3RD – 4TH November 2023: GAYO SET PROJECT SRHR Research Indaba

Call for SRHR Abstracts

The Malawi Government, in alignment with the National and International policies, is dedicated to providing comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services. The Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO) is at the forefront of advocating for gender equality and youth empowerment, envisioning a future where youth actively participate in development, free from gender-based violence and HIV&AIDS. To realize this vision by 2026, GAYO is committed to promoting evidence-based research to inform stakeholders about the successes, gaps, and recommendations in the implementation of SRHR policy. This initiative has led to a call for abstracts, which will be presented during the SET SRHR research indaba scheduled for the 3rd to 4th of November 2023.

GAYO and the Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE) will be supporting this Research Indaba under the GEAR Alliance Networking grant, known as the Sexuality Education for Transformation (SET) project.

The SET Project Goal:
The goal of the SET project is to create a movement of youth-serving organizations in Southern Africa that advocates for access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services for adolescent girls and young women in rural communities.

Problems to Be Addressed by Alliance Members:

• Limited access to SRH services in rural communities and schools in Southern Africa.
• Limited government accountability regarding the delivery of SRH rights for young people, with special attention to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), and Youth-Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Services (YFSP).
• Limited access to menstrual health products and information by adolescent girls and young women in rural communities.

The SET Project Objectives Include:

• Strengthening the capacities of community-based youth-led organizations in the use of evidence in SRH advocacy.
• Enhancing the participation of community-based youth-focused organizations in SRH coordination and review mechanisms at national and regional levels.
• Fostering intra and intercountry peer learning among community-based youth-focused Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) involved in SRH programming.
• Increasing the visibility of SRH messages that counter opposition to the need for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for young people in Southern Africa.

About the Research Indaba

The primary purpose of the research indaba is to showcase some of the SRHR-related research conducted by individuals, institutions, colleges, and research centers. It aims to provide exposure to researchers and stimulate dialogue on SRHR policy among stakeholders by presenting data gathered during the indaba.

GAYO invites individuals, institutions, colleges, and research centers to submit abstracts of their SRHR research, ranging from 250 to 350 words. Additionally, GAYO extends an invitation to artists who have created works such as poems, posters, and articles to submit their contributions to add vibrancy to the event.

This two-day conference will feature plenary sessions, thematic track sessions, and policy dialogues, which will be further defined in the coming stages of planning.

Abstracts should be submitted to the ‘GAYO National Coordinator’ via email: info@gayomalawi.org.

The closing date for the submission of abstracts is Friday, 28th October 2023, at 16:00hrs.

All submitted abstracts will be reviewed for acceptance by the SRHR technical team. Priority for podium presentation will be given to innovative, evidence-based research. However, all accepted abstracts qualify for either podium or poster presentation.

This post provides an overview of the GAYO SET PROJECT SRHR Research Indaba, the call for SRHR abstracts, the objectives of the SET project, and the purpose of the research indaba. It also includes information on how to submit abstracts for consideration.