Cabo Delgado — Today at the Secondary School of Chuire, in Cabo Delgado, hundreds of students gathered for a ceremony to open the “It’s Our Right” project, implemented by IOM and funded by The Kingdom of the Netherlands, to support reproductive health rights and increase life skills and access to the labour market for young people. 

The ceremony was opened by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Mozambique, Ms. Henny de Vries, together with the Province Governor’s spouse, Ms. Neide Parruque, and IOM and UNFPA representatives.

The project will work closely with service providers, local and provincial authorities, civil society organizations, and community-based change agents and leaders, in four districts (Ancuabe, Chiure, Balama, Montepuez) of Cabo Delgado. The project takes an integrated approach, addressing reproductive health needs and life and job skills of young people, in order to reduce the effects of socioeconomic vulnerabilities on adolescents and youth.

“The Kingdom of the Netherlands is proud to support young people in Cabo Delgado to increase their knowledge and capacities, for a brighter future,” said Ambassador de Vries. “Young people face many challenges, and we believe that enhanced reproductive health awareness, life and vocational skills will help equip them to realize their rights and potential.”

“Youth have the right to make their own informed choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health. These are fundamental rights, for their well-being, development and future,” said IOM Mozambique Acting Chief of Mission Mario Lito Malanca. “We are working through local authorities and partners to provide the support needed for young people to develop healthy, and contribute to growth of their communities.”

Access to and knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services remains a challenge in Cabo Delgado Province, particularly for the most vulnerable groups: sex workers, adolescents and young people and migrant population.  

In recent years, internal and international migrants seeking employment related to the growing extractive industry have entered Cabo Delgado province, exceeding the capacity of the already limited coverage of health and social protection services for the Cabo Delgado population. 

By the end of December 2020, the project is expected to have capacitated 200 Change Agents to conduct Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)and HIV related health promotion amongst adolescents and young people and migrants; an estimated 200 young people will have access to vocational training for improved livelihoods; and services providers will be capacitated to deliver SRHR-HIV services responsive to the needs and rights of adolescents and young people, migrants and sex workers.

The IOM “It’s Our Right!” project is an extension of the current ‘SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders’ programme, which has been supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 2016 across southern African countries, including Mozambique.

IOM has a long-term presence in northern Mozambique, in support of government and local communities. In addition to responding to the urgent needs of affected and displaced populations in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth this year, IOM has been assisting the local government with migration issues, as Cabo Delgado is part of a corridor where many migrants from the Horn of Africa transit en route to reach South Africa.

For more information please contact:

Sandra Black in IOM Mozambique, Tel: +258 852 162 278, Email: sblack@iom.int