APC’s Youth-Focused Activities in Uganda

July 08, 2016

GREAT Project

APC Uganda is scaling up the Gender Roles, Equality, and Transformation (GREAT) project, which aims to promote gender-equitable attitudes and behaviors among youth and communities. The project's goal is to reduce sexual and gender-based violence and improve adolescent’s sexual and reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and access to services in Northern Uganda. APC is working with two sub-grantees, Straight Talk Foundation and the Concerned Parents Association, which will be implementing the community-based activities.

m4RH

APC is working with youth in Northern Uganda on the use of mobile technology for reproductive health. This includes using an SMS-based program to provide information about sexual and reproductive health. Through the original m4RH Project, FHI 360 developed a set of text messages on family planning methods that users in Kenya and Tanzania accessed via their mobile phones. Since that project, m4RH has been adapted for youth in Tanzania and Rwanda. The expanded content includes information about puberty, HIV, STIs, gender, pregnancy, and pregnancy prevention. The content in Uganda has been adapted for youth and APC is working with Text to Change Mobile to launch the m4RH program.

Reducing Unintended Pregnancy among Youth

APC Uganda conducted an assessment of the feasibility and acceptability of interventions to reduce unintended pregnancy among in-school youth. The formative assessment was conducted in six districts in Northern Uganda and consisted of a series of key informant interviews with government officials (both local and national), school administrators, and members of youth-serving organizations. Respondents were asked about their perceptions of the sexual and reproductive health challenges faced by youth in Uganda, and their perceived barriers to and acceptability and feasibility of implementing a school-based approach to reduce unintended pregnancy. Analysis results and programming recommendations are detailed in the Preventing Unintended and Unplanned Pregnancy Among In-school Youth: An Acceptability and Feasibility Assessment Report, which was produced and disseminated widely in 2016.