GUSO Malawi COWLHA
GUSO Malawi COWLHA
Project
The project takes a multi-component approach, working simultaneously on ensuring sexuality education, youth-friendly services and building a supportive environment.
Aidsfonds focuses its activities in Malawi, and works specifically with self-organisations of (young) people living with HIV. Through these partners, Aidsfonds aims to ensure that the rights and need of people living with HIV are fully integrated in sexuality education, health services and sexual and reproductive health policies.
Project details
Chikwawa
Objectives
The Get Up Speak Out Theory of Change (ToC) builds on the successes and experience from ASK and UFBR. Our unique added value is our ability to address the multitude of factors and actors influencing young people’s SRHR using a multi-component approach. Using our individual and joint expertise, we can successfully link (i) provision of sexuality education and information, (ii) provision of quality, youth-friendly SRH services and (iii) building support for youth SRHR, by addressing socio-cultural and political barriers in terms of practices, norms and policies
Community groups
20 youth groups are represented in the SRHR alliance structures and decision making processes. 35 educators will be trained, as well as 80 young people who will work as Community-Based Distribution Agents and Mentor Mothers. 800 young people will be reached with comprehensive SRHR information and education. 3000 young people reached by campaigns and (social) media. 378 young people will be structurally involved in the implementation of the programme at community
Background
Get Up Speak Out builds on the previous Access, Knowledge and Services (ASK) and Unite for Body Rights (UfBR) projects, which were implemented in the same countries through alliances of complementing partners.
The project aims to improve the poor sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people by strengthening civil society organisations to effectively address young people’s rights and needs. Meaningful youth participation is a key strategy to make sure the voice of young people is heard.
In Malawi young people face high risks for sexual and reproductive health problems and rights violations. Young people, including young people living with HIV, lack access to sexuality information and services and policies are often not well aligned to the reality of young people.
The consortium of partners has built a strong base of partner organisations in the countries of interventions. The next 5 years will focus on further strengthening these country alliances to effectively and sustainably address young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.