Rutgers WPF acknowledges the benefits of investing in young people’s development and health, including their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for achievement of its global aim of improving quality of life in developing countries. Rutgers WPF recognizes that programmes for young people (aged 10-24 years) are crucial to address the prevailing vulnerabilities including limited knowledge about their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and almost negligible access to SRHR services; although carrying the growing burden of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS, sexual abuse and other life threatening challenges. Our strategies are designed to address the following main areas:
- Increased awareness on SRHR of all people especially young people (with special emphasis on women) in marginalized situations.
- Empowered youth groups to establish healthy sexual behaviors and make informed and responsible choices.
- An enabling environment for diverse youth groups to easily exercise choices and rights regarding their Sexual and Reproductive Health.
- Developing and strengthening youth-friendly/life-skills friendly systems (health and education etc.) throughout the country to have a national impact.
Intervention Strategies
The contemporary issues under these priority areas are addressed through the following broad programmatic strategies:
Research – to address the major misconceptions and wider information gaps related to sexual and reproductive health and rights of youth in Pakistan and policy research for an enabling environment.
Institutional Strengthening – to act as a catalyst in strengthening and building capacities of partners in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights of youth throughout Pakistan and setting up of Life Skills friendly communities, institutions and resource centre(s).
Advocacy – to promote evidence based structured debate and dialogue amongst a variety of stakeholders from across the country/region on issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights of the youth of Pakistan.
Resource Mobilization – Continue to draw more donors and strategic partners into development coalitions around SRHR, in order to ensure greater political and financial commitment and reduce misconceptions and gaps related to the issue of SRHR in Pakistan
Organization Development - Rutgers WPF, Pakistan believes in constant capacity enhancement, effective organizational structure, capable human resources, efficient policies, systems and processes and application of Information Technology for Development (Website, SRHR Portal, CD RoMs etc) to have wider outreach and impact.
Rutgers WPF also realizes the importance of partnerships in SRHR sector as no organization can accomplish everything on its own. Therefore, all the strategies mentioned above are carried out in strong collaborations with government, public sector organizations, civil society organizations, media and community stakeholders etc.
