This year’s International Women’s Day theme was ‘Digit All: Innovation and technology for gender equality’, which shone a light on the advent of new digital technologies, and their effect on the lives of women, girls, and gender non-conforming people. The birth of the internet has brought about significant shifts and opportunities, especially for women, girls, […]
In March this year, the President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, ended the national ban on emergency contraceptives. Since the morning after pill was prohibited in 2009, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) activists have been fighting to lift this ban and ensure access to these essential health services. Hivos has long-standing partnerships with feminist […]
When a 17-year-old girl in Zambia started a blog to discuss girls’ safety, she never imagined it would be read nearly 200,000 times in a few years. Esther Mwema started her blog to address the safety crisis she saw affecting girls. She soon found out she wasn’t alone. A global community grew rapidly around her […]
NAMAYINGO TOWN, Uganda — Young people find it easy to talk to 20-year-old Rebecca. Not only is she confident, warm and knowledgeable, particularly about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), but she openly shares her life challenges. Despite her young age, Rebecca has experienced many life challenges. She became pregnant while still a teenager, […]
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – In 2017, an estimated 303,000 maternal deaths were recorded globally and of these, Africa accounted for 66 per cent. To address the high number of maternal deaths on the continent, WHO in collaboration with UNFPA, UNICEF and partners support Member States to ensure women and girls have access to quality and […]
Blog by Lydia Zigomo, UNFPA Regional Director A poignant story about a woman from Malawi this week resonates deeply with me. At the age of 40, Mary went for cervical cancer screening and tested positive. Because the cancer had spread to her uterus, her only option was a hysterectomy. But Mary had been trying for […]
Johannesburg, South Africa – More than 100 young people from 14 countries across East and Southern Africa gathered for a three- and half-day summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, to delve into critical issues on HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The young delegates represented organizations working in the sectors of HIV, sexual and reproductive […]
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Imagine being a young person with HIV in a rural area, with poor roads, limited access to transport, and an urgent need to access adolescent and youth-friendly health services. “Young people in Malawi face the challenge of travelling long distances to reach the facilities where sexual and reproductive health and rights […]
The Global Youth Connect project hosted the ‘Global Youth Connect Meet Up Week,’ a significant linking and learning event attended by young SRHR advocates from different IPPF Member Associations working towards implementing this project. Through various interactive workshops, sessions, and forums, attendees had the opportunity to share experiences, learn, and unlearn from fellow young SRHR […]
From the early hours of the earthquakes that struck Syria and Turkey on Monday 6th February 2023, youth volunteers rushed down to the earthquake sites, along with the staff of the Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA) to help survivors and those affected by the earthquakes. For about 12 hours per day, the volunteers organized themselves […]
