RESEARCH UTILIZATION
Senegal: Launch of the National Strategy on Adolescents and Young People’s Health

The ceremony was organized by the Reproductive Health Division, an arm of the MOHMP, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Population Council, to raise consciousness about adolescent health and to promote support and funding for this issue among program managers and donors.

Opening ceremony by Mister Abdou Fall, Minister of Health and Medical Prevention of Senegal.

Dr. Fatou Nar Mbaye, head of the Reproductive Health Division, presented the national strategy as the collective work of actors from various sectors (public, private, NGO, and community). The guiding principles, objectives, and priority actions provide a framework for integrating and coordinating resources and initiatives to improve the health of all adolescents.

Attendance by representatives of a broad spectrum of society helped to emphasize the importance of integrating adolescent health and development. Participants in the ceremony included officials from a variety of other health sectors including the ministries of Youth, Education, Women, Family and Social Development, and Local Communities. Additional attendees included representatives from the National AIDS Committee, development partners, bilateral and multilateral cooperation agencies, professional associations, the press, and youth associations.

Enthusiastic Participation by Youth

Welcome speech by representative of the Peer Educators Association on adolescent reproductive health (ARH).

The ceremony was entirely managed by young people from a range of youth associations and organizations. Participating youth included: peer educators from Saint-Louis and Louga who were trained during an operation research project on improving adolescent reproductive health (see Population Council projects Global Agenda: Improving the Reproductive Health of Youth in Senegal and Enhancing Utilization of the Findings from the Youth Reproductive Health Project); peer educators from Léopold Sédar Senghor Youth Center in Pikine (one of Dakar’s most crowded neighborhoods); and the three young brothers who formed the well-known Hip-Hop group “Bidew bou bess” [New Star]. A representative from among these peer educators welcomed the Minister of Health and Medical Prevention and other authorities and delivered a speech affirming: “In the name of all peer educators, we renew our commitment and resolve to work according to this national strategy on behalf of adolescents and young people.”

The painter Kalidou Kassé also showed his support by exhibiting some of his paintings illustrating the important issue of parent/child communication and showing safe spaces where the family, the village, and the community can engage in discussions.

Multisectorality: The Basis of National Strategy

The morning’s proceedings emphasized the multisectoral nature of adolescent health. In his speech, the Minister of Health and Medical Prevention called "for the commitment of all stakeholders to ensure that multisectoral action, which constitutes the substance of this National Strategy, becomes a reality reflected in the effective integration of adolescent health in [their] programs." He cited Japan’s investment in educating adolescents and young people as a factor in the country’s success.

Visit by Mister Abdou Fall, Minister of Health and Medical Prevention of Senegal, to the exhibition on the ARH tools and materials presented by different sectors.

Throughout the ceremony, peer educators also emphasized the problems that adolescents face during their development, and the need for all actors look to the health sector to enhance protection and opportunities for adolescents.

Another expression of multisectoral engagement was exhibition of the wide range of tools and materials for adolescents available in Senegal. This exhibition introduced two national training tools (based on the Population Council project materials): the orientation module for health providers on adolescent health and the Grandir en Harmonie [Growing up in harmony] curriculum for peer educators’ training.

Broad National Press Coverage

Members of Peer Educators Association, Saint-Louis.

Wide coverage of the launching ceremony was assured by the attendance of journalists representing various radio and TV stations and newspapers, and by the Senegalese National TV (RTS), which featured the event during three major editions of television news. This ceremony, celebrating the official launching of the National Strategy on Adolescents and Young People's Health in Senegal through the diversity of its participants, represents a first step in the strategy’s promotion among an array of stakeholders, and also advocates for a focused, multisectoral implementation to increase the commitment to the health and development of adolescents in Senegal.

January 2007

See Also

• FRONTIERS projects

  • Global Agenda: Improving the Reproductive Health of Youth in Senegal
  • Enhancing Utilization of the Findings from the Youth Reproductive Health Project
  • Improving Communication About Reproductive Health in Families with Adolescents
• Senegal
• Youth
• FRONTIERS Publications/Resources on Senegal
• FRONTIERS Senegal

• FRONTIERS Scaling Up

• FRONTIERS Utilization of Research Findings

• FRONTIERS Youth

For more information contact:
Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS)
Population Council
4301 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 280
Washington, DC 20008 USA
Telephone: +1 202 237 9400
Facsimile: +1 202 237 8410
E-mail: frontiers@popcouncil.org

---

Print this page

@ E-mail this page

This page updated 14 June 2007

---