By Hassan Zaggi
In an effort to improve access to comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of adolescent girls and women, the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Norwegian government have signed an agreement worth 48,000,000 NOK which is equivalent to 4,922,232.00 dollars.
Apart from consolidating the recently concluded Norway funded project in Gombe and Akwa Ibom, the goal of the current projectis to improve access to comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of adolescent girls and women in selected local government areas of Gombe, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna States.
The expected beneficiaries of the project include 180,000 women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years) at risk of unplanned pregnancies access quality family planning information and contraceptive services; 2,000 women and girls living with complications of obstetric fistula access obstetric fistula treatment and reintegration services and 6,500 adolescent girls (4,000 aged 10-14 years and 2,500 aged 15-19 years) at risk of early and forced marriages acquire SRH and gender equality knowledge including essential life skills.
Other expected benefits of the project include 30,000 adolescent boys access information on sexual & reproductive health including STI/HIV, gender equality and ending harmful practices; 520 healthcare workers trained to deliver quality SRH/FP including emergency obstetric care and fistula management services and 330 teachers trained as mentors for girls and boys.
According to the UNFPA, it is expected that 2,500,000 community members (men, women, boys and girls) reached with information on sexual & reproductive health and gender equality; 90 health workers benefit from information and knowledge sharing by their peers on quality obstetric fistula prevention, treatment and rehabilitation/ reintegration services; 2,400 female teachers benefit from information and knowledge on managing safe spaces from their peers; and 1000 male teachers benefit from information and knowledge sharing (on managing youth clubs) from their peers.
The project objectives include improving access to quality family planning counselling and services for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age; increasing access to quality emergency obstetric and newborn care services for women and girls and increasing access to quality obstetric fistula care and prevention services for women and girls living with obstetric fistula.
Other objectives include increasing access to sexual & reproductive health information and life skills for adolescent girls; increase access to information on sexual & reproductive health including STI/HIV, gender equality and ending harmful practices for men and boys; and increase the operational capacities of national partners and civil society organizations to address social norms in order to improve access to SRH services and gender equality.
UNFPA therefore applauded the governments of Gombe, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna State for their contribution and collaboration towards achieving UNFPA’s three transformative results of ending unmet need for family planning, ending preventable maternal deaths and ending violence against women and girls including harmful practices.
UNFPA, however, reiterated its commitment to ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
