European Union and African partners are joining forces to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa, particularly among adolescent girls and young women, to empower and enable them to reach their full potential.

 The initiative was launched today in Kigali, Rwanda and the main aim is to enhance coordination and collaboration among partners.

The initiative builds on a joint analysis of gaps, lessons learnt, and prioritizes areas where a regional perspective can complement global and country level investments, with a focus on three specific objectives: increase the implementation of continental and regional commitments on SRHR in the health and education sector, Improve the availability of quality-assured SRHR goods for all and strengthen advocacy and accountability to ensure SRHR needs are met.

The intention is to ensure a wide and balanced coverage across Western, Central, Eastern and Southern African countries. The initiative brings together under one logic new and ongoing regional and country SRHR programmes, whose coordination it will enhance, increasing their impact and contributing to development effectiveness.

This was developed by the European Commission, the EU Member States Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxemburg, Netherlands and Sweden, and three African Regional Economic Communities: the East African Community (EAC), the West African Health Organization (WAHO) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Advancing SRHR is a shared priority for Africa and Europe as SRHR play a key role in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.