UGANDA – The 5th Inter-Generational Dialogue

“22 year old Akwero Stella, got pregnant, was forced to drop out ofschool, and was rejected by her family. Stella was only 17. Like Stella, youngpeople continue to have their dreams crushed. They face a lot of SRH challengeslike early/teenage pregnancies, STIs and a high HIV/AIDS prevalence. Policiessuch as the NationalSchool Health Policy, if passed and implemented, would empoweryoung people especially girls with much-needed SRH information, have beenshelved.”

This year’s Inter-Generational Dialogue at Kampala Serena Hotel on 22October has the theme “Teenage pregnancyand the costs of restricted SRHR information and services for young people.”It is expected to be the biggest ever. Register here. The sessions are as follows:

#LetsTalk”:A holistic approach to early and unintended pregnancy

Theissue of early and unintended pregnancy has bedevilled Ugandan society and ledto irreversible consequences for girls and women, including school dropouts,maternal mortality, and infant mortality. This session will bring togetherpolicy makers, health practitioners, social innovators and civil society todeliberate on this reality and call for urgent policy and programmatic action. Itwill be led by Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD).

Lifestyle orUnmet Needs? What is the cost of restricted SRHR information and services foryoung people?

Some SRH challenges today have been attributed to thecurrent lifestyle of young people and are perceived as deserving of theconsequences. Is it true? This session will explore holistic approaches toyoung people’s SRHR issues and will bring together health practitioners, socialinnovators and civil society to deliberate on practical solutions. We willborrow ideas from similar contexts and look at how these ideas have worked.

The BigQuestion: Why should the National School Health Policy pass?

This session will attract 50 secondary schooladministrators/headteachers, district officials and ministry officials todiscuss the realities of SRHR in schools and forge ways to provide a conducivepolicy environment where students’ SRHR challenges and needs can be addressedin a timely and effective manner. Focus will be on the current draft National SchoolHealth Policy and will dig deep into how effective this policy will changehealth education in schools.

SRHR and Uganda’s development reality

This session will link SRHR and the keydevelopment goals of Uganda and broader sustainable development goals, e.g.gender equality, educational attainment, and broader health goals environmentalsustainability and economic growth. It is geared towards the very heart of thegovernment’s economic development policy agenda and Vision 2040. It willattract policy enthusiasts, policy professionals and young people to deliberateon the future of Uganda through an SRHR lens.

Storytelling: Inter-generational Powerspeak

This session will focus on the entire SRHRenvironment in Uganda, delivered in a Ted Talk-like style. The speakers andinspirational SRHR enthusiasts will share experiences, innovations &stories relating to SRHR to inspire, impart knowledge and demystify the mythsand misconceptions in SRHR.

SOURCE: Reach aHand Uganda Newsletter, 15 October 2019

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