This project aims to empower Colombian girls, boys and young women to exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to help reduce sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and early pregnancies. The project works in schools with 7,000 girls and boys in eight municipalities, also reaching 6,000 parents and community members. Project activities include: (1) increasing the leadership of boys and girls within their communities; (2) improving access to SRHR information; (3) promoting positive transformations in attitudes and behaviours around SRHR; (4) building capacity within schools to implement successful comprehensive sexuality education; and (5) giving technical assistance to government officials and health providers to improve their delivery capacity in SRHR, with youth-friendly and gender-sensitive services.
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved attitudes and practices of girls, boys and adolescents related to gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and early unions in eight municipalities of Colombia; (2) increased decision-making power to exercise and demand sexual and reproductive rights by girls and young women in eight municipalities of Colombia; and (3) improved provision and access to right-based, gender-sensitive and youth-friendly SRHR services in eight municipalities of Colombia