.png?sfvrsn=6d0e27cd_1 "Partnership for Change - v7 (1)")
The roll-out of the global "Advocating for Change for Adolescents!" toolkit developed in collaboration with The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health and Women Deliver, took place on 23rd March, 2018 in Kilifi County, Pwani University, led by the Organization of Africa Youth (OAY) Kenya Chapter, with the support of several partners and contributors. More than 400 young people, policy makers and civil society organizations attended.
Organisation of African YouthAdolescents in Kenya have several unmet health and wellbeing needs characterized by numerous barriers: Reproductive health, HIV, drug and substance abuse, poverty, road accidents, early pregnancy, child marriage, harmful traditional practices, internet safety, among others greatly affect their health indicators.
"The government has developed policies to tackle adolescents’ health issues in Kenya. This toolkit, the first in Kenya, is timely and critical in assisting Kenya harness its demographic dividend."
Dr. Jeanne Patrick,
Deputy Head/Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Program Manager Reproductive and Maternal Health Services Unit, Ministry of Health
In Kenya, OAY developed an advocacy roadmap with a focus on expanding access to information and services to prevent unintended pregnancies and ensuring girls can complete their secondary education. The advocacy objectives entails collaborating with government to develop youth-friendly services and IEC materials, building capacity of youth-serving organizations to engage in advocacy and accountability, and increasing dialogue between adolescents,government and gate keepers at community level.
In Kilifi County, about 1 in 5 (24%) people are adolescents aged 10-19. Half of Kilifi County women (25-49 years old) were married by age 19 and half of the men (30-54 years old) by age 25. 22% of girls aged 15-19 years in Kilifi County have begun childbearing; higher than the national level. 20% of currently married girls aged 15- 19 use modern contraceptives.
The tookit was adapted to the Kenya context to offer a more simplified step-by-step guide to organizations and young people on advocacy design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. It will also be used in capacity building for youth led organizations and to mobilize more young people to join our advocacy activities and campaign.
"I urge all of us to join hands and focus our energies and resources to implementing the guide set out in this tool kit. As National Youth Council, we will mobilize partners towards strategic operationalization of this valuable tool kit."
Raymond Ochieng,
National Youth Council Chief Executive Officer
The toolkit, the first one in Kenya, has been endorsed by Ministry of Health, First Lady of Bungoma County, National Youth Council and over 40 youth led and serving organizations, and can be used effectively by advocates, policy makers and health workers.
OAY is currently seeking partnerships to disseminate the toolkit and use it to capacity build adolescents and youth organizations across all the 47 Kenyan counties.
"I commend the team behind this toolkit. It is a good resource that can help us address the adolescents challenges such as teenage pregnancy and child marriage that are rampant in Kilifi"
- Kilifi North Reproductive Health officer
"We support the roll out of the toolkit and suggest it as a resource that we can use to tackle drug and substance abuse in the Coast region"
- Lucy Wanjiku, NACADA
"Organisation of African Youth plans to disseminate the toolkit in partnership with ministry of health and other partners in all counties, and train 20 youth led organizations on effective advocacy for adolescent’s health."
- Michael Asudi, Coordinator, Organisation of African Youth