Promotion of Sexual Reproductive Health Services and Rights (SRHSR) is critical in advancing girls’ education and dealing with various forms of gender-based violence, Oxfam has said.
Oxfam programmes coordinator for Her Future Her Choice project Doreen Thom said this in Balaka on Wednesday after touring the project which is being implemented in two Traditional Authorities of Amidu and Kalembo in the district.
She said there was need for government and civil society organisations to work together in the promotion of SRHSR if the nation is to register tangible transformation.
“There were a lot of issues on teenage pregnancies and child marriages as well as information gap on reporting channels for gender-based violence among the community and it requires a concerted effort to address,” Thom said.
However, she said it was impressive to note that since the inception of the project in 2019, a lot of young girls and boys are opting for condoms and other contraceptive methods thereby enabling them to avert pregnancy and abusive marriages and continue with education.
Balaka Fpam project officer Esther Moyo said they have trained health care workers to build their capacity in the field of sexual reproductive health and rights as well as promote youth-friendly services.
“It is also exciting to note that in this area despite its Yao culture, parents especially mothers are encouraging their girl children to take contraceptives so that they continue with education and attain the future their desire,” she said.
Oxfam is implementing the Her Future Her Choice project targeting the youths in the age bracket of 10-24 in partnership with the Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children (Cavwoc) and Family Planning Association of Malawi (Fpam) with funding from the Global Affairs-Canada.
