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Haiti: Reproductive health and rights for youth As in most other developing countries, the youth represent the majority of Haiti's population. As they are usually not well informed about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, these youth face serious problems by engaging in risky sexual behaviour. Studies have shown a high incidence of early and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and a low percentage (8-9%) of sexually active youth using contraceptive methods. The Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education (FOSREF) has implemented a project for youth to inform them about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, to help them develop responsible sexual behaviour.
The project offers youth free access to reproductive health services in youth-friendly clinics. These services include access to family planning methods, programmes for the prevention of HIV/STIs, counselling on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, and clinical and psychological support. FOSREF emphasises young people's rights to complete information on sexuality and reproductive health; in this context, it implements a nation-wide IEC programme for adolescents through programmes run by the Ministry of Education. During the past four years, FOSREF has provided family-life education and training in reproductive health and population issues to more than 3000 young people and has trained more than 200 specialised peer educators. The project has also provided reproductive health services to more than 15,000 young people and has sensitised and informed more than 125,000 youth through outreach community activities, media programmes (radio, TV, newspapers) and IEC materials. One of the services is the opportunity for individuals to attend one-week seminars on family-life education. Emphasising sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents, FOSREF's strategy is to use youth to inform, sensitise and motivate other youth. This peer education approach ensures young people's active involvement in advocacy for their own sexual and reproductive rights. FOSREF provides the youth with access to gynaecologists, psychologists, counsellors and a group of well-trained staff in other areas who are always there to support and listen to them. This multi-disciplinary approach covers young people in and out-of-school, communities and universities. It also involves government, parents, schoolteachers, community leaders and NGOs. FOSREF trains peer educators and youth facilitators for outreach activities with youth in communities that do not have access to services and clinics. There, the educators discuss the problems and consequences of risky sexual behaviour such as teenage pregnancies and HIV/STI infection. They also distribute condoms in the communities. Youth clubs are an adjunct of the youth project; through these clubs, the project keeps in touch with the youth and continues to educate them on reproductive health. To date, 20 clubs have been set up. Although the FOSREF Youth Project primarily targets youth between the ages of 15 and 24, the staff has realised the importance of working closely with the parents. Parents are given the chance to be the first ones to talk to their child about their rights as human beings. With the assistance of FOSREF's specialised staff, young people are actively involved in raising awareness on sexual and reproductive health and rights, thus contributing to responsible sexual behaviours, that protect young people's key role in Haiti's future. Fritz Moïse, Executive Director FOSREF, lalue #41, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Tel: +509-223-27375, 221-6728; Fax: +509-222-3310; e-mail: fosref@hotmail.com |
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