SRHR Programmes

Since 1855, YWCAs around the world have championed women’s rights. YWCAs work within their local context to find solutions that work for the women and girls in their community. In this briefing, we highlight the work YWCAs are doing to ensure women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Young women in Ukraine learn about responsible sexual behaviour

Ukraine has the highest number of people living with HIV in Europe. In response, the YWCA of Ukraine has organised workshops in the capital Kyiv that educate young women on HIV and AIDS. Over 250 young women have attended the workshops and learnt about responsible sexual behaviour, the importance of good sexual health and the social and economic factors that make women vulnerable to HIV. “I did not even know female condoms exist. We have so much to learn and we must tell other people,” said a young woman participant.

“The young women take themselves more seriously with respect to their health,” says Marina Grodzitskaya, Project Manager for the workshops, “They obtain information on where and how they can undergo anonymous HIV testing and if necessary get consultations and support. They become aware of the dangers of unprotected sex.“

The workshops are popular with young women who are eager for information on HIV and sexual health. “This training gave me a new push to act. I have started to deliver mini-trainings to my friends,“ says Christine, a YWCA member.

The YWCA of Ukraine will continue hosting the workshops and hopes to expand the participation to sex workers.

Finding support after breast cancer

Globally, breast cancer kills one woman every 75 seconds. The YWCA Encore programme, run by YWCAs in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada and Japan, assists women who have had breast cancer surgery. Encore was developed in the 1970s by YWCA USA women who had experienced trouble finding appropriate support programmes after breast cancer surgery.

Recovering from breast cancer can have serious physical and psychological effects. Encore has been designed to address the challenges of recovery through improving mobility and flexibility, boosting self-esteem and confidence and finding relief from discomfort experienced after surgery. Encore is offered free-of-charge and runs over an eight-week period with a weekly group meeting to participate in floor and pool exercises and an information and support session.

In Australia, Encore evaluations found nine out of ten women who attend an Encore course report physical improvement. Eight out of ten women feel an increase in their energy level and 100 per cent of the women report that they benefited from attending Encore.

Going sailing? Take a condom

The YWCA of Grenada has pledged their commitment to raise awareness of HIV and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) on the Caribbean island of Grenada.

The association has developed an HIV and AIDS Committee that works alongside the Grenada National Aids Directorate and other non-governmental organisations to educate both its membership and the general public on HIV and AIDS and SRHR.

The YWCA of Grenada recently hosted an HIV awareness booth and voluntary counseling and testing at the Grenada Sailing Festival. “It was an excellent opportunity to showcase Grenada’s HIV agenda. YWCA volunteers walked along the beach with educational materials that included posters, male and female condoms, contact cards and an HIV awareness survey,“ says Shonta Duncan, a YWCA of Grenada member.

Promotional materials such as water bottles were handed out to people who correctly answered questions on the topic. Condoms were also distributed to those who attended to encourage responsible sexual practices and behaviour. The association also held an Open House on World AIDS Day 2008 to raise awareness of HIV in Grenada and provide information on the correct use of the male and female condom.

Higher education, higher risks: YWCA of Ethiopia responds to university women’s sexual and reproductive health needs

Female students in higher learning institutes in Ethiopia face many problems that pose a challenge to the successful completion of their studies. The YWCA of Ethiopia has found typical challenges identified by female university students include economic problems, especially for rural female students, sexual and verbal harassment and lack of sufficient knowledge on reproductive health including HIV.

Unintended pregnancies and abortion are some of the consequences. The social support within the university system is also weak; there is little guidance and counseling for students who find it difficult to cope with the new academic and social environment. The unsafe environment on university campuses, like dormitories situated at inconvenient locations, make female student vulnerable to violence. All of these challenges ultimately contribute to low academic performance thereby increasing female university dropouts.

It is in this context that a university official approached the YWCA of Ethiopia to intervene. Bearing in mind the gap between the favorable government’s policy framework on education, health and gender and the reality on university campuses, the YWCA of Ethiopia felt that there was an urgent need for intervention. Removing the hurdles faced by female students in higher learning institutes has now become the YWCA’s major concern.

With the assistance of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the YWCA of Ethiopia started the ‘Enhancement of Women and Girls Reproductive Rights in Ethiopia’ project that currently runs in two Addis Ababa university campuses.

Supporting underprivileged women

The YWCA of Ethiopia understands that building the capabilities of young women through education and creating healthy citizens whose reproductive health needs and rights are safeguarded is a path to development. To address the economic challenges that sometimes lead female students to engage in paid sex with older men, an empowerment scheme was developed that offers 100 underprivileged students a monthly stipend of Birr 100 (approximately USD 9). With Birr 100, a student is able to buy sanitary pads, shampoo and body lotion and afford photocopying, as most of the books in the library are not sufficient, and the young women prefer to photocopies to read in their dormitory which is safer.

In addition to financial support, the women in the programme also participate in a mentoring and training programme. The programme delivers training on reproductive health, leadership and human rights. The YWCA of Ethiopia already had existing initiatives on violence against women and reproductive health in high schools and used the experience and knowledge from running these programmes to implement the university training.

The condom kiosk

The YWCA of Ethiopia realised that female students had little access to contraceptives and this had a negative impact on their sexual health. Through the contacts established within the university and government Ministries, the YWCA received permission to set up condom kiosks at the Addis Ababa University. In partnership with DKT Ethiopia, a leading contraceptives supplier, the kiosk was set up next to the female dormitory to provide young women with sexual and reproductive health services. The YWCA hopes the location of the kiosk will encourage female students to use the service without shame. It will facilitate access to contraceptives such as condoms, the contraceptive pill and sanitary pads for female students. The project is sustainable; proceeds from the sale of the subsidised products will go to the establishment of a women’s fund.

One of the major challenges of implementing the project was soliciting support from stakeholders working on campus, both governmental and non-governmental organisations. The challenge was overcome by engaging in advocacy work with the NGOs and government representatives to convince them of the importance of encouraging sexual and reproductive health among university students.

Despite the barriers, the YWCA of Ethiopia remains passionate about addressing sexual and reproductive health rights of young women in Ethiopia.