Organizations involved
Save The Children International; Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University (IRH); Save The Children Canada
Summary
Save The Children International implemented two projects related to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health:
The first project, “Growing Up GREAT!”, is an intervention of the Passages Program, led by IRH and funded by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This project offers evidence-based interventions and services for very young adolescents (10-14 years) who are transitioning to puberty, and aims to help lay the foundation for their health and well-being throughout their life. The targeted health zones were in Kinshasa: Masina I, Biyela, Kingasani, and N’Djili.
The second project, called “Growing Up GREAT! Plus” (2018 - present), funded by Global Affairs Canada, is a scale-up of the former. In addition to the 10-14 age group, in-school and out-of-school adolescents aged 15-19 are also targeted. Sixty health structures in the DRC were targeted for the provision of adolescent youth sexual and reproductive health/ family planning services and treatment for gender-based violence. Seven health zones in three communes (Masina, Kimbanseke, and N'djili) were targeted.
GUG!+ addresses gender-based barriers that adolescent girls and boys face in accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with a focus on increasing knowledge about and self-efficacy in the following areas including positive attitudes towards puberty and sexuality; safe sexual activity; use of contraception; sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) response services; parent-child communication about sexuality; and attitudes and behaviors relating to gender equality.
Social norms of interest
The distribution of roles and responsibilities of adolescents in relation to gender; the perception of the professional capacities of women as compared to men; access to information for adolescents on sexual health as well as the enjoyment of their rights.
Behaviors of interest
Gender stereotypes; positive discipline and intergenerational communication on the topic of adolescent sexual and reproductive health; use of contraception; sexual and gender-based violence; girls’ schooling retention.
Project components
- Equitable access to information about sexual and reproductive health and related rights, which takes into account the age and gender of the adolescents, is improved;
- Sexual and reproductive health services in health centres are adapted and their quality is improved in order to meet the specific needs of adolescents;
- The social environment is improved and is conducive to adolescents’ exercising their rights in terms of sexual and reproductive health and protection against gender-based violence.
Social norms measurement
The schooling rate of girls as compared to boys; the involvement of boys in housework; young people’s and adolescents’ ability to access quality sexual and reproductive health services.
Key findings to date
Young boys involved in project activities understand that housework is not just for girls; adolescents can discuss their sexual and reproductive health together at youth clubs; health service providers are able to provide quality sexual and reproductive health services to adolescents who want them; parents of adolescents enrolled in youth club activities understand that adolescents have the right to benefit from services related to their sexual and reproductive health, including contraception.
