SARSYC, Zambia

August 1, 2019

Roots under RHRN in July attended the Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference (SARSYC) in Zambia with the theme Plan,prioritize and prevent. Today we had a side session on concerted advocacy for SRHR for young people.

The conference calls for the prioritization of key populations amongst the youth constituency. These are students in institutions of higher learning with a special focus on the female student, LGBTI young people, young people with disabilities and young people living with HIV.The conference also calls on governments and stakeholders to effectively plan for the realization of young people’s sexual reproductive health and ensure that there is a coordinated response in addressing students and young people’s sexual reproductive challenges.

The conference gives a special focus on the girl child and calls on all stakeholders to join the efforts towards preventing early and unintended pregnancies which usually escalates to unsafe abortions and deaths, whilst ensuring that girls remain in schools until they complete their education. This calls for strengthening Comprehensive Sexuality Education and access to contraception services for young women and men.