Adolescents and young people in Uganda face multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities that limit their access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services. High rates of unplanned and teenage pregnancy remain a persistent public health and social challenge, often leading to school dropout, limited economic opportunities, and long-term poverty.
These challenges are further compounded by widespread exposure to gender-based violence, which significantly increases the risk of unintended pregnancies and poor reproductive health outcomes among adolescent girls.
Despite the existence of SRHR services, many adolescents encounter barriers related to stigma, misinformation, cultural norms, and limited availability of youth-friendly services. Inadequate access to accurate, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive SRHR information continues to undermine informed decision-making and service uptake. As a result, young people often rely on unreliable sources of information, increasing their vulnerability to preventable health risks.
Evidence highlights the need for holistic interventions that not only improve access to SRHR information and services, but also address the broader social determinants influencing adolescent reproductive health outcomes. Approaches that reduce stigma, strengthen adolescents’ knowledge and life skills, and link young people to responsive, adolescent-friendly SRHR services are essential to breaking the cycle of teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and social exclusion.
With support from Sustainable Population Australia (SPA), Ecological Christian Organisation (ECO) is implementing this project with the overall goal of improving sexual and reproductive health literacy, informed choices, and service uptake among adolescents and youth in Uganda.
The specific objective is to increase access to accurate, age-appropriate, and youth-friendly SRHR information through innovative digital approaches, particularly podcasting, influencer engagement, and social media platforms, while strengthening linkages to adolescent-friendly SRHR services.
The project uses innovative, youth centered communication strategies to reach adolescents and young people in both urban and rural settings. Podcasting will serve as the primary platform for delivering reliable SRHR information in formats that are accessible, engaging, and culturally relevant. Influencers and peer voices will be engaged to amplify messages, normalize public dialogue on SRHR, and reduce stigma associated with sexuality and reproductive health.
The project also emphasizes collaboration with health service providers to promote awareness and uptake of adolescent-friendly SRHR services, ensuring that increased knowledge translates into improved health-seeking behaviour.
By the end of the project, the following results are expected:
Increased knowledge, confidence, and engagement on SRHR issues among adolescents and youth across Uganda.
Improved awareness, uptake, and perceived quality of adolescent-friendly SRHR services.
Expanded visibility and reach of accurate SRHR information through podcasts, social media, and influencer-led campaigns.
Reduced stigma and increased public dialogue on sexuality, reproductive health, and reproductive rights.
Documented evidence on the effectiveness of podcasting and influencer-driven approaches as scalable tools for advancing SRHR among young people.
