Youths in Karonga demand reproductive health services
Youths from traditional authorities (T/As) Wasambo and Mwirang’ombe in Karonga have written the district council demanding improved access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
The letter, drafted after a youth conference held on Saturday in the district, highlighted increased cases of teenage pregnancies, early and forced marriages, unsafe abortions and high school dropout rate.
Reads the letter in part: “We, the youth from T/As Wasambo and Mwirang’ombe, have noted that our local leaders are failing to address socio-cultural norms affecting youths’ access to SRH services.
Youths from traditional authorities (T/ As) Wasambo and Mwirang’ombe in Karonga have written the district council demanding improved access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
The letter, drafted after a youth conference held on Saturday in the district, highlighted increased cases of teenage pregnancies, early and forced marriages, unsafe abortions and high school dropout rate.
Reads the letter in part: “We, the youth from T/As Wasambo and Mwirang’ombe, have noted that our local leaders are failing to address socio-cultural norms affecting youths’ access to SRH services. “Therefore, we call on traditional leaders to formulate community by-laws to reduce early marriages. The police should arrest perpetrators of gender-based violence.”
Better Vision Youth Club chairperson Misery Harawa said they expect the council to construct youth centres and corners to keep the youth busy and increase access to SRH services.
In response, Karonga district acting director of planning and development Khumbo Mkandawire said some of the challenges are tackled in the District Development Plan.
“However, short-term measures will be to touch base with stakeholders to intensify social behavioural change,” she said.
Kachila Youth Initiative executive director Matchona Ngwira said the conference provided an opportunity to the youth to bang heads and see if SRH barriers still exists and provide a road map.
“We are pleased that the youth have drawn resolutions based on challenges they are facing and how best to tackle them,” he said.
The meeting was held under the theme ‘Breaking the barrier on SRH for young people’.
With funding from the United Kingdom-based Amplify Change, Kachila Youth Initiative is implementing Tubapoke Project in T/As Mwirang’ombe and Wasambo in the district.n
