My Voice My Health: Improving the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents in Senegal

The project seeks to improve the accessibility quality and use of sexual and reproductive health services for adolescent girls and boys in the Kédougou region of Senegal. Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) education is central to this project’s approach in order to provide young people especially young girls with the tools they need to protect themselves against sexual and sexist violence including female genital mutilation. Project activities include: (1) carrying out activities to raise public awareness among parents local elected officials and traditional and religious leaders; (2) carrying out community information activities and targeted training activities for adolescent girls and boys in the communities and schools; (3) conducting advocacy campaigns aimed at government bodies with the support of civil society organizations. The anticipated number of direct beneficiaries is 30 000 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years (50 percent of them girls) and the number of indirect beneficiaries is 75 000 (50 percent of them women and girls). To implement this initiative two organizations—Crossroads International and ActionAid International Senegal—along with two local partners—the Association pour la Promotion de la Femme Sénégalaise (APROFES) and the Coalition Nationale des Associations et ONG en Faveur de l’Enfant (CONAFE)—will use their extensive experience in the area of protecting women’s and girls’ rights in Senegal and reducing gender-based violence and sexual and sexist violence.

The expected results of this project include: (1) improved delivery of gender-sensitive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for adolescent girls and boys in Kédougou Senegal; (2) increased use of gender-sensitive SRHR services for adolescent girls and boys in Kédougou Senegal; (3) greater consideration given by the government and civil society to the SRHR issues of women and adolescent girls in Kédougou Senegal.