Nearly 20% of the AWR’s population is between the age of 15 to 24. This age group represents, at the same time, an opportunity and a challenge for the development of the region. It is also a period during which a number of social, economic, biological and demographic events occur and therefore require special attention. In the AWR the wellbeing of this group is under threat mostly because of the difficulties to access SRH education and services.
These difficulties are mainly the result of obstacles such as the raise of zones of conflict in the region, the unstable situation, religious and cultural barriers and demographic changes that affect young people. The average age at marriage for both sexes is raising and sexuality education in schools is not provided at all or in an inaccurate way due to the shortage of skilled teachers with accurate SRH knowledge. In addition, the ICPD goals on SRH and Youth are still far to be met. Young people are to be considered an underserved group in the region.
Young people are at the greatest risk of HIV infection. The prevalence rate of the 15-24 years old in countries like Djibouti and Sudan is high as 11.5% and 2.1%[1] . These are alarming figures.
Gender
based violence is also an issue in the region. Early marriage and FGM are very widespread in addition to other types of violence. FGM is practiced in five Arab countries varying from 98% in Egypt [2] and Djibouti [3], 90% in Sudan [4], 70% in Mauritania [5] to 23% in Yemen [6]. All this make young people more likely to be subject to violence and constitutes a disrespect of their human rights.
To build the capacities of this age group and have well informed and responsible adults, there is a clear need for more, better and accurate information about the youth SRH behaviour, attitude and needs. There is still a lack of accurate data[7].
To overcome these obstacles and to contribute to the improvement of young people’s SRH and rights, the strategy of the IPPF AWR aims at empowering young people, and respect and fulfil their sexual and reproductive rights. Based on the IPPF policy 4.7, which stipulate a full participation of young people in the design, implementation and evaluation of programmes that affect them, the 2003 RC recommended the establishment of a Regional Youth Team . Moreover, it was agreed that each MA must have at least one youth member in the board of directors making youth participation a regional priority.
At the regional level, a regional initiative to “Promote Adolescents’ SRH&R and Gender in the AWR” is being implemented in all our MAs in addition to 5 Gulf States (KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman). Young people from the region participated in the design and the implementation of this project allowing concrete youth participation at the regional level and at the MAs level.
In addition, we advocate for young people’s SRH&R at the regional or MAs level. In fact, MAs are working in close collaboration with community leaders, religious leaders, decision makers, teachers, parents and media in order to strengthen their commitment to youth SRH&R.
At the regional level, youth participation is a region priority. We strongly believe that youth should be involved in regional events (parliamentarians meeting, conferences on SRH etc..) to make their voice heard and advocate themselves for their SRH&R.
On the other side, MAs and youth volunteers are supported through capacity building or dissemination of technical materials regarding young people’s SRH&R and Gender.
Another important aspect of working with young people is networking. We established youth networks at the regional and at the MAs level. This is enhancing youth participation and allows sharing ideas and experiences and give the opportunity to spur creative ideas by youth themselves.
At the MAs’ level YP are provided with SRH information, education and services through many ways ranging from Peer Education (through training, IEC/BCC materials, and local websites) to youth friendly services.
Regarding the YFS, we are at the first stage of the establishment of youth friendly centres and we encourage experience sharing between MAs in order to expand youth friendly services. These services allow to reach young people and to increase the number of services provided to them.
The number of SRH services (including FP) provided to YP less than 25 years of age between 2005 and 2006 increased sharply from 74,947 to 358.566 [8] and we aim at higher levels through the expansion of the YFS to most of AWR’s MAs and partners in Gulf States (Oman, Somalia etc). Despite the difficulties to reach vulnerable groups we work with youth in the juvenile system, young workers out of schools, visually challenged people, sex workers, etc…
We work also with visually challenged people in Tunisia, provide services to young people in Egypt and Morocco, and with displaced people including youth in Sudan.
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[1] Country profiles for population and RH UNFPA & PRB 2005
[2] DHS 2005
[3] MOH Djibouti
[4] UNICEF 2005
[5] Idem
[6] Idem
[7] “Breaking the Silence and Saving lives : YP’s SRH in the Arab states and Iran” Shepard, S. and DeJong, J. 2005
[8] IPPF Global indicators’ Survey 2005 -2006