The Power to You(th) programme focuses on harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and unintended pregnancies. All of these are persistent ‘key issues’ where insufficient progress has been made in recent years.

Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the programme is led by a consortium between Amref Flying Doctors, Rutgers, and Sonke Gender Justice, with KIT and Choice for Youth and Sexuality as technical partners. It is being implemented in seven countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda, with coordination support and advocacy activities conducted in the Netherlands and globally.

The consortium strives to foster ownership at the country level, with locally formed coalitions and representation of beneficiaries in its governance. The implementing partners believe in the power of young people (especially young women and girls) to bring about positive change, and think they should be meaningfully included in discussions and decisions regarding key issues.

Accordingly, the programme will empower adolescent girls and young women to increase their agency, claim their rights, address gender inequalities, challenge gender norms and advocate for inclusive decision-making. Boys and men will be engaged as positive contributors to this process of change. And civil society organizations will be strengthened to have the capacity and legitimacy to represent underserved communities and engage with various actors to expand civic space and change social norms, leading to the development and implementation of progressive laws and policies.

KIT is leading the baseline studies in all seven countries.