COTE D'IVOIREADVOCACY FOR FAIR ACCESS TO QUALTITY HEALTH CARECAPACITY BUILDINGCommunity mobilisation and health promotionSTRENGTHENING SYSTEMS AND HEALTH SERVICESPromoting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Improving access to sexual and reproductive health rights for Ivorian youth and adolescents
Context
In Ivory Coast, where the median age is 19, young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health services is limited. This particularly affects young girls who are exposed to early and/or unwanted pregnancies (fertility rate of 124% for 15-19 year olds and 193% for 20-24 year olds), an over-representation of maternal mortality and morbidity, as well as gender-based violence (including female genital mutilation which affects more than a third of the adult female population and 11% of girls under 14). Women are also twice as affected as men by the HIV epidemic in Ivory Coast and the majority of new infections are among young girls.
However, knowledge of HIV prevention remains low, particularly among young people: only 20% of them have a real understanding of it and their use of condoms is still limited. The stakes are high considering that Ivory Coast is one of the countries most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in West Africa, with a prevalence rate of 2.4%. In this context, the project makes it possible to capitalise on the partnership established with the association Espace Confiance to reach key populations, and to broaden Solthis’ action beyond the fight against HIV/AIDS to the wider issue of SRHR by integrating a differentiated approach.
Key information about the project
| Duration of the project | 3 years (March 2022 – February 2025) |
| Partners |
ASAPSU
Espace Confiance Ministry of Health (PNLS, PNSME, PNSSU-SAJ) Ministry of Women, Family and Children |
| Beneficiaries | 20,000 young and adolescent users of SRH services in the health areas targeted by the programme
The teams of the targeted structures The members and employees of the local partner associations |
| Source of financing |
AFD, Mairie de Paris |
| Country of intervention | Ivory Coast |
General objective
Empowerment and access to quality SRHR services and interventions adapted to the needs of adolescents and young people (A&Y), particularly those in vulnerable situations
Act on 3 action levers through a multi-channel approach:
- On demand: information and empowerment of A&Y, especially vulnerable A&J in Ivory Coast.
- supply: strengthening health structures to adapt their SRH services to A&Y, particularly those in vulnerable situations (public primary care centres and community centres).
- the enabling environment: communities, national authorities, civil society organisations…
Expected results
- The empowerment of A&Y, especially those in vulnerable situations, is strengthened
- Strengthening the DSSR service offer for quality care, adapted to the specific needs of A&Y
- The national environment is more favourable to A&Y DSSRs
