The Minimum Service Package for Adolescents and Youth Health at workplaces in Ethiopia was launched today at the Kombolcha Industry Park in northern Ethiopia. During the occasion the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia and the Industrial Parks Development Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on the implementation of the package in the industry parks across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Meseret Zelalem, Director of the Maternal, Child, and Nutrition Directorate at the Ministry of Health, underscored that multi-sectoral collaboration is important in ensuring the health of adolescents and youth for them to contribute for development. She went on to note that the industry parks are among the priority intervention areas in ensuring that the youth working there benefit from, among others, sexual and reproductive health services.   

Around 85 thousand people are currently employed at the 13 industrial parks across Ethiopia. It was indicated at the event that 95 percent of the workforce at the industry parks is youth out of which 85 percent are young girls. Mr. Addisu Mamo, Deputy CEO of the Industrial Parks Development Corporation, mentioned at the occasion that there are gaps on SRH services at the industry parks across the country making the workers vulnerable and affecting their productivity.

On her part Sarah Masale, UNFPA Country Representative a.i. said at the event that the implementation of the package will be critical in promoting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of the youth, especially young women, working and living in and around the industry parks.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding between the two government entities is believed to be a key step in ensuring a coordinated and harmonized response to the health needs of young people in and around the industry parks engaging various partners.

The occasion saw expression of commitment by various partners to support the implementation of the minimum service package on adolescent and youth health.