SAfAIDS, with funding from Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and support from UNFPA, is working in collaboration with the Government and other partners to implement a three-year project titled “Gender, Adolescent Pregnancy and Social Norms (GAPS) Programme” which shall run from 2022 to 2024. The programme aims to contribute towards a future where adolescent girls and young people in selected geographical areas in Eastern and Southern Provinces of Zambia lead empowered and healthy lives, with access and opportunities to make their own sexual and reproductive health choices. Specifically, the programme focuses on the following six districts namely, Lumezi, Katete and Petauke in Eastern Province as well as Gwembe, Monze and Sinazongwe in Southern Province. In addition, the programme has adopted Chipangali district in Eastern Province as well as Pemba district in Southern Province to serve as control districts to measure the impact of the program.
The overall outcome of the programme is to reduce adolescent pregnancies by 5% in the Eastern and Southern provinces of Zambia through addressing gender and gender norms.
The programme has three specific objectives namely (i) Improved sexual and reproductive health and rights, knowledge, attitudes and service referrals among adolescents’ girls and young people; (iii) increased community (families and community leadership) participation and involvement to address harmful social and gender norms that facilitate adolescent pregnancy; and (iii) creation of an enabling environment supportive of actions that prevent unwanted and unintended adolescent pregnancy created and sustained.
Ouput1: Increased capacity of national, provincial and district institutions to design and implement programmes for marginalized adolescents, including those at risk of child marriage and pregnancy
Milestones
- 30 out of school CSE clubs established and operationalized
- 3 CBOs managing the CSE clubs
- 15 boys and mens networks established and operationalized
Output2: Number of marginalized adolescents (disaggregated by sex) reached by life skills programmes that build their health, social and economic assets
Milestones
- 66,000 girls mentored in lifeskills and SRH
- 1,250 boys enrolled in menotrship programmes
- 65,000 adolescents receive community health services
Output3: Number of local actors (traditional and community leaders) engaged who are using various platforms to address child marriage and adolescent pregnancy
Milestones
- 150 Mentors capacity built to manage safe spaces
- 60 out of school CSE peer mentors trained
- 150 traditional leaders and 150 traditional initiators capacity built to address harmful practices
