Women and girls’ rights are not realized due to many factors among of which include the patrichircal cultures and competing ways in which players operate. However with new system thinking approach, there might be a way out.
At a session organized by The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) at the Women Deliver 2023 conference in Kigali, Rwanda, participants noted that women and girls have suffered in silence.
“Breaking the silos” they noted, could bring about better health, education outcomes leading to economic growth that will allow women and girls enjoy their full potentials in the community and build resilience to climate change.
The silenced voices have kept women and girls backwards and made them vulnerable within communities in which they live,” they said.
Shonel Lunkuse, Young activist from Uganda says the impacts of breaking the silence will positively affect vulnerable adolescent girls with disabilities.
Lunkuse said different activists need to put their efforts together to empower communities work towards the rights of equal rights to girls.
Lunkuse added that Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights as a cross-cutting initiative is at the center of everything and called upon Africans to make steps forward to ensure effective education and sensitization of SRHR.
Ugandan young activist, Stella reiterated that the gap in the access of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) remain a subject of debate as people talk and fail to act responsibly.
Nicola Okero, policy officer in ‘Food4education’ organization based in Kenya shared an experience of how her strong voice and partnerships has helped young learners to get meals at school, which has given a boost to their education and class attendance routine.
Discussants emphasized on the rights of adolescents to access sexual and reproductive health, contraceptives and voluntary family planning services. “These services cannot be accessed when everyone keeps silent,” said Clive Mutunga,USAID-funded BUILD Project Director said. “People need to integrate their efforts in the fight to break the silence,” he said.
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