Women Deliver is a leading global advocate for girls’ and women’s health, right, and wellbeing, that catalyzes action by bringing together diverse voices and interests to drive progress, with a particular focus on maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and rights. Women Deliver was among the first organizations to promote the investment case for girls and women. Women Deliver is recognized for
impactful advocacy strategies, access to world influencers, participation on key coalitions and initiatives, and building the capacity of young people and civil society. In 2015, 200 young people from all over the globe were chosen to be part of the Women Deliver Young Leaders Program. The program seeks to ensure that adolescents and young people are involved and provided with the information, services, and opportunities needed to live to their full potential. The program provides opportunities for Young Leaders to build and strengthen their capacity and skills, while identifying national and global platforms for them to share their voices and experiences. This year, through the generous support of Johnson and Johnson, Women Deliver has awarded Seed Grants to 20 Young Leaders. These grants are opportunities for Young Leaders to implement advocacy projects in their communities and countries, to forward the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls, women, and young people. One of the grants have been awarded to Capiz Youth for SRHR or Y-Cap for SRHR. Capiz Youth for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights or Y-Cap for SRHR is a project developed by Anthony Lopez made possible by the support of Women Deliver and Johnson & Johnson. This project aims to train a team of 20 diversified children and young people to serve as champions of SRHR and create a core team that will increase awareness of young key affected populations regarding SRHR issues. Y-Cap will provide a series of advocacy campaigns, programs in both in-school and out-of-school settings in Roxas City, and engage stakeholders to support, uphold, create, and implement programs and ordinances related to safeguarding the sexual and reproductive health and rights of children and young people. Through the support of the Youth Peer Education Network of the Philippines (Y-Peer Pilipinas) the training of peer educators will cover different thematic areas - SRHR in General, teen pregnancy, STI, HIV and AIDS, gender-based violence, sex, gender and sexuality to name a few. To reinforce the knowledge gained, the Y-Cap Young Leaders will undergo 4 bi-weekly mentoring sessions with experts from different advocacy areas to get a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding SRHR through an online course (recorded or as an e-course) so that support may still be given even after the training. They will create a 4 month action plan with activities and programs each month. They will be required to conduct at least one (1) advocacy program or campaign in a month for four (4) month. The city health office and social welfare and development office has expressed their willingness to partner with Y-Cap to help harmonize efforts from both organizations and to assist in sustaining the organization even after the project implementation. The young leaders will be endorsed to the city government for formal recognition and acknowledgement as part of the SRHR advocacy. Albeit the endorsement, the group will still regain it's autonomy as a civil society group. Y-Cap will be a part of the Youth Peer Education Network of the Philippines or Y-PEER Pilipinas.
2. Overall Goal:
To increase awareness of Children and Young People about Teen Pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other SRHR issues by December 2016 in Roxas City, Capiz through a series of advocacy campaigns and comprehensive sexuality education in community and school-based settings; through the creation and training of team of peer educators; and through the passage of an ordinance focused on adolescent and youth friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights services. Specific Objectives:
• train a team of diversified children and young people to serve as champions of SRHR by August 2016 in the City of Roxas;
• provide comprehensive sexuality education and promote the eradication of teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS cases in Roxas City through youth-led advocacy programs and activities at different avenues and audiences through the formed core team from August to December 2016 and beyond in the city of Roxas;
• create a safe space where children and young people can talk about issues related to their sexual and reproductive health and rights through youth-led programs and activities in different communities and schools in Roxas City from August 2016 and beyond.;
• document specific concerns of children and young people on SRHR and partner with the local health unit research and find ways to address these concerns at the soonest possible time through administrative, executive and/or legislative methods.
• lobby for the passage of an ordinance that will create a comprehensive adolescent and youth friendly sexual and productive health programs with a budget allotment for peer education activities in Roxas City from August 2016 and beyond.
3. Expected Outputs and Outcomes:
• Forging and sustaining of partnerships to continue peer education in Roxas City through a memorandum of understanding/agreement
• Training of Young Leaders as peer educators and creation of core team
• Inclusion of peer education programs in the local government agenda, including budget appropriations
• Conduct of a number of peer education sessions planned strategically by Y-Cap Young Leaders and other volunteers.
• The young leaders will also lobby for the passage of an ordinance that will create a comprehensive adolescent and youth friendly sexual and productive health program with a budget allotment for peer education activities.
4. August 2016 – Training of Young Leaders
b. August – November – Monthly Peer education sessions
c. December 2016 – World AIDS Day Celebration and Formal Endorsement of Young Leaders to the city.
