Congo/ Adolescent sexual health: towards harmonization of essential services in Congo

From August 5 to 6, the WHO Congo office hosted a workshop to harmonize the sexual and reproductive health services package for adolescents and young people. Organized by the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS), with support from Unicef, WHO and other technical and financial partners, the event brought together institutions, experts and young leaders to build a more coherent and effective response.

The aim of the two-day workshop was to unify key interventions for young people's sexual and reproductive health. In the face of misinformation, stigmatization, hostile environments and unequal access, participants proposed a harmonized framework of services tailored to the needs of young people in the 10-24 age bracket.

The institutions present, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), all took part in the event.ducation, la science et la culture (Unesco), the United Nations Population Fund, the Congolese Association for Family Welfare, the Ministry of Health, the Children's Parliament... all actively contributed to the discussions. At the end of the discussions, three major recommendations were formulated:to draw up thematic intervention sheets, according to the services available; to train the players involved, particularly in schools and communities; and finally to strengthen the reporting system, to assess the real impact of the actions carried out.

Young people were invited to continue appropriating the recommendations through digital platforms, outreach campaigns and exchanges with decision-makers. For Dr Michelle Mountou, Director of Reproductive Health, representing the General Population Directorate, this workshop marks the start of a long but necessary process.For Dr Michelle Mountou, Director of Reproductive Health, representing the General Directorate of Population, this workshop marks the start of a long but necessary process, as it enables participants to leave with enriched tools, concrete recommendations, and above all a renewed commitment to the integration and implementation of the harmonized service package in our national policies and programs. " The real work starts now, in the field. We need to measure impact, adapt approaches, and above all, keep young people at the heart of our actions ", she said in her closing remarks to the two-day workshop.

The recommendations formulated during the meeting will be used to inform national and regional policies, and above all, to change practices in the field. Frédérique Baboutila, 18, President of the Children's Parliament of Congo, who attended the workshop, was delighted with the initiative. " This workshop has given me a solid foundation on which to build. We're going to step up our awareness-raising campaigns on STIs and HIV in schools, with clear, targeted messages," she said.