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The Danish government, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has launched Strengthening Adolescents and Youth (SAY) Empowerment and Rights Programme.

This four-year initiative is set to run from January 2024 to December 2027 with a budget of sh55b.

The programme builds on UNFPA and the Royal Danish Embassy’s ongoing efforts in addressing the pressing sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs among refugees and host communities in West Nile and Acholi sub-regions.

The SAY Programme aims at enhancing access to and utilisation of SRHR and SGBV information and services among young people aged 10-24 in refugee settlements and host communities.

The evidence-based approach focuses on creating demand, strengthening service delivery, and fortifying the enabling environment at community and district levels. SAY will empower young people to assert their SRHR rights, prevent SGBV, and enhance the availability and accessibility of youth responsive SRHR/SGBV services.

The SAY Programme will be implemented in three refugee hosting and two refugee-affected districts in West Nile and Acholi Sub-Regions-Adjumani, Obongi, Lamwo, Moyo and Kitgum.

The programme's target ratio for refugees to host communities is set at 50:50, emphasizing a holistic approach within the humanitarian-development-peace nexus and UNFPA will work with other partners like Marie stopes, Naguru teenage center and ministry of health.

Ms Gift Malunga - Country Representative - UNFPA appreciated the generosity and support from the people of Denmark to UNFPA citing that this is not the first support.

Gift Malunga, UNFPA country representative.

“This agreement signifies not just a partnership but a commitment to a cause greater than ourselves. The focus on adolescents and the youth; this is a critical group because they face a number of sexual reproductive challenges including Gender Based Violence (GBV), access to sexual and reproductive information, access to sexual and reproductive services,” Malunga said.

The Danish Ambassador to Uganda, Signe Winding Albjerg, said the program is mainly focusing on to areas; supporting Uganda as a host for refugees and also making sure adolescent girls know about their rights in sexual reproductive health.

“I would like to acknowledge the efforts by ministry of health, education and gender for their role in promoting sexual reproductive health in young girls. We are all concerned with the demographic reports that come out from Uganda these days showing stagnating progress towards addressing some of the problems and challenges for young girls in this country,” Signe said.

Daniel Alemu, the UNFPA deputy representative said the program will include boys too.

“We believe a lot of what we are fighting against for example gender-based violence, is mostly done by boys or men so the SAY program will include boys to get us understand how to deal with these issues,” Alemu explained. 

In line with Denmark’s Country Strategic Framework for Uganda (2023-2027) and the UNFPA 9th Country Programme (2021-2025), the SAY programme contributes to both the Uganda Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and the National Health Sector Refugee Response Plan. By doing so, it not only promotes sustainable and enduring solutions for refugees but also reinforces Uganda's pivotal role in regional stability.

The programme is dedicated to fortifying democratic values, safeguarding human rights, and nurturing civic space. The endeavours underscore the program's unwavering commitment to fostering resilient societies.

The Royal Danish Embassy and UNFPA have implemented transformative interventions with and for people of Uganda for more than three decades.