Annual Meeting of the Regional Steering Committee of the Safeguarding Youth Program (SYP)
The Safeguarding Young People Programme (SYP) is UNFPA ESARO's (Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa) flagship youth programme. It is integrated in the Netherlands Regional Programme on HIV and AIDS, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
In Angola, the Programme will contribute to achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health and the realisation of reproductive rights for 60,000 adolescents and young people in five provinces of Angola. The Programme aims to accelerate efforts to reduce teenage and unwanted pregnancies among women and young people, with the corresponding benefits of investment in education, promoting their empowerment to reach their full potential.
On 10 and 11 March 2022, the Regional Steering Committee of the Safeguarding Youth Programme (SYP) met in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Steering Committee included the UNFPA Deputy Regional Director (ESARO), the SYP regional team, representatives of Key Ministries from each of the Programme Countries, Youth leaders and UNFPA staff from Country Offices, donor representatives from EKN (Embassy of the Netherlands in Mozambique and SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), as well as the SADC Secretariat and the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
The overall objective of the meeting was to present the 2021 Annual Report which now includes 4 more countries (Angola, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania), making a total of 12 countries, balance the implementation of the actions developed in the same year, provide political and strategic guidance to the programme to ensure a successful implementation. Approval of the annual work plans for 2022, validation of the results achieved in the previous year and sharing of good practices among the 12 countries implementing the programme in the region.
The Angolan delegation was composed of representatives from the Key Ministries that implement the Programme in Angola, from MINJUD, Dr. Kikas Machado, National Director of Youth and Sports was present, from MASFAMU, Dr. Ana Nginga Santos, Director of Office of the Secretary of State and Tânia Dinis, Senior Technician, from the Ministry of Health, Ketha Francisco Head of Primary Health Care Department DNSP and from the Ministry of Education, Soraya Kalongela National Director of Primary and Pre-School Education. A representative of civil society and a youth leader were also present. The delegation was accompanied by the UNFPA Focal Point in Angola, Ana Paula Andrade, Knowledge Management Associate.
Under the theme Good Practices, Angola, represented by Dr. Kikas Machado, talked about Innovation and the launch of the application OiKambas that will support adolescents and youth to make informed decisions about their bodies and receive information on SRH, STIs including HIV and AIDS, Teenage Pregnancy, Menstrual Health and Relationships.
