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Donors Commit to Continue Supporting RHU to Ensure Young People Thrive
Satisfied with what they heard and observed, they had no doubt RHU was a credible partner to continue working with. The Japanese Organisation for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) and SARAYA- a Japanese manufacturing and sales of health and hygiene products and services company have committed to walking with RHU towards the future. DONORS COMMIT TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING RHU TO ENSURE YOUNG PEOPLE THRIVE
District Leaders Commend RHU
Local government leaders from 14 districts applauded the contribution of civil society organizations on their efforts to complement Government initiatives towards addressing gaps in young people programing, curbing gender-based violence, the fight against teenage pregnancy, and generally provision of sexual reproductive health services. District leaders commend RHU
The SRHR Spotlight – October 2023
RHU Annual Report, 2022
World Population Day 2023: “Unleashing the power of gender equality”
World Population Day 2023: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities.
Women and girls make up 49.7% of the global population, yet they are often ignored in discussions on demographics, with their rights violated in population policies.
This pervasive injustice keeps women and girls out of school, the workforce and leadership positions; limits their agency and ability to make decisions about their health and sexual and reproductive lives; and heightens their vulnerability to violence, harmful practices and preventable maternal death, with a woman dying every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth.
We must advance gender equality to create a more just, resilient and sustainable world. The creativity, ingenuity, resources and power of women and girls are fundamental to addressing demographic and other challenges that threaten our future, including climate change and conflict.
When women and girls are empowered by societies to exert autonomy over their lives and bodies, they and their families thrive.
The First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda Commends Reproductive Health Uganda Efforts to Improve Sexual Reproductive Health Access and Address Disparities
The First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and Minister for East African Community Affairs, the Rt. Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has applauded Reproductive Health Uganda for its efforts in improving access to sexual reproductive health services in Uganda, particularly among vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Speaking during the RHU 67th annual general meeting held in Kampala, Hon Kadaga lauded the organisation for its dedication to improving the health status of Ugandans through increased access to sexual reproductive health services.
The emeritus Speaker of the ninth and tenth Parliament of Uganda acknowledged RHU’s key role in providing vital services including HIV and STI testing and counseling, family planning, and maternal health care to millions of people across Uganda.
Despite the commendable efforts of RHU in providing key sexual and reproductive health services, Hon Kadaga acknowledged that there was still a considerable gap in the availability of these essential services to communities.
Her remarks highlighted an unfulfilled need among vulnerable and marginalised groups, underlining the continued importance of work towards expanding provision of such vital health services in Uganda.
“Data clearly show that we have a significant disparity in access to sexual and reproductive health services, with my home region of Busoga alone accounting for over seven percent of the overall national figures on teenage pregnancies,” Hon Kadaga said, before adding, “This is a sobering statistic, and it underscores the urgent need for greater access to the range of vital sexual reproductive and health services.”
“The frequency of these inequalities represents an alarming failure of our collective efforts to safeguard young Ugandans, with damaging consequences for both individuals and society at large,” she said.
Hon Kadaga, emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing such sexual and reproductive health-related challenges, with increased involvement of men and boys.
“Despite well-intentioned interventions and programmes aimed at promoting sexual and reproductive health, many fail to engage men and boys adequately, limiting the effectiveness and reach of these initiatives,” she said.
Hon Kadaga highlighted the vital role that men and boys must play in addressing these issues and advocated for the inclusion of effective outreach, education, and support programmes targeted not only women and girls but also men and boys.
She said, by ensuring the active involvement of both women and men in such initiatives, it would be possible to drive change and make tangible inroads towards addressing sexual and reproductive health-related challenges, promoting more positive and healthy outcomes for all of Uganda’s citizens.
“We need to broaden our approach because it is not only girls who need education and support around sexual reproductive health. We also need to engage boys and men to ensure they are prepared for the responsibilities that come with sexual relationships,” Hon Kadaga noted.
This could be done by adopting comprehensive and holistic approaches that include mindset change to promote safer, healthier relationships.
She emphasised the collective responsibility to ensure sexual health and wellbeing of all Ugandans, of which everyone needed to rise to the challenge.
In a meeting filled with key stakeholders and partners, RHU showcased its recent achievements, unveiling several new initiatives aimed at reaching the underserved and vulnerable communities in Uganda.
Hon Kadaga called upon other organisations to emulate RHU’s efforts and support the establishment of essential health service delivery points in order to guarantee access to such services among the marginalised and vulnerable communities.
She pledged continued government support to RHU and other similar organisations devoted to improving reproductive health of Ugandans.
RHU easily has become a force to reckon with when it comes to sexual reproductive health services, mobilising communities and elites alike to ensure no one is left behind regardless of their ability to pay for the services.
Endometriosis: what you should know
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month.
While it can be difficult to identify endometriosis, many people around the world suffer the effects of it. We explain the causes, symptoms, impact, and diagnosis and treatment methods. Click here for details
Uganda Celebrates 16 Days of Activism for Reproductive Health and Gender Violence
Uganda— The Director of Finance at Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), Peter Mark Mutebi, has asked public and private organizations and other related players to take the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) outside workplaces and homes.
Presiding over the high-level stakeholder engagement in Hoima district by the RHU and partners Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), Mutebi, said most of the GBV cases are happening in the homes, workplaces, and in countryside communities.
“Most of the cases that we do hear about are happening at work or in villages where women and girls are not empowered to report,” Mutebi said, adding that as “a young boy, I witnessed a lot of gender-based violence and bullying in my village.”
The Director of Finance also asked public and private sector players to refocus, find, and stop the drivers of gender-based violence.
“In rural areas mainly, I think it’s due to low levels of education, poverty, alcohol, and primitive beliefs that a man is above a woman even when a woman is feeding a man,” he said, committing, together with religious, cultural, and political leaders, to continue deliberate action in supporting communities in their campaign to end violence towards girls, boys, men, and women.
Sheik Musa Mabanja Atwooki, Hoima District Khadi, said religious leaders realized developments in creating an enabling environment for eliminating GBV through preaching and advocating for the enactment of laws such as the Domestic Act 2010, the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2009, the Penal Code Act Cap 120, and the FGM Act 2010, among others.
He added: “We want to ensure that we preach and advocate decision-makers to pass laws and policies and ensure that they are fully implemented.”Parliament established the Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee to ensure that the laws passed are implemented while also identifying gaps that need to be filled.
Approximately 650,000 teenage pregnancies were recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Figures from UNFPA show that since March 2020, when COVID-19 hit the world, an estimated 354,736 teenage pregnancies have been reported following the closure of all schools in the country for at least eight months.
An additional 290,219 pregnancies were reported between January and September 2021.
The above figures were highlighted during the 2022 commemoration of the 16 days of activism in Kampala, Bukwo, Isingiro, Rakai, and Hoima districts.
RHU did the activities in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development (MGLSD), district local governments (DLGs), and under projects like PROMISE II, Power to Youth (PYT), Advance Family Planning (AFP), and Right Here, Right Now II.
Ruth Mwangangi, Chairperson of FUE, believes “there is no production when employees are sick or are abused at work.” we don’t need to marginalize them if we need good productivity,” and added that “I commit on behalf of this institution to ensuring that issues of gender-based violence, maternal rights, and sexual reproductive rights and services are incorporated in the 2023-2024 national budget by private employers.”
Gender-based violence, according to Kiiza Beatrice of Bugambe Tea, affects not only individual victims but also the development of the country’s workforce:
“so many are suffering from sexual harassment; please reach out and organizations put up anti-violence policies.”
Francis Eyilu, Hoima Sugar’s Human Resources Manager, thanked RHU, saying, “We partner with FUE and RHU to put in place policies to curb violence and harassment at work.” “Safety tools are important, but so are health safety tools too.”
Bwendero Darius Bainomugisha, Peer Educator: “We sensitize people about HIV/AIDS at workplaces.”
Joyce Katwesige, Miss Y+ Western Uganda, called for Ugandans to turn on the voices of marginalized people and advocate for their rights.
Violence against girls, boys, and women has recently taken new, more sophisticated forms. An increasing number of them are, for instance, reporting cyberbullying and abuse through social media and smartphones.
Nuliyati Nabiwande, Principal Labour Officer MGLSD said Gender Based Violence affects not only the individual victims but also the development of the country.
“To address Gender-Based Violence, we need to lay back and tackle the root causes of gender inequality. If we don’t address the root cause of violence, our efforts to eliminate it will be significantly less effective, the Principal Labor Officer said.
She also wants the Parliament and district local governments to advocate for and advertise shelters where women and girls facing violence can take refuge as they seek justice.
RHU put on the orange color and created “orange” virtual spaces, and communication methods e.g., drama by Tunaca Troupe, websites, social media accounts, etc., on November 25, 2022, and throughout the next 16 days until December 10, 2022.
The author Aldon Walukamba is the Media Advocacy and Documentation Coordinator at Reproductive Health Uganda
Call for RHRN-2 programme Mid Term Review consultant
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Post Title : National consultant for MTR RHRN2
Project title: Right Here Right Now (RHRN2) programme mid-term review
Duration: Approx. 20 days between January – November 2023 (focus February to May)
Country: Uganda
| Background |
Aim of consultancy: Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), Wereld in Woorden Global Research and Reporting (WIW), and Results in Health (RiH) seek: a national-level consultant to carry out an in-country mid-term review (MTR) of the Right Here Right Now (RHRN2) programme (2020 – 2025) in Uganda as part of the external mid-term review the RHRN2 Programme.
The Right Here Right Now (RHRN2) programme is a strategic partnership between Rutgers (lead), ARROW, AMPF, CHOICE for youth and sexuality, Reproductive Health Uganda and RNW Media. The programme runs from 2020 to 2025, taking place in 10 countries in Africa (Benin, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia and Uganda) and Asia (Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Nepal) and at a global level.
The RHRN2 programme has formulated the following four Long Term Outcomes (LTOs):
- LTO 1: Empowered young people make decisions about their sexuality, voice their needs and claim their rights.
- LTO 2: A critical mass reinforces positive norms and values regarding young people’s SRHR and gender justice.
- LTO 3: Governments adopt, implement and account for human rights-based policies and laws that enable young people’s SRHR and gender justice.
- LTO 4: Strengthened civil society for young people’s SRHR and gender justice.
Right Here Right Now enables young people in all their diversity to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights in societies where there is equity and equality between genders in all aspects of life. The programme places young people at the forefront, and strives towards young people, especially girls, young women and young LGBTQI+ people being empowered to make decisions about their sexuality, voice their needs and claim their rights. The partnership boldly tackles taboos. RHRN2 advocates for the rights of marginalised groups, based on its robust experience, and because few others do. The programme lobbies governments to adopt and be accountable for inclusive human rights-based policies and laws which enable young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender justice. RHRN2 calls on governments to give young people access to comprehensive sexuality education, information and youth-friendly services – including safe abortion – so they can make choices free from stigma, discrimination and violence.
The MTR of RHRN2 is led by two Netherlands-based consultancy organizations:
Wereld in Woorden Global Research and Reporting (WIW) and Results in Health (RiH), together named the ‘international evaluation team’.
RHU Launches Safe Hands App at ICFP 2022 in Thailand
The Youth Empowerment Digital Storytelling platforms for Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) were internationally launched today at the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2022 in Thailand.
The launch coincided with the official launch of the Safe Hands exhibition booth and the ICFP 2022 exhibition hall at the Royal Cliff hotel in Pattaya city, Thailand.
Jackson Chekweko, RHU Executive Director, revealed that the Safe Hands and ASK RHU platforms enabled young people to access information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues.
“Young people are empowered to tell their stories using digital platforms, these stories are then presented to policymakers to initiate or enhance debates,” Chekweko said.
Chekweko was in the company of Tomoko Fukuda, Regional Director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) for the East, South East Asia, and Oceania Region, and Erica Belanger from Safe Hands.
In her words, Tomoko Fukuda encouraged the use of digital platforms among young people to create awareness about SRHR through photographs, text, video, and sound, and the need for better care and parenthood from parents. She says that the platforms are user-friendly and easy to access, which is an advantage to the user, and others can learn from Uganda.
“Other countries and organizations, I believe, can learn from Uganda and use the same methods to share and receive SRHR messages for young people,” Tomoko said.
Erica Belanger from Safe Hands which supports RHU under the Knowledge and Information on Safe Sex (KISS) appreciated strides taken by RHU in creating, and innovating digital tools and ways to communicate SRHR messages to young people.
Nakanjako Babirye Aidah, KISS project, and RHU Communications Officer say the goal of the KISS digital storytelling project is to use these digital stories to raise awareness about the SRHR day-to-day social policy challenges, barriers to accessing SRHR services, budgets, and SRHR commodity needs, and aspirations of young people in Uganda. At the same time, adolescents are trained in basic interview, communication, and video recording techniques. They also learned how technology can be used to address social issues in communities and how they can play a role as change agents.
“Hundreds of boys and girls in Kabalore district have participated in this project, resulting in stories about topics including sexual & reproductive health challenges, social & economic challenges, voices of youth leaders, and youth & entrepreneurship. The videos can be viewed in the project’s Facebook group,” Nakanjako said.
RHU desires to hear stories from young people themselves. In a bid to achieve this, efforts to establish a number of regionally based platforms to collect and disseminate SRHR information to and for young people, some in their native languages. This is ongoing in a number of Ugandan projects aimed at young people. A digital hub and toll-free line have already been put in place, particularly for young people to share, ask, and receive information about SRHR by RHU in Uganda.
The ICFP 2022 is ongoing under the theme: “Family Planning + Universal Health coverage: Innovate, collaborate, accelerate” at the Royal Cliff hotel in Pattaya city, Thailand.
The author of this article Aldon Walukamba is the RHU Media Advocacy and Documentation Coordinator
Read more about RHU digital platforms
Ask RHU launch in Uganda