The UNFPA Angola Representative, Rinko Kinoshita, met on Monday, January 27, with the Secretary of State for Youth, Danila Patrícia de Almeida Bragança, at the Casa da Juventude in Viana. The visit was accompanied by Teresa Sara, founder of the "Girls First" project, which supports teenage pregnancy prevention and menstrual hygiene management.

The meeting was followed by a visit to the site hosting the Counseling and Testing Service (SAT) of JIRO - Informed, Responsible, and Organized Youth, and the Call Center for the SMS Jovem/U-Report platform. UNFPA has supported the Ministry of Youth and Sports in both initiatives since 2020, as part of the Youth Safeguard Programme (SYP) funded by the Dutch government.

These initiatives aim to address the challenges, needs, and questions of adolescents and young people regarding sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, gender issues, and other concerns. They promote guidance for behavioral change to reduce risks.

Ariane Miguel, counselor for the SMS Jovem/U-Report Platform, expressed hope that more young people in the community could access the information provided by the platform. She expects the visit to contribute to broader service outreach.

The SMS Jovem platform currently has 102,393 users from different provinces, with whom call center agents interact and respond to questions related to sexual and reproductive health.

On the occasion, the UNFPA Representative and the Secretary of State for Youth visited sewing rooms dedicated to making reusable sanitary pads and other fabric products. These efforts aim to ensure that girls and women have access to affordable menstrual hygiene products and knowledge, allowing them to manage their menstruation with comfort and dignity. The young women trained and working in the sewing rooms explained the production process, highlighting some needs to fully achieve the rooms' intended objectives.

In 2024, UNFPA supported the implementation of Menstrual Health Management training for 6,288 girls and women in the provinces of Luanda, Namibe, Cunene, Huíla, Cuando Cubango, and Lunda Norte.

With this assessment visit, UNFPA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports reaffirm their commitment to improving adolescent- and youth-friendly services, aiming to empower young people with knowledge in areas that directly impact their physical and intellectual development, enabling them to make informed decisions and reach their full potential.