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Web
for Life outcome paper: Strengthening networks and coordination
for female students' SRH responses
Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team
(SAYWHAT)
September 2010
This paper is
presented to stakeholders, service providers, line ministries, college
authorities and all Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights program
implementers within Tertiary Institutions. The document gives a
summation of the outcomes of the Web for Life Convention 2010 discussions.
It communicates the need for SRH including HIV and AIDS programming
and service that is responsive to young women's challenges
and Reproductive Health Care that meets their Expectations.
The SAYWHAT Gender Program coordinates the Web for Life Network
which is a platform for young women to discuss, strategize and lobby
for access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights including services.
The Network convened the 'The Web for Life Convention 2010'
which gathered 70 female students in August 2010. The Convention
encouraged female students to Act and Claim their Sexual and Reproductive
Health Care Services in tertiary institutions. The conference's
thrust was a response to the concerns over the unavailability of
Sexual and Reproductive Health services at the colleges, lack of
confidentiality by the college nurses, unavailability of drugs and
efficient clinic services that are gender-sensitive that has been
recorded over the years of SAYWHAT's programming.
The SAYWHAT
Female Students' Web for Life Convention 2010 agreed to the
following Reproductive Health Care Needs and Expectations of female
students in Tertiary Institutions. There is need to:
- 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
Re productive 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, behaviours, 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.
- Promote
the formulation and implementation of Sexual Harassment Policies
that have clear work plans and budget allocations so as to protect
the sexual rights of students, lecturers and their immediate communities.
SAYWHAT encourages
the active participation of female students and stakeholders in
ensuring the provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health services
in tertiary institutions and aims to coordinate networks and activities
that shall encourage the implementation of the Convention outcomes.
The Web for Life Network shall engage stakeholders and key players
at national, provincial and local level in order to strengthen its
responses. SAYWHAT shall continuously build the capacity of female
students to spearhead the initiatives and strengthen their networks
at provincial level. The Web for life initiatives shall make use
of all opportunities and platforms available to present the outcomes
and ensure the commitment of partners, ministries and service providers
in meeting the needs and expectations of young women in tertiary
institutions.
Visit the SAYWHAT
fact
sheet
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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