interventions undertaken

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It’s been 11 years of creating a healthy and sustainable society. This video is our way of saying thank you to for helping us create a healthy and sustainable development. Please watch and share!

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Every year, the United Nations International Day of Girls raises awareness on challenges peculiar to the girl child and advocates for her rights to gender equality. This year, HACEY Health Initiative will be holding the largest conference on the Girl Child in Nigeria to commemorate this event.

Women and girls make up roughly half of the world’s population. Unfortunately, most women and girls face the challenge of inequality as a result of their gender. This begins at birth and affects many women throughout their lifetime. The United Nation International Day of Girls held every 11^th of October is aimed at promoting the rights of the girl child and advocating for her rights to gender equality.

As part of our commitment to improving the health and productivity of young girls in Nigeria, we are hosting the largest conference on the girl child this on the International Day of Girls. This conference will provide a platform for discourse for over 2,000 adolescent girls to interact with leaders in civil societies, public and private organizations and diplomatic missions on challenges peculiar to young girls with the goal to devise strategies that will improve access to quality and continuous education for girls and end violence and discrimination against women and girls with a special focus on harmful practices such as FGM.

Thematic Areas

• Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Sexual Violence
• Girls in STEM

Event components

The Girl Child Concert, a musical presentation to celebrate the strength, address the issues, and uphold the rights of the Girl Child using music, poetry, and dance.

Panel Discussion and keynote address: Panel discussions and keynote addresses on SRHR, FGM and STEM

Exhibitions on opportunities available for girls through diplomatic missions

Counselling Sessions with trained counsellors on health, career, education etc.

Date: October 11, 2018
Time: 9:00am – 2:00pm
Venue: Queens College Hall, Yaba, Lagos.

To be part of this event, please register here.

For more information, please click here.

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Even when performed by a trained healthcare professional, female genital mutilation is not safe. Nigeria currently bears the burden for the largest number of FGM cases worldwide despite current legislation banning FGM. Dolapo Olaniyan, project lead of the EndFGM Initiative writes on the dangers of FGM and action to end FGM in Nigeria. 

Bisi, a 13-year-old Lagosian has attempted suicide 4 times; Temilade, a 6-year-old girl in Osun state still finds urination painful; and Amina, an 8-year-old in Kaduna has warts all over her genitalia, in addition to being HIV positive. One might ask, “what do these girls have in common?” Simply put, their rights were violated when over 6 people (men and women) pinned them down as crude razors, knives and snail shells cut through their genitals like chicken. Just like so many other young women and girls out there, who have survived one form of violence or the other, these girls had no voice, no one fought for their rights.

Female genital mutilation is not a thing of old as most people perceive it to be, it is still being practiced and buttered up through its medicalisation. According to World Health Organization, female genital mutilation (FGM) involves “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” In Ban ki-moon’s words, “Violence against women is violence against humanity, when we secure the rights of women and girls we advance our humanity.” Yet, over 200 million women and girls alive today have had their rights violated through Female Genital

Mutilation, with Nigeria accounting for 10% of this. Nigeria is still behind. What this figure means in essence is that 1 out of every 10 mutilated girl or woman in the world is a Nigerian. In Nigeria, social conformity (marriage acceptability), chastity, beauty, religious necessity, etc, have been the cloaks masking the reality of the adverse effects of FGM. Some of the health risks it poses are HIV/AIDS, severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths, to mention but a few. For many, the emotional and psychological trauma make them take their own lives. 

The different types of FGM being practiced are:

Type I: Clitoridectomy – partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the prepuce.

Type II: Excision – partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora.

Type III: Infibulation – cutting and sewing the labia minora and/or the labia majora together with or without excision of the clitoris.

Type IV: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes (e.g., pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, and cauterization).

As horrendous and distasteful as the above procedures may seem, the reality is that it is still being practiced and Nigerian girls below the age of 10 are majorly at risk. As reported this year by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the five high risk states in Nigeria are Osun state 77%, Ebonyi 74%, Ekiti 72%, Imo 68% and Oyo 66%. The World Health Organization puts it that more than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk annually. Bringing the number home, it means that about 300,000 girls, that’s 3 times more than the people reportedly killed by boko haram are at risk.

My experiences through the EndFGM Initiative make me categorically state that FGM is not just a health and right issue; but a development challenge. At what cost? These 300,000 girls like Bisi, Temilade and Amina we endanger yearly cannot grow to contribute to our nation’s economy; they drop out of school, add to health providers burdens and increase in medical costs through reconstructive surgeries. We lose our future presidents, commerce chambers leaders, activists, social change influencers, etc. These do not speak well for our sustainable development goals.

In Nigeria, Section 6 of The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act declares FGM as one of the major forms of violence against women and girls, however, most Nigerians do not know this exist. This was passed into law by former president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2015 and the section is highlighted below:

The circumcision or genital mutilation of the girl child or woman is hereby prohibited.

1. A person who performs female circumcision or genital mutilation or engages another to carry out such circumcision or mutilation commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 4 years or to a fine not exceeding N200,000.00 or both.
2. A person who attempts to commit the offence provided for in subsection (2) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or to a fine not exceeding N100,000.00 or both.
3. A person who incites, aids, abets, or counsels another person to commit the offence provided for in subsection (2) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or to a fine not exceeding NJ 00,000.00 or both.

This law is however faced with challenges of implementation and domestication across states of the federation. How then do we achieve zero FGM in Nigeria? Research has shown that a multi-faceted approach is effective in tackling female genital mutilation, involving the contribution of stakeholders across all sectors. This will include:

Research

evidence-based research is key in advocating for the total end of FGM in Nigeria. Nigeria is way behind in quantitative and qualitative representation. Lack of evidence to back up the problem is the main reason why people do not believe that FGM exists. It is also key to providing evidences of interventions that are working, so they can be reproduced across all settings for the purpose of achieving zero FGM in Nigeria. Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan, Senior Associate, Population Council in a recent interview stressed that “evidence is a critical way in moving forward, we need to know the numbers and strengthen our capacities on documenting what we are doing to make it work”. Not having evidence can pose a huge problem, as researched in Somalia by Richard Powell, Mohammed Yussuf and Bettina Shell-Duncan (Population Council). They concluded that “If a dialogue is not underpinned by reliable data, the antagonistic debates on FGM will be unabated”

The media

The media is a powerful tool to effect societal change in behaviours and perceptions. Leveraging on the media (traditional and social media) to curate content to raise awareness on dangers of FGM will increase sensitization on best practices to end the harmful practice and increase consciousness of the penalties attached to committing the criminal act. Increasing awareness on the dangers of FGM across high risk communities through edutainment (education through videos) will also help in reducing it across high risk communities.

Community Rites/Culture

It is also very important to note that most perpetrators of FGM (local excisors) do this for a living. Hence, to see to the complete abandonment of this practice, they have to be empowered with vocational skills which will generate a better and alternative source of income for them. Breaking normative trends can be effectively achieved by creating alternative rites-of-passage ceremonies for young girls in risk communities.

Policymakers and enforcers

law enforcers need to be sensitized about the existence of the VAPP Act; they need to know that they have the right, according to law to arrest anyone perpetrating the act or aiding and abetting. This will enable them gain the trust of Nigerians who want to report FGM incidents and make them feel safe that their rights are protected. Policymakers should be actively involved in ending FGM by driving their commitments through branding.

Several countries and initiatives have proven through evidence that using a combination of the above processes are very effective in curbing female genital mutilation. I strongly believe that with the above methods, I see a Nigeria where the front pages of newspapers and news headlines read “no more FGM in Nigeria”, even before 2030.

Dolapo Olaniyan,

Project Lead, EndFGM Initiative

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Wale is a young guy, enterprising, hardworking and single. He goes house hunting and met with the Landlord, paperwork is done and he gets the apartment.

I am a young woman, enterprising, hardworking and single. I went house hunting and met with the Landlord, he denies me of getting the apartment because I am a single woman.

Toju is 30 and he and part of the management staff of a multinational. He drives a luxury car and lives in the highbrow area. He wears designer outfits and attends high society functions and he is a bachelor.

Everyone sings his praises because of his achievement as a single man. Chidinma is 30 and part of the management staff in a multinational. She drives a luxury car and lives in the highbrow area. She wears designer outfits and attends high society functions and she is single. But everyone mocks her because she is a single woman.

Mr Yesuf lost his wife 6 months ago, and he his left with his 3 children. Last week he invited us for his wedding and everyone was happy for him.

Mrs Ajadi lost her husband 5 years ago, and she is left with her 3 children. Last week she invited us for her wedding and everyone was beginning to judge her because she is a woman.

Why do I always have to be on the receiving end, why do I always have to be the second option, why do I always have to miss opportunities, why do I always have to dim my shine, why can’t I be celebrated for my achievements, because I am a Woman?

I am equal to the man and can achieve whatever the man can, why can’t I be celebrated as much as the man.

All I want is to leave a mark because I AM A WOMAN.

Women and girls everywhere must have equal rights and opportunity and be able to live free of violence and discrimination. Women’s equality and empowerment is SDG 5 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but also integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development. Leaving no one behind, with stepped up action on gender equality, every part of the world can make progress towards sustainable development by 2030.

Omowunmi Mobee.

#GenderEquality #Women #Girls #WomenEmpowerment #Equality4All #Development #SRH #SRHR #paygap #genderpaygap #metoo

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In almost every society of the world, gender inequality at various levels prevents women and girls from reaching their full potential. This is not only hinders the development of women and girls, it also prevents societies, especially in the developing world from reaching their full potential. 

“Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.”

– Kofi Anan

In Nigeria and most parts of the world girls are usually taught to cook, take care of the household and repeatedly told their roles end in the kitchen. There is also gender disparity in education; according to United Nations, about 10.5million children are out of school in Nigeria, out of which 6.3million are girls.

When Fatima was a little girl, she always had lots of questions in her mind, she didn’t quite agree with the social norms that propagates discrimination against women and girls. While she was 15, her parents told her that they will be marrying her off soon. She asked, “Why?” “Because it’s normal for you to get married at this age and everyone does it. She didn’t think that was a good enough reason and she bluntly refused. Her tenacity and determination surprised her parents. Other parents could have forced the girl into marriage, but her parents didn’t. Fatima went on to achieve her dreams of becoming a journalist, she eventually got married at 24.

“When the world invests in women and girls. Everybody wins”

UNICEF says there is gender equality when women and men, and girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protections. It does not require that girls and boys, or women and men, be the same, or that they be treated exactly alike.”

Although there are existing policies on women and girls’ right in Nigeria such as National Gender Policy, published research show that these policies are not well translated into action most especially at community level. For women in many communities in Nigeria, access to basic health services and economic opportunities is still limited.

Gender equality is not strictly limited to creating advantages for women. “Gender equality” means simply that every human has access to the same benefits, which is why equality affects everyone.

Gender equality in key to the social development of any country. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, healthcare, labour market and representation in governance and decision-making is not about outshining men or making them inferior. It is a social development towards creating a productive society and achieving sustainable development goals.

Today, Fatima supports her family, she is not dependent on her husband and everyone is happy. She is also a source of inspiration to so many other young women and girls. She is teaching women to ditch stereotypes and traditions that relegate women to the ground.

Unfortunately, the battle to end discrimination against women still goes on in many parts of the country because it is deeply rooted in cultures and traditions. To fight gender inequality in our society, it is important for civil society organizations to collaborate with the government and private sector to develop and implement policies that will empower girls, ensure elimination of harmful practices, close the gender gap, develop initiatives that improve wellbeing and promote support (such as Safe spaces) and invest more in girl’s education, invest in the health sector especially primary health care where most women resort to antenatal care.

Mary Adeoye

#GenderEquality #Women #Girls #WomenEmpowerment #Equality4All #Development #SRH #SRHR #paygap #genderpaygap #metoo

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