The Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS and Health Promotion is implementing the
Solutions for Supporting Healthy Adolescents Rights and Protection (SHARP)
project in Rwanda aiming at providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive
health and rights services and commodities to adolescents and young people in
Gasabo, Nyarugenge, Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts of Rwanda.
Adolescence is a critical stage of life when young people experience significant
physical, emotional, and social changes. During this period, they become more
curious about their sexuality and reproductive health, which can lead to increased
risk of unplanned pregnancies, high maternal mortality rates, unsafe abortions,
sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. Unfortunately, many adolescents in
Rwanda lack access to information and services that could help them make
informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
To address this challenge, the Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS and Health
Promotion, in collaboration with the Health Action International (HAI) is
implementing the SHARP project since 2022 which seeks to ensure the
availability, accessibility, and affordability of sexual and reproductive health and
rights services and commodities for young people in Rwanda and address their
high unmet need for family planning.
The SHARP project has several key objectives, including:
-Improving the availability and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health and
rights services and commodities for adolescents in Rwanda
-Increasing the demand for sexual and reproductive health and rights services
among adolescents in Rwanda
-Enhancing the capacity of health service providers to deliver quality sexual and
reproductive health and rights services to adolescents in Rwanda
-Strengthening the policy and legal framework for sexual and reproductive health
and rights in Rwanda
To achieve these objectives, the SHARP project being implemented in Rwanda,
Burundi, Tanzania, DRC, Zambia and Kenya has adopted a multifaceted approach
that includes a combination of interventions, advocacy, and capacity building for
adolescents and young people, ASRH service providers , Gender and human rights
and faith experts to ensure an effective provision of comprehensive sexual and
reproductive health services and information to adolescents in a confidential and
non-judgmental environment.
The SHARP project in Rwanda will be conducting outreach activities to increase
awareness and demand for sexual and reproductive health services among young
people. These activities include community and decision maker’s dialogues, radio
talk shows, and social media campaigns. In addition, the project will provide
training for health service providers to improve their skills in delivering youth-
friendly sexual and reproductive health services.
To strengthen the policy and legal framework for sexual and reproductive health
and rights in Rwanda, the SHARP project will engage with policymakers and other
stakeholders to advocate for the integration of youth-friendly sexual and
reproductive health services into the national health policies and ensure a strong
and mutual voice for advocacy and improved quality of ASRH services being
provided at different health facilities.
