Issue
Malawi’s national health strategies commit to improving Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights; however, adolescents continue to face issues. Youth-friendly health services are not widely available and opportunities for youth to engage in policy and budget processes are limited.
Project partners
How we are helping
This project aims to enhance youth participation in SRHR budget monitoring and policy reforms to ensure that young people have better access to health services.
About the project
Malawi’s youth face SRHR challenges, with a 29% teenage pregnancy rate and one-third of new HIV infections occurring in people aged 15–24. Despite Malawi’s SRHR strategies and commitments, including the Health Sector Strategic Plan III (HSSP III), implementation gaps and inadequate resources hinder progress. Youth-friendly health services are scarce, inaccessible, and underfunded. A lack of capacity among young people to hold leaders accountable leaves their needs unaddressed in policy and budget decisions.
Project partners, YICOD, will build on its recently completed 12-month project, funded by the Global Financing Facility (GFF) through Population Action International (PAI), which aims to strengthen the Malawi Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (SRMNCAH+N) Youth Platform to advocate for policy and budget change. This project will take forward key policy recommendations such as advocating for a Youth Friendly Health Service (YFHS) budget line in national and district budgets while holding duty bearers accountable for their SRHR commitments.
This will be achieved by:
- Training 20 youth leaders in techniques for meaningful youth participation in policy engagement, including budget analysis, public expenditure tracking, policy communication and advocacy.
- Conducting 15 public expenditure tracking surveys and developing policy briefs based on findings.
- Convening two policy dialogues with parliamentarians and government officials to disseminate survey findings and advocate for SRHR reforms.
- Strengthening the Malawi Youth Health Platform through four coordination meetings.
As a result of the project, it is hoped that young people can participate meaningfully in SRHR governance, resulting in a more vibrant and informed youth platform. Advocacy efforts will influence the establishment of a dedicated youth-friendly health service budget line and improved SRHR service delivery. By fostering collaboration and accountability, the project will contribute to systemic changes that address the unmet needs of young people, ensuring equitable access to SRHR services.
Project Partners
Youth Initiative for Community Development (YICOD) is an advocacy organisation established in response to the growing need for community-driven solutions to challenges facing children, young people, women and other vulnerable groups. The organisation is headquartered in Dedza district. Its focus focus include health, education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), child protection, food systems, governance, gender and social inclusion, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
All for Youth is a social enterprise working to socially and economically empower the upcoming generation of today to become ethical and successful leaders of tomorrow through life skills coaching, career development, advocacy and policy training. Their special focus also looks at refugee and migrant youths to better understand their health needs.
Founded in 2012 in Malawi, PYAO is a youth-led, non-partisan, and non-governmental organization which among others addresses barriers to youth participation in sustainable development while promoting access to services in health, social protection, and justice. Collaborating with various partners, including state and local governance structures, PYAO focuses on community empowerment and development. The mission is advocating for the well-being, creativity, and civic engagement of children, youth, and women, aiming for an inclusive society. Core values include empowerment, integrity, and social justice, with objectives focused on human rights, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and environmental conservation.
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