Improving reproductive health rights in Uganda

The Situation: There are more young people today, and HIV/AIDS has affected more than half of the world's population that is under the age of 25 years. Uganda's young population is 52% of the population and this is the age that is most affected by HIV/AIDs. The high risk sexually active women account for 16% of the youth, while high risk sexually active men account for 36%. Related to these behavioural challenges are unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and cross-generational sex that are grossly exploitative, especially for the girl child. Adolescents are frequently reluctant to seek sexual and reproductive health services (SRH).

In Uganda, adolescent health and development is constrained by translation of the relevant policies to practice. Recent studies done in central Uganda have shown that there is need for a critical assessment of adolescent friendly services (AFS) to gain insights on current practice and inform future interventions. This study aimed to assess the sexual reproductive health needs of the adolescents and explored their attitudes towards current services available.

Our research results clearly show that adolescents have real SRH issues that need to be addressed. In and out-of-school adolescents had sexuality problems such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), defilement, rape, substance abuse. Unique to the females was the issue of sexual advances by older men and adolescents. We further highlight RH needs which would be solved by establishing adolescent friendly clinics with standard recommended characteristics (sexuality information, friendly health providers, a range of good clinical services such as post abortion care etc.). With regard to health seeking behaviour, most adolescents do not take any action at first until disease severity increase.

Adolescents in Uganda have multiple sexual and reproductive health needs that require special focus through adolescent friendly services. This calls for resource support in terms of health provider training, information education and communication materials as well as involvement of key stakeholders that include parents, teachers and legislators.

SCOEN works to ensure that adolescents and young people have access to adequate and accurate information and friendly health services. Youth counseling, access to family planning and HIV/AIDS services are among the packages used to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS.

Currently we have limited fund to carry on with work, with the fund from generous people like you here have resently supported our girl counseling session.

Thank you for you support.

Menstruation is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in a person’s life. Despite its beauty, it is also an experience that is associated with humiliation meant to intimidate people who menstruate across Africa and other parts of the world. 

Menstruation is often criticized or ridiculed by many cultures and societies, which affects women and girls negatively. Gender inequality, extreme poverty, humanitarian crises, deprivation and stigma attached to menstruation have silenced most women, who often face exclusion, neglect, and discrimination while menstruating. 

Menstruation was perceived as dirty or shameful, prohibiting women and girls from discussing their menstrual health. This view contributed to restrictions women and girls faced during their period. At times, these restrictions were even self-imposed as most women and girls were told to fear handling food in the kitchen, participating in school activities, and joining social gatherings while on their period. This enforced the idea that they have less claim to public spaces, and that they were less able to participate in public life. Many women and girls around the world still suffer from menstrual related misconceptions and are encouraged to keep menstruation a secret. Schools, homes, hospitals, churches, mosques, and the media are not doing enough to educate the public about menstruation and ease the challenges that women and girls face. There is an urgency to address menstruation properly. Society will not see an end to teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, high illiteracy rates, or extreme poverty until the world learns to approach menstruation and menstrual health differently. 

In our context in order to empower young girls in rural communities to understand that menstruation is a blessing and a fortunate thing to experience, we teach girls about the reproductive system in general and educates them to understand, own, and manage their menstrual cycle.

Our team conducted a survey to know who mentors the girls during their periods, which sanitary products the girls use during their menstruation, and how they access these sanitary products. 

Most girls stated that their parents do not initiate any communication concerning their period, so they often keep it a secret. Some also said that their parents are not able to afford sanitary pads, so the girls try to earn a little money to pay for the products they need by collecting firewood or engaging in manual labor. Others also said they use handkerchiefs, pieces of cloth, and tissues when they have their periods. 

The results of the survey clearly highlighted the need for increased access to menstrual hygiene products. SCOEN’s team worked to find a solution for girls to have access to menstrual products. SCOEN provided 200 reusable sanitary pads from Days for Girls to group participants. Provid education and resources on menstrual, sexual, and reproductive health, donated reusable and disposable pads and other materials for club members. 

Today, around 380 girls in the club have access to a reusable sanitary pad that lasts for 3 years. They feel confident to discuss their period, they understand their menstrual cycle, and they have control over it. The girls are very excited and have expressed so much gratitude and appreciation to GlobalGivers like you; thank you for your generosity and support.