COVID-19 in Uganda is unravelling access to SRHR for a generation of young people
Even before the pandemic, young people in Uganda had precarious access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Today, a “shadow pandemic” is unfolding for millions of young people as they face widespread disruption to their access to SRHR information, care and supplies.
School closures, reduced clinic hours and lack of in-person peer education, have left young people in Uganda with nowhere to turn.
Uganda’s young people face rising rates of teen pregnancy, child marriage and gender-based violence, alongside declining contraceptive use and disruptions to comprehensive sexuality education.
“If we don’t stand up now people will learn to live with their problems without our help.”
Global estimates show that 12 million women have been unable to access contraception during COVID-19, resulting in 1.4 million unintended pregnancies
"If we don't stand up now people will learn to live with their problems without our help.” says youth advocate Laban. “If we can't show up now, they will devise other means of handling their problems."
Can you navigate the difficult SRHR decisions in our Navigating COVID-19: An interactive story? Our interactive story offers insights into real-life experiences of young people during Uganda’s first lockdown.
Meet the youth champions who continue to advocate for SRHR amid the pandemic and the real stories of that shaped our interactive story.
Photo Credit:
Abu Huessein | SafeHands | Reproductive Health Uganda | Uganda | 2020
Can you navigate the impossible SRHR choices young people face?
Mugera Swabri | SafeHands | Reproductive Health Uganda | Uganda | 2020
The stories behind Navigating COVID-19
With Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), we partnered with young people to tell their stories of what really happened during the months of lockdown, school closures and transportation disruptions.
Meet the youth champions whose stories shaped our interactive story. These are the faces and voices of youth champions that continue to fly the flag for youth-friendly family planning and SRHR in the most trying of times.
As COVID-19 swept around the world, a shadow pandemic unfolded for women and girls.
Kagaaju Claire | 2020 | SafeHands | Reproductive Health Uganda | Uganda
Lockdown measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 rolled back young people’s access to SRHR and family planning.
Manzi Richard | SafeHands | 2020
Young people faced immense barriers to access SRHR informaion and services and family planning they needed.
Ssanyu Christine | 2020 | SafeHands | Reproductive Health Uganda | Uganda
Young women faced sharp rises in teen pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and gender-based violence.
Tayebwa Pudens | 2020 | SafeHands | Reproductive Health Uganda | Uganda
Even before the pandemic, young people had only precarious access to SRHR and family planning.
Mugera Swabri | SafeHands | 2020