Adolescents push for an end to period poverty, child marriage and other issues affecting young people in Tanzania.
Two students, 18-year-old Nchama and 15-year-old Theresia, travelled more than 900 kilometres from their homes in Geita and Kigoma, respectively, to the city of Dar es Salaam. Why make the long trip? Because they had the chance to shape their country’s plan to deal with the biggest issues that affect them and their peers.
The opportunity was to be part of Plan International’s Youth Advocacy and Leadership project. The youth were invited to serve as representatives in conversations that brought together government staff, civil-society actors, non-governmental organizations and other international organizations. Together, they would agree on what was needed to improve the well-being of young people throughout the country and put their recommendations forward to the Tanzanian government.
Nchama and Theresia arrived with thoughtful perspectives and clear solutions on issues such as period poverty, gender-based violence, child marriage, menstrual health and nutrition in schools and how more qualified teachers would help reduce school dropout rates.
“They had examples from their schools and communities of services that are lacking or issues that are persistent,” says Wema Moyo, Plan’s head of health and nutrition in Tanzania. “When they shared experiences from their communities, it was very powerful to hear.”
The participation of international organizations such as UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also helped bring deep experience with which to respond to and integrate the youth perspective. Plus, their participation helped the government see the validity of the solutions put forward by youth. “Their [the international organizations’] presence and their meaningful contributions made a strong impression in the eyes of the government,” says Moyo.
Read on to hear what Nchama said on behalf of the girls in her village.
Teen advocate from Geita calls for government action.
Most teens would be nervous speaking in front of a room full of adult strangers. But when 18-year-old Nchama picked up the microphone to address an audience of government representatives and global health experts, she found that the words came easily.
“I wanted to speak on behalf of other girls, especially those who are out of school and those who have disabilities,” she says. “It’s very rare for youth to be included in government processes. Most of the time, we are forgotten.”
Nchama travelled from her home in Tanzania’s northwest highlands to attend the Youth Advocacy and Leadership project’s two-day conference in Dar es Salaam. It was her chance to represent her peers in a conversation that could change their realities for the better.
It’s very rare for youth to be included in government processes. Most of the time, we are forgotten.” –Nchama, youth advocate
Nchama lives in Geita, where comprehensive information on girls’ health and rights is hard to come by. As a result, unintended pregnancies are common and lead to dropout from schools. Period poverty and a lack of information about menstrual health and hygiene also keep girls out of class. Nchama often used to miss school when she got her period because she didn’t have supplies like menstrual pads. Each month, she would impatiently wait at home for her period to end so she could go back to class.
When she was in Standard 6 of primary school, Nchama attended a menstrual-health lab supported by Plan International’s Keeping Adolescent Girls in School (KAGIS) project, an initiative aimed at eliminating obstacles to girls’ education. The lab was stocked with soap and menstrual products that students could use and was staffed by workers trained in adolescents' specific health needs. The workers gave students the information they needed to protect their health and held discussions to encourage more supportive attitudes about periods, removing the stigma that kept girls at home. (You can take a tour of one of the KAGIS menstrual-health labs in the video on the left. )
“The labs really opened my mind about menstruation and the myths that are common in the village,” says Nchama. Soon, she started volunteering to lead education sessions for other students and youth outside the school, sharing what she had learned and combatting misinformation.
This made Nchama a natural candidate to participate in the national consultations in Dar es Salaam. She was knowledgeable on why this information is so important and experienced in understanding what it takes to change minds and behaviours among youth.
In a speech at the two-day forum, she said that if comprehensive health education were provided properly, many girls would be able to protect themselves from early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Nchama called on the ministry representatives in the room to take action: “I am asking the government to invest in reproductive health education, in order to assist girls in reaching their goals.”
We engaged a consultant to conduct a review of Tanzania’s global and national commitments, policies and programs around adolescent health and well-being. The consultant assessed gaps, progress and opportunities.
We held consultations with in-school and out-of-school youth to gather feedback on all aspects of adolescent well-being. We then included their responses in the recommendations for government action.
We held consultations with national government ministries to document their views and opinions on carrying out existing commitments to adolescent well-being.
We convened a two-day dialogue in partnership with the Ministry of Health and a range of other stakeholders who could provide varied perspectives on national commitments, policies and programs for adolescent well-being. Together we assessed progress, identified challenges and prepared an advocacy statement asking the government to strengthen its commitment to adolescent health.
What’s next? The commitment statement has to make its way through internal government channels before it can be formalized and made public. Though the project team is keen to see the commitment published, Moyo explains that the process requires patience and follow-up.
“I see it as an opportunity for us to keep drawing attention to the gaps that we have identified,” she says. “We will continue to raise the issues at every forum that touches on adolescents' rights, to let the government know we have not forgotten about this.”
This project was delivered with funding from Fondation Botnar and in partnership with PMNCH.
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