Supporting Adolescents’ Health and Rights
Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health must be supported. This means providing access to comprehensive sexuality education services to prevent, diagnose and treat STIs, and counseling on family planning. It also means empowering young people to know and exercise their rights – including the right to delay marriage and the right to refuse unwanted sexual advances. CYAN KENYA partners with the Ministry of Health in Suba South Sub-County, the local administration, schools, and the Beach Management Units (BMUs) to ensure ASRH rights are accepted and upheld in their jurisdiction.
The organization conducts the following key activities to ensure the adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights are observed:
- Conduct monthly advocacy forums with the local administration, chiefs, village elders and police to ensure ASRHR goals and values are taken with the upmost consideration and respect.
- Provide comprehensive sexuality education to adolescent and youths in school, and out of school, by forming health clubs which will ensure sustainability.
- Offer demand creation services on the uptake of the modern contraceptives and Long Term and Reversible Contractions (LARC) among the youths.
- CYAN Kenya partners with health facilities Suba South and North Sub-County hospitals, Tudor health clinic, and Sori lakeside hospitals to provide one on one health talks to youths in these health facilities.
- Conduct monthly community youth outreaches to provide comprehensive sexuality education to adolescents and youths.
- CYAN Kenya partners with PS Kenya and the Ministry of Health to provide contraceptives (e.g. condoms) which are distributed to youths and made available in the community condom dispensers which are placed strategically in social areas in Sindo and Mbita towns, and around the community
Youth-Friendly Services
CYAN Kenya works with Government stakeholders, NGOs and other partners. It also advocates for, and supports, the efficient delivery of a holistic, youth-friendly health-care package of services. These include:
- Universal access to accurate sexual and reproductive health information.
- A range of safe and affordable contraceptive methods.
- Sensitivity counselin
- Quality obstetric and antenatal care for all pregnant women and girls, and the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
- Organize youth friendly activities, like sports and theatre performances, which bring youths together helping them to learn through peer support.