Standing Strong Together (SST)
About the Project:
Standing Strong Together (SST), is an Amplify Change project that is being implemented in four countries including Indonesia, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. In Uganda, the project is executed by Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), in partnership with Reach a Hand Uganda (RAHU). SST was started in order to address basically two overarching issues- the increasing capability of the opposition to speak out, influence policy makers, but also the wider public like parents and the media; and limited linking and learning within regions, for example with other Amplify Change grantees or with other Right Here Right Now (RHRN) platforms.
Project Goals & Objectives:
SST’s goal is to establish the challenges and remedies to the factors that affect young people’s access to sexuality education and sexual reproductive health rights services in Uganda.
Specific objectives
- Research – New evidence on sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) generated, or existing evidence synthesized, or major gaps in SRHR knowledge/ attitudes/ behaviour synthesized, which is used for evidence-based advocacy and policy engagement.
- Capacity strengthening – Amplify Change grantee needing capacity building support developed, implemented and achieved organisational capacity-building plans.
- Advocacy – National, regional and/or international policies, laws, budget allocations improved by civil society engagement (These include the introduction of new and or improved policies, or the mitigation of negative policies, all to create a more favourable policy environment for SRHR).
- Safety & Security – Individuals from marginalised groups reached by the program become (remain) active in advocating for SRHR.
- Coordination and Linking & learning – Lessons learnt from grantees gathered and shared by Amplify Change, and used by grantees and Amplify Change to adapt activities.
- Communication & campaigns – Increased and more public support for SRHR, and less negative statements, from key influencers
SST is a targets both state and non-state actors/ duty bearers including Young people; parents / Guardians; Religious / Cultural leaders; Media and the government and non-government sector.
Through SST Project, we hope that all the relevant stakeholders including parents, religious / cultural leaders, state actors and other non- state actors are encouraged to support sexuality education frameworks and programs, leading to empowering young people to make informed healthy education decisions.
The project not only aims to contribute to the realization of more progressive policies on Sexuality Education in Uganda by increasing the effectiveness of the SRHR movement in countering the narratives of fundamentalist groups, but it also aims to intensify public demand on government to fulfil its sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) commitments. SST also seeks to contribute to the ongoing work under the Right Here Right Now (RHRN) programme which aims to strengthen the implementation of policies and frameworks on access to sexuality education for all young people in Ugandan schools by 2020. This will be achieved through: Research; Capacity Strengthening; Coordination and Linking & Learning; Advocacy; Communication & Campaigns; Research; Safety & Security. Alongside our collaborative work with Right Here Right Now (RHRN), we have been able to move a step closer to accomplishing our goal. This can be seen through some of the key outcome areas (according to RHU annual report 2019) as noted below;
- Finalization of research
- Finalization of S&S assessment (training upcoming)
- Completion of Workshop II (message & campaign strategies development)
- Hiring of message testing & development consultant(s)
Plans are underway for a massive rollout of the SST project, and message testing and development is ongoing to aid campaigns. RHU intends to continue its effective and collaborative work with its partners on this project such that eventually, it is appreciated that sexuality education is vital for young people’s development, learning and wellbeing. Once there is a realisation that sexuality education is imperative to a society of young people making smart sexual health decisions, then we shall be able to achieve our goal which is to establish the challenges and remedies to the factors that affect young people’s access to sexuality education and sexual reproductive health rights and services in Uganda.