Lubango: At least 12,000 adolescents and young people have benefited from the actions of the Safeguarding Youth Programme (SYP), implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) since 2021 in Huila province.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Safeguarding Youth Programme is funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and aims to empower and ensure that 60,000 young people aged 10 to 24 are healthy, productive, and empowered. The initiative, with a budget of USD 4 million, is divided between six provinces and has an implementation period from 2021 to 2026. The programme focuses on preventing sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, early marriages, and gender-based violence, while equipping young people with comprehensive knowledge and skills related to sexuality.
The initiative is implemented through a multi-sectoral format in urban and rural areas across the provinces of Luanda, Cunene, Namibe, Hula, Cuando, and Cubango. In a recent visit to Lubango, Rinko Kinoshita, a representative of UNFPA in Angola, stated that the target group was reached through comprehensive sexuality education sessions facilitated by trained educators at stands and schools. The program collaborates with provincial governments, civil society, and other non-profit organizations.
Kinoshita noted the program's continuation until the end of the next year and the search for additional partners such as Norway, which advocates for sexual and reproductive health. She also expressed concern over the availability of modern contraceptive supplies due to a budget cut by the United States, leading to shortages in several provinces.
The Norwegian ambassador to Angola, Bjonar Dahl Hotvedt, emphasized the visit's focus on young people's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Norway plans to create partnerships with Angola's provincial governments to tackle teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and other youth-related challenges. The mission aims to follow up on program actions and strengthen cooperation with local authorities to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and adolescents.
The visit underscores UNFPA's and its donors' commitment to promoting the health and rights of young Angolans, especially in hard-to-reach areas. The collaboration between Norway and the Kingdom of the Netherlands highlights their dedication to the sexual and reproductive rights of young people. This funding and UNFPA's actions have contributed to reducing maternal mortality, increasing access to quality health services, and promoting gender equality.
The Programme to Strengthen Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, funded by the Kingdom of Norway and implemented with the Government of Angola, has a budget of approximately USD 2 million for 2024-2028. It aims to enhance access to sexual and reproductive health services in the provinces of Cunene, Malanje, Bi©, Namibe, and Luanda, focusing on reducing maternal mortality and promoting women's and girls' sexual and reproductive rights.
The aforementioned visits have already been carried out in the last two days in the province of Cunene.
