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Emerging issues in SHRH amid-Covid-19

 Hey guys,I know it’s been a minute.A very long one.I hope you are keeping safe in the pandemic.Here is something I have written surrounding Sexual reproductive health rights and Covid-19 from a meeting a wa privileged to attend.

Since Malawi recorded its first Covid-19 case in April, youth led organizations through collaborated efforts have been fighting against the pandemic. The Corona Virus pandemic Covid-19 has greatly disrupted lives of people across the world especially young people. Figures shown by the World Health organization indicate that the pandemic is mostly affecting young people aged 20-39 years with most deaths occurring in ages 40 and above with most of them being male.

According to the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA)60% of the population in country is made up of young people. Young people’s lives have been affected greatly as schools are closed which has compromised education, social life no longer exists with the social distance procedures which have fueled violence. Due to limited access to Sexual reproductive health services, there has been an increase teenage pregnancies since the pandemic-started. Habiba Osman from the united Nations said that long period of idleness due to the corona virus restrictions have resulted in pregnancies and child marriages.

With funding from USAID through FHI 360, Youth Wave Malawi, a non-profit organization based in Lilongwe has engaged young people in trainings to tackle Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SHRH) issues surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. The young people dubbed “change makers” tackled emerging issues during the pandemic Covid-19, existing challenges, solutions as well as barriers through the “Osayidelera Covid-19 communication Campaign by the ministry of health through Health Communication for life (HC4L). The campaign has a drama “Sankhani Moyo” and has engaged 10 young musicians on the Osayidelera covid album.

The rise in pregnancies, limited access to e-learning as well as SHRH and myths surrounding the Covid-19 are among both emerging and existing issues. Reduction of data costs, use of mobile clinics,” Chipatala pa” phone as well as maximizing civic education could be effective solutions in tackling the challenges that young people are facing during these uncertain times. Being interconnected to digital technology, media and internet has aligned young people with resources and networking that can mitigate risks while enhancing community outreach that is vital for critical information sharing in the Covid-19 pandemic.


Going forward, there is need to meaningfully engage young people in consultation, encourage and strengthen them through capacity building, treat them as equal partners by coordinating with them and empowering to respond to issues surrounding Covid-19.

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