The government of Canada, which comes under Global Affairs Canada, has launched four projects in order to work on the health and rights of women and girls in Uganda.
Global Affairs Canada, through its partners; CARE Canada, ADRA Canada, Oxfam Canada, and Right to Play International, is funding the projects, all contributing to the National Development Plan III (NDP) that is geared towards improving the quality of life of Uganda’s population by harnessing the Demographic Dividend (DD).
While speaking at the event, the Commissioner in charge of Reproductive Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jessica Nsungwa, praised the Canadian government for supporting sexual reproductive health and adolescent rights and skills, gender equality, and economic empowerment.
Young people of Uganda are facing continuously sexual and reproductive health risks, and the funded projects by GAC will help to examine factors associated with broad categories of sexual and reproductive health, including sexual behavior; sexual education, access to contraceptive services; family planning; prevention of STDs; sexual license as a right; gender-based violence; as well as HIV testing, counseling, disclosure, and support,” Nsungwa noted.
As a result, she introduced two new projects: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Economic Empowerment, the Supporting Out of School Adolescent Girls’ Rights and Skills project, which CARE Uganda will implement, and Restless Development.
The programs aim to increase awareness of health-related rights on the part of highly vulnerable and marginalized women and girls, particularly out-of-school adolescent girls between 10 and 19 years old.
Through this project, they will provide training and support for educators and healthcare providers in order to ensure that all adults have access to sexual reproductive health information and services.
Apollo B. Gabazira, CARE International’s Country Director, stated the joint launch aims to improve collaboration among partners working in Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) and amplify their voices to achieve a more significant impact as they advocate for increased access SRH information and services for young people.
He encouraged all the partners to support ASRH indicators by addressing harmful social norms affecting ASRH, including strengthening policy action against children, early and forced marriage, addressing policy gaps about access to sexual reproductive health information and services for adolescents.
ADRA will implement the project “Uniting for Gender Equality for the Enjoyment of Women’s and Girls’ Total Health and Rights,” which aims to raise awareness of health-related rights for vulnerable people, particularly those facing intersectional oppression due to gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability.
The project will assign individuals and communities to advocate for better sexual and reproductive health services and policies. It will educate and encourage young people to engage with their communities and governments to make their voices heard.
