Our Focus Areas

Realization of sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of youth and adolescent especially girls remains a challenge to East African countries which constitute of young populations. Girls are vulnerable to harmful practices such as forced, child and early marriages and teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortion, female genital mutilation (FGM), beading among the Samburu, sexual violence, malnutrition and reproductive tract infections including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as HIV and AIDS and those caused by poor menstrual hygiene. Though East African countries have been signatory and made commitments to several international and regional human rights treaties and declarations such as ministerial Commitment on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and SRH Services for Adolescents and Young People in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA, 2013, Uganda & Kenya), and national policies and Acts such as Sexual Offences Act (Kenya &Uganda in Bill form), Children’s Act, Counter Trafficking in Persons Act and Prohibition of FGM Act (Kenya & Uganda). These remain largely unenforced.