Partners in Sexual Health
Leaders in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
of Empowering Communities on SRHR, especially Adolescents and Youth
The below menu specifically navigates the pages of the Because We Can! Campaign
Because We Can! Campaign's
Past Meetings and Workshops
WOMXN IN LEADERSHIP: International Day of the Girl Child
Zoom Webinar
14 October 2020 from Cape Town, South Africa (hosted by Siyakwazi Youth Network)
“MY VOICE, OUR EQUAL FUTURE”
The International Day of the Girl, 11 October 2020, is a period of recognition and celebration of the struggles and successes of young womxn and girls in society. Womxn in leadership have shown immense growth over the years as womxn challenge traditional ideologies relating to gender and work. Womxn in positions of leadership have emerged across generations as they enter spaces and places formerly dominated by men, facing unique challenges in getting to the top. This year, under the theme, “My Voice, Our Equal Future”, such trials and tribulations need to be observed in the promotion of girls’ empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights.
International Day of the Girl is focused on:
* A life where young womxn and girls are free from gender-based violence, HIV and AIDS
* Learning new skills towards the future they choose
* Leading as a generation of activists accelerating social change
In order to achieve the above-mentioned, the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of young womxn and girls need to be linked to developmental agendas and goals. In linking SRHR goals to development agendas, gender equality is built alongside sustainable human development. Gender equality does not only foster an equal world, it is essential for the growth of communities and economies. By fostering intergenerational dialogue on womxn in leadership the event seeks to demonstrate how empowering womxn and young girls through their sexual and reproductive health and rights allows them to be free to realise economic opportunities. Hence, SRHR is but one channel through which gender equality is strengthened and the amount of womxn in leadership increased. The right to sexual and reproductive health is essential to womxn’s empowerment, gender equality and sustainable development.
Women Parliamentarians Dialogue on the Impact of COVID 19 on SADC Parliamentary Forum – SRHR, HIV/AIDS and Governance Project
26 June 2020, Sibane Hotel Ezulwini, Eswatini
As part of the on-going effort by the Because We Can! Campaign to enhance decision-makers' accountability in domesticating and implementing continental policies and norms promoting young people's SRHR in Eswatini, the Family Life Association of Eswatini (FLAS) participated in a half-day dialogue convened by the SADC Parliamentary Forum. This dialogue aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the recently launched SADC Parliamentary Forum on SRHR, HIV/AIDS and Governance Project.
FLAS as a strategic partner was invited together with other government and civil society stakeholders (Ministry of Health's SRH Unit, Ministry of Education's Guidance and Counselling Unit, the Deputy Prime Ministers' Office - DPMO, Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse – SWAGAA, SAfAIDS, UNFPA, Federation of the Disabled in Swaziland – FODSWA, KhulisaUmntfwana, Correctional Services, Anglican Church and Swazi Observer), to share our experiences regarding the impact of COVID-19 on our SRHR interventions.
The dialogue which coincided with Children's Month (Day of the African Child) served as a pedestal to identify policy gaps which the Women's Parliamentary Caucus will focus on, in line with the thematic project areas.
Day of the African Child Commemoration at the White Table Event
19 June 2020, FLAS Youth Centre, Manzini, Eswatini
In commemoration of the Day of the African Child 2020 under the theme: Access to Child-Friendly Justice in Africa, the Youth Action Movement (YAM) convened an "At The White Table" Dialogue on 19 June 2020 at the Family Life Association of Eswatini's (FLAS) Youth Centre in Manzini. The Because We Can! Campaign (BWC) Team supported this dialogue whereby the focus of the discussion was the access to Youth Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services by adolescents and young people. This also entailed exploring the availability of accurate information on SRH services for youth. These issues were discussed against the backdrop of SRH-related policies such as the Youth Policy, Children's Protection and Welfare Act (CPWA) of 2012, Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act of 2018 and the ESA commitments.