Strengthening health systems for women and adolescent girls in South America

This project aims to remove barriers that affect the sexual and reproductive health and the full enjoyment of rights of women and girls. It focuses on migrants in Bolivia Colombia Guyana Honduras and Peru. Project activities include: (1) building the capacity of health ministry employees and health practitioners including training on health surveillance and monitoring systems gender-sensitive health service planning and the provision of sexual and reproductive health services; (2) organizing workshops and a training program on comprehensive sexual education to improve knowledge of sexual and reproductive health among target groups and strengthen their ability to advocate for their rights; (3) organizing awareness-raising campaigns for community members and leaders on harmful gender-related norms and practices; (4) providing technical support to governments and key stakeholders including elected women to develop implement and enforce evidence-based sexual and reproductive health policies and public strategies; and (5) providing training to civil society organizations such as women’s rights organizations to increase their capacity to advocate for the equal enjoyment of their rights.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased access to quality comprehensive gender-sensitive and rights-based sexual and reproductive health services for the target population delivered through primary health care; (2) strengthened the autonomy and leadership of women and adolescent girls to advocate for their sexual and reproductive health and rights; and (3) enhanced promotion and protection of women’s and adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights by governments and key stakeholders.