Webinar: Laws and Policies on Young People’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Africa [11 September 2025]

Why Participate?

Despite regional commitments to advance young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), many adolescents remain unable to access essential care. These challenges are compounded by harmful gender and social norms that often portray young people as asexual and expect girls to remain passive, exposing them to stigma and discrimination when they seek services. Evidence shows that adolescents, particularly young women and girls, frequently face abusive or neglectful maternal care, with reports of verbal or physical abuse, abandonment, or coercion. These challenges highlight the urgent need for legal and policy reform to safeguard adolescents’ SRHR across Africa. These realities underscore the urgent need for legal and policy reform to safeguard adolescents’ SRHR across Africa. National laws and policies play a decisive role in shaping adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health services—either enabling inclusion and protection, or entrenching barriers and exclusion.

Discussion Highlights

1. Case study: Malawi and Eswatini
2. Case study: Seychelles
3. Insights on: Violence in Adolescent SRHR
4. Insights on: Adolescent Obstetric Violence in Africa

Panelists

• Dr Godfrey Kangaude – Executive Director, Nyale Institute, Malawi
• Dr Sindiso Nkomo – Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• Dr Sibusiso Mkwananzi – WITS University, Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (RHI), South Africa
• Dr Anthony Ajayi – African Population and Health Research Center, Kenya

Facilitator: Favour Akanbi – Faculty of Law, University of the Western Cape

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Following registration, participants will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the webinar.

We acknowledge the AmplifyChange, for making this webinar possible.