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REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Improving the Reproductive Health of Young People in Kenya and Zimbabwe There is great need for reproductive health information and services in sub-Saharan Africa, yet there has been a lack of adequate facilities and, more importantly, ambivalence at the national and community levels regarding the appropriateness of such services. Part of the reason for this ambivalence has been the suspicion that sex education promotes early sexual activity. Despite studies suggesting otherwise, there have been no Africa-based studies on this issue that are compelling to policymakers in Africa. The goal of this Population Council study is to gather evidence about the necessity and feasibility of providing reproductive health services to young people. In Kenya, interventions were based on a local tradition by which young parents pass reproductive health information on to young people. A network of providers, mostly from the private sector, provided subsidized services using a coupon system. In urban Zimbabwe, existing municipal youth centers were upgraded to provide reproductive health information and referrals for services. In a rural area of Zimbabwe, a network of existing community-based workers were trained to provide young people with reproductive health information and referrals. The effects of the projects are being measured using a quasi-experimental research design including large-scale pre- and post-intervention surveys in experimental and control sites. Results from the three-year experiment in Nyeri, Kenya, disseminated in 2002, indicate that the project had a significant effect on encouraging abstinence after sexual initiation, reducing numbers of sexual partners, improving condom use, and increasing communication on reproductive health issues. The effects of the intervention in Zimbabwe are being evaluated. This page updated |
