Project Objectives
Contribute to provide expanded life choices and opportunities to 10.000 poor adolescent girls in 3 districts of Dakar and 3 districts of Thies by empowering them in three critical areas: Reproductive Health and Rights, Education and Human Rights, Employment and Livelihood (including self-employment).
Project Background
Information and knowledge about adolescent issues in Senegal show that adolescent girls are socially, economically and politically more disadvantaged, penalized and discriminated against than boys.
Girls have limited sexual and reproductive health choices. The consequences of both traditional and modern socio-cultural practices undermine the abilities of young girls to make free and informed choices, which leads to serious and lasting consequence on their lives.
Adolescent girls often face the combination of early sexual activity, early child bearing and early marriages. These factors, combined with a dearth of information and services, and a lack of decision making authority (usually due to their low social status), create a situation that often leads to early and/or unwanted sexual encounters, early and/or unplanned pregnancies and exposure to sexual transmitted diseases (STDs).Three main results are expected within the project timeframe.
Capacity of selected existing structures and programmes providing reproductive health services, education and income generating possibilities, will be reinforced to better meet the needs of poor adolescent girls. This will benefit all the young people who visit these structures and take part in these programmes. Access to and participation in the selected structures and programmes will be ensured for 10 000 poor adolescent girls. Participation of 10 000 poor adolescent girls in empowerment building activities and life skill activities.
These combined results will probably lead to healthier behaviors among adolescents in areas other than reproductive health, education and employment, and will help decrease the risks of tobacco or drug use, prostitution or other forms of exploitative situations.
Project Partners
Implementing Partner: UNICEF
Associated Implementing Partner: UNFPA
Outcomes
Opportunities created for adolescent girls to experience collectivity and build solidarity.
Enhanced capacity of adolescent girls to act in their own interests.
Enhanced and expanded economic capacities and opportunities, and greater autonomy for adolescent girls.
Increase in girls' school retention rates, enrolment and age at marriage.
Enhanced awareness of adolescent girls and confidence to exercise life choices.
