Namibia: Unesco Eyes Youth Organisations Working On Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

15 December 2023
Namibia Economist (Windhoek)

By Freeman Ya Ngulu.

Health education based on life skills plays a pivotal role in the lives of young people by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to make informed decisions about their health, including their sexual and reproductive health.

Hence by 22 December 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a specialised agency of the UN that promotes world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, science and culture, seeks to engage the service of a youth-led or youth-serving organisation working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to boost the access of young people to health education.

UNESCO said it is committed to enhance the access of young people to comprehensive health education based on life skills and to sexual and reproductive health knowledge, to empower them to make informed decisions about this aspect of their lives. To achieve this, they are seeking a partner who can co-create, develop, and disseminate information using cutting-edge digital and low-tech innovations.

UNESCO believes that young people, who are the primary beneficiaries, should play a central role in shaping the design and content of these innovations. The objectives of the Call for a Partnership is to enhance youth engagement and participation throughout the project, from design to implementation and dissemination.

The successful organisation will be responsible to organise workshops and consultations involving young people and experts to develop sexual health content for dissemination through smartphone apps, social media, radio, and TV programmes. The idea is to create and disseminate informative, engaging, and culturally sensitive content on sexual health and gender violence tailored to the needs and preferences of young people.

Furthermore, the proposed strategy must include means to track the number of young people reached by the messages for reporting to UNESCO. The implementing partner will be expected to maintain regular communication with and feedback to the local UNESCO office, as a measure to determine reach and penetration of the programme.

Applicants must be a youth-led or youth-serving civil society organization with a demonstrated commitment to sexual and reproductive health of young people. They must have at least 18 months experience in implementing projects related to sexual health and gender violence, particularly in the context of digital and low-tech innovations.

In terms of content, the organisation must be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the cultural, social, and legal contexts related to sexual and reproductive health and possess an on-the-go ability to mobilize and engage young people from diverse backgrounds and regions.

For more information, visit UNESCO.

(Image courtesy of UNESCO)

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