SYP annual report 2021

The Safeguard Youth Program (SYP) is the flagship youth program of UNFPA ESARO (Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa), integrated in the Regional Program on HIV and AIDS, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

It has previously been implemented by UNFPA and its national and regional partners in eight countries in southern Africa since November 2013. The program is designed to address the sexual and reproductive health and rights needs of adolescents and youth.

 

The SYP aims to empower adolescents and youth enabling them to lead healthy lives, protect themselves from STIs (including HIV), unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, early marriages, GBV and harmful cultural practices. It seeks to simultane ously promote inclusion, gender equality norms and protective behaviours.

In Angola, the program aims to contribute to achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health and the realization of reproductive rights for 60,000 adolescents and young people in five provinces (Luanda, Cunene, Namibe, Huila and Cuando Cubango)

In 2021, the Safeguard Youth (SYP) program faced a number of protracted challenges, from the ongoing impact of the pandemic and civil unrest in some implementing countries to widespread opposition to Comprehensive Sex Education and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights. Despite this, the program once again demonstrated that its foundations are solid, that government ownership is a reality and that the partnership with SADC, the East African Community and civil society is strong.

The regional SYP program team continues to mobilize resources to reach more and more adolescents and youth in the region, using proven models and strategies that have been refined over the first eight years of successful implementation.