WGNRR Africa is implementing the Youth SRHR Academy in Tanzania, a training program aimed at building the basic understanding of young people on issues related to gender, sexuality, sexual and reproductive rights, and human rights and their interconnections. Through funding from Amplify Change, WGNRR Africa has developed this toolkit to respond to the capacity needs expressed by young people aged 15 -21 years on the above-mentioned issues and equip them with knowledge and skills that will increase their ability to advocate for their SRHR and counter associated stigma and misconceptions.
About this toolkit
One of the most difficult aspects in implementing SRHR programmes in Tanzania is being explicit about sexuality and related topics as such concepts are taboos. This means that the programme materials and facilitators need to be sensitive in addressing openly issues such as sex before marriage, menstruation, abortion, condom use, taboos and abuse in a positive and non-judgmental way. The information should be factual and not value based. All information should be tailored to the target group, taking into account age, literacy level, ethnic background, gender and the country context.
A situational analysis on the SRHR of young people aged 15 – 21 in four regions of Tanzania, i.e. Mwanza, Kigoma, Dodoma and Dar es Salaam concluded that there is a huge gap among young people in terms of knowledge, attitudes and practices around their SRHR. The Focus Group discussion with young people in 6 districts of Tanzania, namely Kigamboni and Temeke (Dar-es-salaam), Dodoma Municipal council (Dodoma), Magu and Ilemela (Mwanza) and Kigoma Municipal and Kasulu Town Council (Kigoma) revealed that – misconception around contraceptives, HIV/AIDs and Abortion is rampant among young people; sexuality and abortion are taboo topics in their communities and surrounded by stigma; – it’s difficult for young people to access SRH services and information due to existing inadequate youth-friendly services; young people lack advocacy skills to influence policies, norms and practices that affect their SRHR; and that – caregivers invest inadequate efforts to educate young people on sexual and reproductive health matters.
It is against this background that WGNRR – Africa developed this training toolkit that draws on the national manual for health service providers on adolescent and youth-friendly reproductive health and adds targeted advocacy skills modules to empower young people in the process of fostering their leadership in advancing their SRHR in Tanzania.
The objective of the Toolkit
This toolkit has been designed with a double objective of:
- Equipping adolescents and youth with basic knowledge and skills on issues related to SRHR, human right, sexuality and gender and their interconnections in order to advocate for full access to youth friendly SRHR information and services., and
- Serving as a guide for young people when influencing their SRHR agenda to caregivers (parents, guardians), service providers, and teachers.
Expected Outcomes
It is expected that young people who participate in the full training using this toolkit will:
- Have understood the concept of gender, sexuality, reproductive rights, and human rights and their interconnections.
- Have developed positive attitude that promotes respect for human rights, including SRHR of young people and have demonstrated increased empathy for young people seeking SRH services and information.
- Be able to describe the different barriers young people encounter when seeking for SRH services and advocate for young people’s full access to SRHR.
- Have prepared a personal action plan for advancing SRHR of young people in their own communities.
