Description:
This project aims to improve comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for marginalized women, children and adolescents in Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam. Project activities include: (1) developing a toolkit to guide provision of gender-responsiveness, cultural sensitivity and adolescent friendly health and nutrition services; (2) organizing exchange visits for health workers to experience and learn from skilled and qualified SRH providers; (3) training community groups on SGBV, its impact on physical and psychological health, and prevention; and (4) engaging with government bodies to adapt existing policies or promote policy changes (as needed) and allocate sufficient resources for resilient health systems that can met the SRHR needs of rights-holders. In Bangladesh the project is implemented in the urban slums and underserved areas of Chattogram City Corporation and is expected to reach a total of 662,040 beneficiaries. In Nepal, the project is implemented in 12 municipalities covering 4 districts in Karnali province: Jajarkot, Rukum, Dailekh, and Salyan. The project directly benefits 11,700 children with improved nutrition, 82,080 women of reproductive age with improved comprehensive SRH services and 7,860 mother’s group members and their male partners with improved knowledge on SRHR and nutrition. In Vietnam, the proposed project is implemented in 15 communes in Son La province (6 communes in Thuan Chau district, five communes in Yen Chau communes and four communes in Son La city). It benefits 5,200 children under 5, improve knowledge and skills on child health and nutrition for 10,000 local people, and build capacity for 150 health workers and 80 teachers on CSE and communication skills.
Expected Results:
The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased availability and use of gender responsive, high quality, comprehensive and integrated SRH services that are accessible, acceptable, and sensitive to the needs of adolescents, women and children; (2) increased adoption among community members of practices that advance gender-equality and the health, rights, and autonomy of women, adolescents and children; and (3) strengthened endorsement, enactment, and implementation of policies and guidelines by decision makers that promote resilient health systems and uphold the health rights of women and adolescents, and children.