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Web for Life convention report
Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT)
September 2010

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Executive Summary

The Web for Life Convention marked the fifth edition of what has been traditionally known for the past four years as the Female student's conference. The rebranding was inspired by the need of having the convention as a meeting point of consolidating and reviewing grassroots interventions that would have been done throughout the year under the Web for Life network. The Web for life is a coordinating network that is responsible for managing provincial and college based initiatives for sexual and reproductive health for female students.

Under the theme Act Now! Claim Sexual and Reproductive Health Services from Tertiary Institutions the 2010 convention saw the participation of 60 Students from Tertiary institutions around Zimbabwe and some delegates from regional universities like the University of Zambia, Catholic University in Mozambique and University of Kwazulu Natal. Amongst the Convention's key objectives was the need:

• To explore opportunities to establish reproductive health care, HIV and AIDS services within tertiary institutions.
• To document the Reproductive Health Care Needs and Expectations of female students.
• To encourage students and stakeholders to increase demand and support for quality reproductive health, HIV and AIDS services.
• To provide a platform for interaction between SRH, HIV and AIDS health care providers and female students.
• To explore opportunities for the Web for Life in ensuring access to SRH, HIV and AIDS Services for female students.
• To explore opportunities for female students' empowerment through the constitution, legal and policy provisions.

The thrust of the convention was on ensuring service delivery and this was promoted through various parallel sessions and an exposition that allowed students to interact with the SRH services that are available for them. An encouraging 59% of the delegates were tested from the New Start that was present during the convention.

Amongst the key deliberations were issues around the Constitution making process and the role of female students in advocacy and lobbying. Critical issues on mapping service providers were also explored with emphasis given on improving the health delivery model in tertiary institutions so that they are friendly and responsive to the needs of female students.

Main activities planned within the regional work plans under the Wed for life include expositions, discussion forums and edutainment programs that are mainly aimed at information and knowledge sharing as well as advocacy and lobbying for effective gender responses.

Key action points agreed from the convention include:

• Monitor and track budgets allocated for sexual and reproductive health and rights of young women.
• Advocate for the allocation of adequate quality and reliable Sexual and Reproductive Health Care services for all young women in Tertiary institutions.
• Promote and support young women's rights using local and national laws, national constitution and international instruments.
• Provide Maternal Health Care in tertiary institutions.
• Establish a board to support female students' activities and initiatives that fully empower them on their physical, emotional, psychological and social Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights needs.
• Ensure the provision of Youth Friendly services and service providers in colleges.
• Involve policy makers, politicians, ministry of women's affairs in all deliberations on women's issues.
• Research and document female students' challenges, behaviors, attitudes and realities.
• Develop and implement supportive policies for pregnant students in tertiary institutions.
• Advocate and lobby for gender sensitive SRH services that embrace and recognize young women's rights to HIV prevention and Contraception.
• Advocate for young women's access to information and services on the prevention and management of abortions and their complications.
• Ensure availability of Anti Retroviral drugs and treatment of STIs at institutional clinics.

Moving forward SAYWHAT intends to craft a response strategy that will ensure the implementation of the agreed Web for life Provincial work plans by the students and other implementing partners.

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