In December 2021, the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), one of IPPF’s Centres of Excellence (CoE) for youth programming, hosted Anglophone Member Associations (MAs) of the IPPF in a learning and sharing forum to deliberate on and advance youth centred programming across the MAs. The forum sought to facilitate capacity building and knowledge exchange, and the operationalization of the Youth-Centred Approach (YCA) in adolescent and youth SRHR programming among IPPF MAs and selected youth centred organizations; to ensure effective development and delivery of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and Youth Friendly Health SRHR Services, while promoting Meaningful Youth Participation (MYP).
Among other things, the forum brought together Seven MAs EDs Youth Programmes Focal Persons and Young People from the Selected MAs, a representation of the ATBEDF ED and CoE Officer as well as the CoE Officer from the Africa Regional Office to review the current state of youth programming by various MAs; facilitated the development of a youth programmes conceptual framework based on the core objectives of the CoE programme and the YCA; v review and agree on various guidelines and tools being developed adapted under CoE programme for the Youth Programming, including the Inside and Out Tool, YCA Guide; the Provide Tool; and MYP Guide and facilitate the sharing of technical guidance for youth programme by experts selected form other institutional partners outside IPPF (UNFPA, WHO, UNESCO) As part of the strategy to facilitate learning exchange, the forum participants were also hosted at UMATI to participate in and learn about the MAs specialised youth Weekend Clinic initiative for possible replication by participating MAs.
The Forum, which was the first of its kind in the region with ED, Youth Programmes Focal Persons or Officers, Young People and Youth-led representatives together, the participants agreed to and issued a commitment statement (insert) which will become the first official engagement policy for action by the MAs with the agenda to jointly work together regionally to advance the attainment of SDGs 3, 4, and 5 as well as working in partnership with other stakeholders in MA countries, including government partners to ensure attainment of Demographic Dividend in the continents fast growing youthful population by 2030. The Forum also created the opportunity for high level discussions with specialised sessions facilitated by Senior Officials from partner agencies including Dr. Venkatraman CHANDRA-MOULI who’s presentation focused on WHO perspectives on Emerging SRHR needs of young people; what more must we do to achieve YFS for adolescents and young people; a second presentation by Xavier Hospital from UNESCOS west and Central Africa with a presentation focusing on the state of regional commitment to CSE and obstacles for scaling up and a third presentation by Renata Tallarico from UNFPA East and Southern Africa with a presentation focusing on UNFPA perspectives on advancing SRHR of young people in Africa, challenges, opportunities and critical programming issues as well as achieving the Demographic Dividend. The highlight of the forum was an intergenerational dialogue between the EDs Youth Officers and Young people which discussed the issues of meaningful youth participation within MAs and IPPF as well as MAs positioning themselves in strategic ways to avert and effectively manage rising opposition in the various countries against CSE for young people. The meeting was attended by about 27 people in persons and an additional 12 people joining virtually and participating in different sessions. The Head of International programmes at Rutgers was among a team of CoE and IPPF external officials who opened the forum virtually including other colleagues from Profamilia also joining to share their experiences in reviewing the Inside and Out CSE assessment Tool.