NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS DIALOGUE ON EARLY AND UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AND ESA COMMITMENT JOINT PLANNING MEETING

BAGAMOYO 18 – 23 DECEMBER 2017

UNESCO, in close collaboration with Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) will hold a national stakeholders dialogue as part of a broader situational analysis aimed at determining the status of early and unintended pregnancy (EUP), and how it impacts girl’s education in ten ESA countries. Findings of the situation analysis will inform the development and implementation of a region wide campaign aimed at reducing EUP. The campaign seeks to reduce EUP through increasing awareness on the consequences of EUP, improving delivery of comprehensive sexuality education, promoting consistent condom use and increasing access and use of effective contraception for sexuality active young people in the East and Southern African Region.

The objectives of the National Stakeholder dialogues are:

-To understand the national policy and programmatic response to EUP in the country.

-To understand the education sector response to EUP (including provision of quality CSE and implementation of re-entry policies.

-To understand linkages (referral system) between schools and health services in enhancing adolescent access to health and education services.

-To understand the forms and impact of stigma and discrimination on pregnant and childbearing girls in schools and communities.

Early and unintended pregnancy (EUP) jeopardises educational attainment for girls. Preventing EUP is therefore an important component of a wider response to provision of rights based, quality education, and emphasises the connections between girls’ access to school, comprehensive sexuality education, child marriage, access to health services and school related gender based violence. Preventing and managing EUPs require an effective response from education and health sectors, in collaboration with other sectors.