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2011
regional conference report
Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team
(SAYWHAT)
February 01, 2012
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Executive
Summary
Between the
14th and 16th of December 2011 SAYWHAT hosted its 6th Students'
SRHR Conference. This was a watershed conference as it was rebranded
into a regional conference in line with the regional scope of issues
discussed as well as the regional nature of conference delegates.
The Conference interrogated SRHR responses within the country and
in the region while formulating clear research and advocacy priorities.
The conference
was attended by 56 students from 25 tertiary institutions around
Zimbabwe. In addition, there were 8 regional delegates from the
University of KwaZulu Natal and the University of Zambia. Some sessions
during the conference were presented by a range of experts in public
health, higher education administration, disability and public policy
formulation. The multi disciplinary nature of experts allowed for
rich and diverse debate and strong recommendations.
The overall
objectives of the conference were:
- To create
a regional advocacy platform on Sexual and Reproductive health;
- To share
effective practices from colleges within Southern Africa; and
- To define
regional priorities that can be developed into a regional SRHR
campaign or program for tertiary institutions within Southern
Africa
In addition
to rebranding into a regional conference, another key milestone
was the pre conference platform for male students to discuss their
SRHR issues. This followed the success of the Web for Life network
for female students. The Male students' platform resulted
in the formation of an SRHR network for male students branded Mugota/Ixhiba/Young
Men's Talk. More than just being another event based initiative,
the network defined its priorities and will be decentralised like
the Web for Life network.
Pre conference
platforms for male and female students were critical as they allowed
for uninhibited discussion where males discussed amongst themselves
about Male Circumcision, masculinity, GBV and a range of SRHR issues
that mostly affect them. On the other hand, women also discussed
about their role in promoting safe sex, issues of abortion, motherhood
and their wider SRHR concerns. On the whole, these initial discussions
allowed both males and females to understand themselves first before
analysing their SRHR issues in relation to the other sex.
There was a
diverse range of presentations focusing on disability, the state
of SRH services in tertiary institutions, the role of policy makers
in promoting SRHR, the role of students in the Zero movement, implications
of prevalence declines along with implications of treatment as prevention
and treatment for prevention. The conference also tackled the issue
of funding and explored ways that tertiary institutions could adopt
to generate
internal resources for SRH activities. Most significantly, there
were life stories from students living with HIV and there was vibrant
entertainment from the Web for Life Dance Ensemble, edutainment
artist Isaac from the University
of Zimbabwe as well as poet Princess from the same University.
The conference
came up with six (6) priority areas synthesised into six (6) messages
for policy makers. These messages were hand delivered to Parliamentarians
who attended the conference and they will be the basis of advocacy
and lobby positions. In addition, they will be the basis for measuring
progress at the next regional conference. The six messages are as
follows:
1. Prioritise
policy and budget for young women empowerment and maternal health
for sustainable development;
2. Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of Young people with disabilities
should be prioritised at budgetary and policy levels;
3. Access to SRHR needs for Young People Living With HIV must be
recognised at budgetary, policy and operational level;
4. The right to health should be enshrined in the upcoming constitution;
5. There is need for strengthened collaboration between student
representative bodies and parliament; and
6. There is need for budgetary and policy level commitments towards
raising awareness around Sexual and Reproductive Health needs of
young men.
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