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Students' conference on reproductive health
Students And Youths Working on reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT)
November 16, 2006

From the 30th of November 2006 until the 2nd of December 2006, students will gather at Kushinga Phikelela Agricultural College - Marondera - Mashonaland East Province to discuss about the reproductive health challenges encountered in the institutions of higher learning under the theme: Reproductive Health Rights - shared obligations for healthy futures!

Reproductive health challenges in the institutions of higher learning have been exacerbated by the current economic hardship that is also prevailing amongst students. The tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe have been slow to respond to the challenges posed by HIV and AIDS in general and reproductive health challenges in particular. As responses to these reproductive health challenges are gaining momentum the purpose of the conference is to display some of the responses and interrogate some of the efforts focusing on students in tertiary institutions. This conference has a specific focus affording students a platform to reflective on the challenges and participates in the formulation of plans and action to mitigate the reproductive health challenges in institutions of higher learning.

Why 'Reproductive health rights - shared obligations for healthy futures!
Students in the institutions of higher are sexually active and that have exposed them to a number of reproductive health challenges. There is however a need for students to be exposed to information regarding their reproductive health rights. Knowing their reproductive health rights and challenges associated with protecting and enhancing reproductive health in a college set up, empowers students to make their sexual decisions from an informed point of view. Exercising these rights is not an individual matter- it's a shared obligation. It calls for partners to communicate and respect each other; it calls for freedom from sexual and physical violence. It calls for services that support student needs and that students seek and use both for their own protection, and for that of their partners.

Unplanned pregnancies and a high prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) have been common in tertiary institutions. Why is this? Is there a gap in understanding and implementing reproductive health rights? How much do students know about STIs? How far do people communicate about infection, use services and tell partners if they are infected? How far do students protect against STIs by their social behaviors? What about the college environments is increasing the risk of STIs? Looking at these and other issues, the theme will enable students to reflect on the reproductive health challenges that experienced in the colleges and help to address the challenges. Students are the future leaders and parents; there is great need for them to understand the reproductive health rights that can also go a long way in curbing the HIV and AIDS transmission together with Gender Based Violence.

World AIDS Day Commemorations at the conference
The conference deliberately coincides with the World Aids Day on the 1st of December every year. The participating students at the conference shall join the Kushinga Phikelela community to commemorate the World Aids Day. Students will take the opportunity to give back to the community the information that they have regarding facts on HIV is transmission, information on treatment and the use of herbs through performing a drama. Students shall on this day launch a herbal garden at the hosting college a project that shall be replicated in other Agricultural Colleges. The commemorations shall be inline with the Global Theme consolidated by the National Theme.

Who should attend?
Students' representatives from Agricultural Colleges, Universities, Teachers Colleges and Polytechnics in Zimbabwe shall attend the conference. Even though the conference is focusing on students, it should not imply that this is a student only conference. Tertiary college students are very mobile; continuity of the SAYWHAT activities requires dedicated College Focal persons. The presence of college authorities enables us to deliver quality and responsive programmes that will benefit all the students. It is thus encouraged that students and college focal persons attend the conference.

Conference outcomes
The conference seeks to meet the following outcomes:

• Promote greater debate on Reproductive Health Challenges facing young people, institutionalizing the reproductive health challenges responses tertiary colleges.
• Expose the students in tertiary institutions to the Reproductive Health Rights as outlined in International Conventions.
• Create a platform for students from different institutions and stakeholders to interact with each other on Reproductive Health Rights issues.
• Look at strategies on engaging students to provide services to other students who are victims of reproductive health challenges.
• Develop a declaration of commitment on student programmes in tertiary institutions which will be presented and circulated to the relevant authorities to ensure that the 'voices' of students reach policy and decision makers.
• Develop student-oriented models, which can be used as interventions in the effort to curb the spread of sexually related illnesses in colleges.

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