Girls teenagers health in Mali

In Mali gender inequalities particularly with regard to sexual and reproductive health rights and early and forced marriage are important issues. The project aims to respond to the needs of adolescents that the health system does not properly address. It helps to eliminate barriers to adolescents' access to quality services while building their capacity for sexual and reproductive health rights decision-making. Project activities include: (1) training the network of youth leaders and community champions to mobilize their peers to share and define healthy relationships on reproductive health rights and how to prevent and respond to gender-based violence; (2) initiating awareness raising activities conducted among adolescents regarding the health and socio-economic benefits of delaying the age of marriage; and (3) integrate community-based women's groups and associations into project activities related to reproductive health specifically improving the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescents and their children (nutrition prenatal counseling emergency transportation).

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved sexual and reproductive health and rights practices for adolescents in the targeted rural communities (three health districts in the Koulikoro region); (2) reduced practice of early marriage among adolescent girls in the targeted communities; and (3) improved maternal newborn and child health practices in rural communities specifically among adolescent mothers and fathers. The project expects to reach approximately 575 000 direct beneficiaries 50.5% of whom are women with a particular focus on the adolescent population (10-19 years). Approximately 317 villages and 1 300 000 indirect beneficiaries would be reached.