Problem Analysis: Lack of access and awareness of young people to information and services regarding reproductive health (57% of the population below 18 years of age).

Low literacy rate among young people (34% are literate; of this only 18% are women.

High incidence of young people using drugs

Low participation of youth in policy making and implementation.

High rate of early marriage (16% of Afghan girls are married before the age of 15, and 52% before their eighteenth birthday)

Societal and religious resistance to providing adolescents with Reproductive Health and Rights (RHR) information and services

Absence of youth-friendly reproductive health services

Family based violence ‘against women and children is high in Afghanistan in its intensity and pervasiveness, in public and private spheres of life’.

Strategic Direction: Empower adolescents by increasing their awareness and capacity to access reproductive health services.

Goal: All adolescents and youth are aware of reproductive health and rights and have access to information and services on RHR.

Objectives: Objective 1:

• To strengthen commitment and support of community gatekeepers and policy makers for RHR initiatives for adolescents and young people.

Activities:

• Undertake mapping of partners for improving access of young people/adolescents to RHR information, counseling and services
• Build partnerships with organizations for implementation of youth programmes
• Building capacity of young people on RHR issues through capacity building workshops.
• Publish and distribute IEC/BCC materials on RHR for adolescents and young people.
• Disseminate messages on RHR issues through local newspapers and TV programs
• Encourage youth participation in the planning and implementation and evaluation of programs
• Initiate dialogue with community and religious leaders, parents and teachers on RHR issues for the creation of an enabling environment
• Establish parent-teacher network for life-skill education in schools

Objective 2: To increase the knowledge and access of adolescents and young people to reproductive health services, education and information

Activities:

• Indicative research on risk perception, attitude of service providers and creation of an improved enabling environment
• Monitoring and evaluation workshops for building the capacities of staff and service providers
• Training on youth participation in governance, programming and inclusion of youth friendly services
• Workshops/seminars on RHR issues for young people and adolescents
• Experience sharing visits to other countries to gain experience on innovative youth programmes
• Establish youth friendly centres which provide safe spaces for counseling, sharing information and updating knowledge on RHR issues.
• Provide skill development linked to RHR
• Establish a Resource Centre for young people

 Outcomes and Indicators: