Improving Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Burundi and the DRC

This project also know as TUSEME KWELI (let’s face it) aims to help children adolescents and women who are at risk of or survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) access sexual and reproductive health care in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi. Project activities include: (1) providing training to communities and raising awareness about sexual and reproductive health and rights topics particularly SGBV; (2) providing training to health care providers and facilities on sexual and reproductive health care and particularly supporting them with relation to caring for those who are at risk of or are survivors of SGBV; and (3) advocating for policy which addresses SGBV including preventative measures and also improving care and services for survivors in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The project expects to benefit nearly 3 million people. The University of Montreal’s International Health Unit is implementing this project in partnership with the Hygeia Initiative the Panzi Foundation and numerous local partners including women’s and youth rights groups.

The expected outcomes for this project include : (1) improved provision of gender responsive inclusive and accountable holistic sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services particularly services to prevent and address SGBV in the DRC and Burundi; (2) increased equitable use of holistic SRHR services particularly services to prevent and address SGBV by diverse groups of women adolescent girls and children who are rights holders in the DRC and Burundi; and (3) improved effectiveness of stakeholders in advocating for sustainable evidence based accountable and equitable SRHR policies legal frameworks and services associated with preventing and addressing SGBV.