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The State of African Women Report, published in 2018, delivers a ground-breaking pan-African review of the current status of implementation of continental commitments on women’s rights. Via in-depth case studies, it gives insight into the ways in which diverse actors can contribute to change. The report hopes to thereby inform and strengthen the work of diverse people and organisations fighting to make women’s rights a reality.  

This is a Youth Action Movement - Seychelles initiative that generates and shares factual information on Sexual and Reproductive Health for the Youth by the Youth. This youth-led production is an effort by DM studio introducing actor RamAce as the main actor alongside Josh Wilds. The series premiered it's first episode on the 1st of December 2017. Follow their work -  https://www.facebook.com/YAMPositive/

The uptake of family planning campaigns in Uganda have been affected by various factors, as highlighted in this news item by NTV Uganda.

Cynthia is a young 23 year-old lady from Kenya. She tells us of her experience working on a youth-centered project at Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK). “Before I joined the Access, Services and Knowledge (ASK) project, I had never seen a female condom in my whole life. In fact, before then, I couldn’t even pronounce the words 'vagina' or 'penis'. I was so shy and felt so embarrassed about mentioning these body parts by their actual names. I would refer to them as 'things'. However, after my engagement with the ASK project, including intensive training on issues of adolescent sexual reproductive health by FHOK, I built up my confidence and now I'm able to confidently educate my peers on matters of their sexuality. Today, I speak to the young people in my church about healthy choices, more so those concerning their relationships and sexual health. I also pick condoms from FHOK for distribution among my friends and other young people. I'm not afraid about holding a condom up and explaining its proper use to my peers. Through my engagement with the youth activities at Family Health Options Kenya - FHOK, I am a better informed youth and a champion for sexual reproductive health and rights and this makes me feel proud.” The Access, Services and Knowledge (ASK): ‘What Young People Want, What Young People Need’ was a three year programme that targeted young people in the age group of 10-24 years. The overall objective of the project was to improve the use of SRHR services by young people (10-24 years) through demand creation, provision of youth friendly information and services (including commodities), and ensuring public private partnerships with a greater respect for young people’s sexual rights. It was implemented in the five countries of: Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana. Story by FHOK and Maryanne W. Waweru, IPPF Africa Region

23 year-old Nhanna Apami Intchami is a Youth Action Movement (YAM) member from the West-African country of Guinea Bissau. Tell us a little more about Nhanna, and your engagement in YAM –Guinea Bissau I come from a polygamous family. We are 15 brothers and sisters. Sadly, three of my siblings passed away before their first birthday. While in secondary school, I joined IPPPF Africa Region’s Member Association -the Associação da Guiné-Bissau para a Educação e Promoção da Saúde Familiar (AGUIBEF) as a peer educator. I also became interested in the activities of the Youth Action Movement (YAM), and became a member.   I completed my secondary school education in 2014, and thereafter joined Jean Piaget University to study Economics. However, I was unable to continue with my studies due to financial constraints. My family was not able to afford the fee. My participation in YAM has seen me hold the positions of YAM Regional Advisor and YAM Executive secretary. Today, I am in charge of resource mobilization. As part of AGUIBEF, I am also President of the National Advisory Council for Children and Youth of Guinea-Bissau. I am also the Sub-Director of pedagogic sector at Escola de Cadetes educational project (coaching of adolescent’s project) and member of the National Confederation of Student Associations of Guinea-Bissau. I also work as a volunteer at “Radio Bombolom FM” as a reporter and presenter. In addition, I am an animator of a children´s program called “Nó Pensa Nó Futuro”* at the same Radio. Where does your passion for youth and SRHR come from? In 2010, Guinea Bissau undertook a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. The results revealed high rates of maternal mortality, infant mortality, early pregnancy, child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and HIV prevalence in some regions. This information caught my attention as I remembered my three siblings who has passed away before they got to celebrate their first birthdays. They had died due to some indicators mentioned in the survey. It is then that I decided to join an organization involved in issues of reproductive health to broaden my understanding on some of the indicators mentioned in the survey. That was when I joined AGUIBEF. What SRH projects or programmes have you been involved in? As a YAM member, I implemented a 6 month advocacy project on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for community leaders in Bissau. The project was for AGUIBEF funded by OOAS – West African Heath organization. As Chair of  National Advisory Council for Children and Youth of Guinea-Bissau, with Plan International funding I promoted a workshop in Advocacy for SRHR for girls and boys and managed to have participation of the President of Republic of Guinea Bissau as well as government represented by Ministry of Interior.  I have also been involved in the Escola de Cadetes educational project – which is a coaching project for knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. The contents of the coaching program were designed by Youth National Council and is expected to be used for each group in a period of six to nine months. To date, I have coached about 40 young people. Radio Program “Nó Pensa Nó Futuro”– I work as children program animator with focus on adolescent and young people issues. Where do you see yourself five years from now? I hope to have completed my degree in Economics, and be fluent in English and French languages. Story by Maryanne W. Waweru, IPPF Africa Region. For more information about our work, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

IPPF Member Associations (MAs) continually endeavor to ensure that every woman, man and young person who needs contraceptive services is able to access them as and when they need them. Through our MAs, we offer a wide range of modern family planning methods. See where we work in the Africa region here.

40 year-old Lasme Eugenie smiles with good reason. We caught up with her at IPPF Africa Region’s Member Association in Cote d'Ivoire –The Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-Etre Familial (AIBEF) clinic in Yopougon. Lasme been accessing reproductive health services, including family planning, at the clinic for the last 10 years. She has never gone anywhere else for these services, and shares the reasons behind her loyalty to this health facility. "I like this AIBEF clinic because it has very friendly staff. Whenever I come here  for services, I am always received very warmly and the staff make me feel good. In addition, they answer all my questions without rushing me, and they take time to provide me with additional helpful information about my health. In fact, because of the good services I receive here, I have always told my friends to come here too whenever they need to access reproductive health services, especially family planning. I have received good feedback from them, with many saying that they like the services too," says Lasme, a mother of two. AIBEF clinics provide a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services including family planning, ante-natal care and sexually transmitted infection management to thousands of people each month.  Contacts Website: http://www.aibef.org  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AIBEF-1478416299110640/ Story by Maryanne W. Waweru IPPF Africa Region.

Taiwo Ogunfayo, a 33-year-old interior decorator, is a client at the Liberty Stadium Clinic – one of Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) facilities in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in South West Nigeria. “One day, I was in the market when I came across a PPFN outreach. The way the Community Health Extension Workers were explaining the different family planning methods was very simple to understand. “I have come across a lot of women since my first visit to this place and they all assured me that family planning works and it won't fail like a previous experience, but I didn't let that stop me from trying family planning again." Lack of adequate information is creating misinformation and wrong perceptions about family planning. She says that 'a lot of women have all sorts of beliefs about family planning, tied to religion and culture', hence the need for more PPFN community outreach services. "It was through the outreach service in my community that I found out about PPFN. The interesting thing about the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria project in Oyo state is that all the family planning methods are free if you can't afford to pay. There is no cost to the patient."