Lesotho 
Sexual and reproductive health education to combat AIDS in Lesotho

According to the United Nations Information Centre, the project was obtained by the UN Country Team in Lesotho, which is composed of UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, FAO and the World Food Programme.

The giant project, which is the first of its kind to fight the scourge, will be carried out by the UN agencies in cooperation with various ministries within the Lesotho government.

UNFIP was created and funded with a grant by Ted Turner, original owner of the global Cable News Network (CNN). This will be the first project, entitled JOINT National Partnership Support to Combat Transmission of HIV/AIDS Among Adolescent & Youth in Lesotho. It is expected to run for 36 months at a total cost of M20, 442,630 (about US$ 2.6 million).

The goal of the project is to ensure the rights of adolescent girls and young people to appropriate sexual and reproductive health and education with the aim to reduce overall HIV/AIDS prevalence amongst this group in the districts of Maseru and Mokhotlong. These districts have been found to be among the hardest hit by the epidemic.

The information centre said the project activities will be aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among the adolescent girls and youth by providing health care services through expansion and enhancing youth-friendly corners in the districts' health facilities and youth centres at community level.

"Activities will also be geared towards building capacity of districts and national counterparts to deliver life skills education, supporting the enactment of relevant policies on reproductive health and education for the target group, and provision of opportunities for self-empowerment among adolescent girls and young people," the UN information centre said.

It added the project will aim to improve access to income for girls and young people in the two districts with a view to stimulating production, increasing employment and reducing household levels of poverty.

The project will also develop a communications strategy that will centre around the use of entertainment and educational serial radio programmes and drama with the aim of providing information, creating a platform for sharing of experiences and an effective means of sensitising the community on the impact of high risk sexual behaviour on adolescents. 

The extent and quality of young people's involvement in the design, management and evaluation will determine the success of these activities.

This multimillion project will be coordinated by the UN Country Team Lesotho, which will also be the lead implementing agency. The partner implementing agencies include ministries of health and social welfare, education, environment, gender and youth affairs as well as the Christian health association. The other associated entities will be drawn from academic and non-governmental organisations. 

© Mopheme (Maseru, Lesotho).    You can contact afrol-Gender at elin.nordhagen@afrol.com