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Did You Know?
  • Nigeria's STD/HIV Control estimates that more than 60 percent of new HIV infections occur in youth ages 15 to 25.
  • Over half of Nigerian women are married by age 20.
  • About seven percent of married teenage women reported using any method of contraception; less than five percent used a modern method.
  • Fifty-three percent of unmarried, sexually active teenage women used any method of contraception; while only 29 percent used a modern method.
  • Teenage mothers were more likely than older women to suffer from serious complications during delivery, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality for both mothers and infants.
  • Experts estimate that contraceptive access could prevent up to 35 percent of all maternal deaths.
  
Policy Brief:  Where We Are! Where We Should Be! : Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents and Young People in Nigeria (pdf)

“Youth Speak Out” newsletters here (Issues 1-5):
Amplify Regional Profile: Western Africa
 
 
 
The Campaign

Advocates for Youth has partnered with Nigeria’s Education As A Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA) to create a youth leadership council, called the Youth Advocates Group (YAG). YAG’s primary objective is to improve the sexual and reproductive health of young people in Nigeria by advocating for adequate implementation of the adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) policies with meaningful involvement of young people by 2011. Sub-objectives include:
 
  • Increased and full utilization of national budgetary allocation for ASRH policy implementation by December 2011.
  • Passage of the anti-stigmatization bill that includes prohibition of mandated HIV testing as a prerequisite for admission to tertiary institutions and to protect young people living with HIV/AIDS (YPLWHA) from all forms of discrimination particularly in schools.
  • Institutionalization for young people to participate in the conceptualization, design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of ASRH policies and programs.
  • Facilitate the establishment of ASRH units at state and local government level.

Check out the council's profile and some of the work they've done since the program's inception here

Advocates’ Partner in Nigeria: Education As A Vaccine Against AIDS (EVA)

Education as a Vaccine (EVA) is a non-governmental organization in Nigeria, founded in 2000. EVA’s mission is to establish systems and structures that will provide opportunities for youth to make responsible decisions concerning their development. To that effect EVA utilizes youth friendly approaches to provide information, services as well as developing advocacy initiatives through partnerships with other affinity groups.

To “Like” Education as a Vaccine on Facebook, click here
To “Like” YAG on Facebook, click here







Recent Activities
  1. Activity: Mobilizing youths through knowledge assessment and education through town hall meetings and interactive session for young people and political office aspirants in partnership with other youth groups and affiliates in four states (Benue, Nassarawa, FCT, and Cross River states).
    • Achievement: Over 2000 youth where mobilized and educated for increased participation in electing leaders
  2. Activity: Participated in the civil society organization’s meeting with the UNFPA Executive Director to ensure young people‘s involvement in the development and implementation of policies.
    • Achievement: The Executive Director pledged his commitment to engage young people at all levels of policy development and implementation. The response was motivated from a question he received from Kike, a council member.
  3. Activity: Leading the 2011 International Women’s Day campaign for “Girls want a 100% from governance”
    • Achievement: An article was published in a national newspaper.
  4. Activity: Advocates for Youth and EVA provided the council with their annual advocacy training and strategic planning for the year 2011.
    • Achievement: The YAG members’ capacity to lobby in policy decision-making processes, messaging and utilizing channels to leverage effective advocacy strategies.
  5. Activity: Planning a national Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Campaign
    • Achievement: The YAG, in partnership with White Ribbon Alliance, mobilized young people across the country. A network of young people was built on issues of MNCH to develop a concrete and innovative strategy to engage policy makers.
  6. Activity: Participation in the review and finalization of the adolescent health and development training manual administered by the Ministry of Health.
    • Achievement: Continual involvement of the YAG in the design and implementation of national sexual reproductive health policies.