We can do a lot together

Joint Advocacy For Sexual Reproductive Health And Rights In Uganda envisions progressive policies, laws and bi-laws/ordinances towards advancing SRHR, advocacy initiatives by grassroots movements for SRHR in the core constituencies including; reviewed archaic legislations and policies that impact the realisation of Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, progressive judgments secured on the SRHR and evidence generated and used for advocacy at district and national levels. The project goal for the programme is "A progressive social movement boldly challenging the deep structures affecting the realisation of SRHR in Uganda.

Enabling access to youth friendly services in Jinja and Mayuge

Through the support of trained peer educators in both Jinja and Mayuge, Young people are supported to embrace their sexuality by making it easy for them to access information regarding Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights targeting people between 10-24 years. The target population in East Central Uganda is characterized by high teenage pregnancy accounting for 30.3%, high HIV prevalence of about 7.2%, early marriages with the median age of first marriage being 17.3 years, and a high fertility rate of 7.5.

Objectives of Get Up Speak Out

  1. To increase access and provision of Youth Friendly Services so as to avert SRHR challenges in the chosen districts
  2. To foster inclusion of Young People by offering the Peer Educators platform which enables them to interact and to encourage conversation regarding the role of youth in the community.
  3. To spearhead meaningful youth participation and youth led interventions.
  4. To raise awareness on key SRHR issues and violations occurring in communities and effectively communicating them.

How it all works

Implemented together with partners in the SRHR Alliance, Get Up Speak Out (GUSO) is a 5 year (2016-2020) strategic partnership between the Netherlands MoFA and the GUSO consortium (dance4life, Rutgers, Simavi, Stop Aid Now, Choice and IPPF). GUSO is building on Access Skills and Knowledge (ASK) achievements and lessons learned implemented by the SRHR Alliance. RAHU implements the GUSO project in Jinja and Mayuge districts.

20 Young people from each district are chosen and trained with different skills, empowered with communication regarding SRHR and they become peer educators. The selected and trained young people take on a mandate to become the voice of other young people. They also engage in different activities that enable them to support other young people by imparting information and skills regarding SRHR so as to enable their counterparts to make informed decisions.

Impact

  • Young people have been empowered with SRHR information, education and skills to be able to support their peers.
  • Access and provision of youth friendly services has improved as a result of constant grass root and district based advocacy and lobbying.
  • The program has empowered young people to be able to sustain themselves economically and financially through the GUSO Flex innovation of Health Entrepreneurs.