A workshop was held today aimed at validating the assessment carried out in Ethiopia on adolescent and youth-friendly health services. The assessment was supported by the Eastern and Southern Africa Region of UNFPA, Regional Economic Communities and the Africa Regional Office of the International Planned Parenthood in collaboration with the UNFPA Country Office and the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia.

Making remarks on the occasion, Mr. Sintayehu Abebe, Maternal, Adolescent and Youth Health Team Leader the Federal Ministry of Health, indicated the government’ s effort to implement a contextualized Comprehensive Sexuality Education to address the Sexual and Reproductive Health information and service needs of adolescent and young people. “The Ministry of Health will work on strengthening the coordination platforms so as to ensure effective implementation of the Adolescent and Youth Health Strategy,” he added.

Mr. Victor Rakoto, Deputy Representative of UNFPA, stated on the occasion the need to give importance to adolescent and youth health in the effort at reaping what is called the demographic dividend. “This requires an investment in human and physical capital that enables adolescents and young people to stay healthy, get educated, and find productive and income-generating employment,” he noted.

The assessment was carried out to implement the commitment made by Ministers of Health and Education of 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa to improve and expand comprehensive sexuality education and adolescent and youth-friendly health services. In addition to Ethiopia thirteen other countries in the region undertook an in-country assessment on adolescent and youth friendly health services. 

The participants of the workshop shared their experiences at the policy, program and community level and endorsed the assessment report suggesting various comments to be included in it. The validation workshop was attended by more than fifty participants represented from the Ministries of Health, Education and Youth and Sports as well as UN agencies, International and local NGOs , youth groups and people with disabilities.