According to the UN’s education agency, one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their period. Some girls reportedly lose 20% of their education for this reason, making them more likely to drop out of school altogether. Absence of appropriate sanitary materials to absorb menstrual flow does not only affect female’s reproductive health but their acquisition of education.

Arise for Social and Gender Justice (ASGJ) is well known for its pioneer flagship program called HELP HER STAY IN SCHOOL AND RESTORE HER DIGNITY CAMPAIGN. We have been working towards improving young women and girls’ education and menstrual hygiene health through provision of free sanitary products to help girls stay in school during their menstrual days.  Under this program, the organization has worked with communities in the 10 provinces of Zambia to improve access to information and menstrual health products among adolescent girls and young women aged 10 to 24. Through our project, we distribute free sanitary products to assist orphans and vulnerable girls to remain in School, this coupled with awareness of their reproductive health rights equip young women and girls with the tools needed to prolong their stay in school and facilitate their acquisition of knowledge and long term education and learning. ASGJ has distributed sanitary products as well as conducted information awareness activities to raise awareness on reproductive health rights and menstrual health hygiene among young women and girls, while incorporating mentorship and leadership programs to improve young women and girl’s participation in education and civic engagement. We have so far reached over 1000 beneficiaries under our flagship project and we need your support to reach more as the need is great especially among rural communities in Zambia.

Our Reproductive Health Rights Program comprises a set of initiatives and activities aimed at promoting and protecting the reproductive health and rights of individuals. Reproductive health encompasses a broad range of issues related to the well-being of the reproductive system and includes aspects such as family planning, maternal health, sexual health, and access to comprehensive healthcare services. Our program comprises of the following key components;

1. Sexual Health Education: Providing comprehensive and age-appropriate education on sexual health, including information on reproductive anatomy, safe sex practices, and prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
2. Access to Healthcare Services: Ensuring that individuals’ especially young women and girls have access to affordable, quality reproductive healthcare services, including prenatal care, and legal and safe abortion services.
3. Rights and Empowerment: Advocating for and protecting the reproductive rights of individuals, including the right to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives, free from discrimination, coercion, and violence.
4. Gender Equality: Addressing gender-based inequalities and discrimination, as these often play a significant role in limiting access to reproductive health services and information.
5. Family Planning: Promoting access to a variety of contraceptive methods, counseling on family planning options, and ensuring individuals can make informed choices about the timing and spacing of their pregnancies.
6. Maternal Health: Focusing on the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. This includes ensuring access to safe and skilled prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care.
7. Advocacy and Policy Reform: Working to change or implement policies that support reproductive health and rights at local, national, and international levels.
8. Community Engagement: Involving communities in the planning and implementation of reproductive health programs to ensure cultural sensitivity and responsiveness to local needs.
9. Meaningful Youth Engagement: Recognizing the specific needs of young people and implementing programs that address their reproductive health concerns, including access to information and services.
10. Research and Data Collection: Conducting research to understand reproductive health trends, identify gaps in services, and develop evidence-based interventions.
11. Socio-Cultural Norms: Recognizing and addressing harmful socio-cultural and patriarchal norms embedded in our culture that continue to perpetuate Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
12. Teen Mothers Educational Support and Empowerment: Offer educational support and economic empowerment and skills development to teenage mothers to be able to take care of their children as well as return to school.
13. Mental Health Support: Provide counseling and mental health services as needed.

Our goal as ASJG to empower individuals especially young women and girls to make informed choices about their reproductive lives and ensure that they have the resources and support they need to achieve optimal reproductive health.