Adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in Kenya are an underserved population in the health system, yet represent a large proportion of the population (24%). Adolescent girls, in particular, need access to high-quality adolescent and youth-friendly health services (AYFS), as they experience a substantial burden of adverse sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes.
Adolescent girls in Kenya have high rates of unintended pregnancy, undergo unsafe abortions, and disproportionately acquire sexually transmitted infections (STIs) contributing to poor sexual health. Kenya has a robust National Adolescent SRH Policy and National Guidelines for the Provision of AYFS applicable to all tiers of the health system. Despite the well-developed national policies and guidelines for the provision of AYFS, it remains unclear if adolescent girls in Kenya are accessing and utilizing SRH services.
Access and uptake of SRH services among the youths has also been low due to structural barriers such as cost of services, sociocultural barriers such as restrictive norms and limited knowledge on SRH.
HEDSO aims to enhance access and uptake of SRH services and information among AGYW and youths through providing comprehensive education, advocacy, capacity building health professionals and AGYW and youths as champions to advocate for their rights. We aim to reach 100,000 AGYW and youths, 5000 community gatekeepers and policy makers. We will work with the community, partners and the government to adopt and implement evidenced based and data driven interventions.
| Goal: Enhance access to quality sexual reproductive health services and accurate information among AGYW and youths to reduce teen pregnancy. | |
|---|---|
| OBJECTIVES | EXPECTED OUTCOMES |
| Promote access to equitable Menstrual Hygiene management (MHM) commodities and services among AGYW. | Increased access to menstrual hygiene commodities and services among AGYW. AGYW have increased knowledge, skills, capacity and resources to access menstrual justice. |
| Promote access and information on family planning services, and commodities. | Increased knowledge, access and uptake of family planning services. Increased budgetary allocation for FP commodities. |
| Promote comprehensive sexuality education and sensitization. | Families and communities engage in a dialogue with and support AGYW and youths around their sexuality
and their reproductive health; model respectful, gender relationships, and mobilize to change harmful
beliefs and norms related to SRHR. AGYW and youths have increased agency, leadership, and peer networks to influence and position gender equality and inclusion and improved quality and comprehensive SRHR. |
| Advocate for access to quality SRHR services and accurate information. | Increased budgetary allocation towards supporting SRHR commodities supply and services. |
| Promote health system strengthening to enhance provision of Youth Friendly Services. | Increased number of youths representatives in facilities management board to advocate for YFS. Increased knowledge of healthcare service providers on how to handle AGYW and youths. Enhanced data management on SRHR. |
| Advocate for increased budgetary allocation towards AYSRH programs to improve service delivery. | Improved service delivery and availability of SRH commodities. |