YONECO held a two-day multi-sectoral workshop in Mponela, Dowa, from 25 – 26 November to develop adolescent-friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) communication materials under the ACE Project.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from Dedza and Mchinji, including District Youth and Gender Officers, Health Promotion Officers, Youth-Friendly Health Services Coordinators, and youth representatives, to co-create messages tailored to the SRHR realities of adolescents.
Participants noted that young people face significant barriers in accessing quality SRHR information and services, including stigma, cultural taboos, and limited access to youth-friendly services. It was noted that these challenges contribute to early pregnancies, unsafe sexual practices, and other negative health outcomes.
Youth representatives played a key role in shaping the tone and language of the materials to ensure relevance and appeal to their peers.
The ACE Project, funded by KOICA and UNFPA, aims to empower adolescent girls and teenage mothers by strengthening their agency and decision-making abilities, particularly in matters of SRHR.
