By Winnie Adhiambo | Finance and Administration Officer
OVERVIEW
From 24th to 27th June 2025, Nyanza Initiative for Girls’ Education & Empowerment (NIGEE) participated in the 8th Pan-African Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK) Annual Conference, a continental convening that brought together policymakers, civil society actors, researchers, and youth advocates to advance dialogue on Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (AYSRHR) in Africa.
NIGEE presented four abstracts aligned with its strategic focus on education, bodily autonomy and legal empowerment, whose topics are below:
l Enhancing Bodily Autonomy for Adolescent and Youth SRHR.
l A School-Based Management Approach to Reduce Absenteeism and Improve Academic Outcomes
l My Rights, My Future: Legal Pathways to Ending Teenage Pregnancy and Protecting Adolescents
l Promoting Sustainable Access to SRHR Services through Community Health System Strengthening in Kisumu County, Kenya
In addition, with GlobalGiving donations and other funds, three young women were supported to attend the conference, providing them with an opportunity to meaningfully participate in sessions, engage with regional leaders and contribute to ongoing continental discussions on youth SRHR.
As part of the conference activities, we participated in two strategic side events during the conference. The first even hosted by the Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH), was titled Digital Platforms: An Opportunity for Building Young People’s Agency and Improving Access to SRHR Services. The session highlighted the role of digital platforms in expanding access to accurate SRHR information, referrals, and services for adolescents and youth, while promoting policy dialogue on integrating youth-friendly technology within public health strategies. The second, organized by the Centre for Reproductive Rights (CRR), was themed Reforming Policy and Legal Frameworks through Evidence-Based Advocacy to Enhance Adolescent Access to SRHR. At this session, NIGEE delivered thekeynote address emphasizing on the need for inclusive, context-responsive policy reforms that safeguard adolescents’ rights and strengthen access to essential health services.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
The conference underscored the centrality of youth leadership, reaffirming that adolescent girls must be at the heart of SRHR program design, implementation, and accountability. Discussions drew attention to persistent vulnerabilities among girls in rural and marginalized settings, especially early pregnancies and gender-based violence, linked to the gradual erosion of traditional protective community structures.
The delegates called for renewed political commitment and sustained investment in systems that promote adolescent health, education, and empowerment. NIGEE’s contribution through its presentations, side events, and the active engagement of young women delegates reinforced its position as a leading voice in advancing girl-centered, evidence-based SRHR advocacy across Kenya and the region.
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