“Nothing about us without us!” Young Women say

Young women of Mozambique, within the rights to sexual and reproductive health, have declared their determination to amplify their voices on issues related to their rights.
Nothing about them, they say, will be discussed and passed unless they are granted fair hearing and fair contribution to determine their health and rights.
At a recent Sexual and Reproductive Health forum conducted by FEMNET under the Young Women Stand up to be counted project in Maputo,  young women participants from different organizations were united by the  urgency to have a collective voice on the SRHR and elimination of Violence against Women.    They also urgently pushed for the end of harmful practices such as early forced child marriages and female genital mutilation.
In a united and strong declaration, the Young women resolved to amplify their voices in a strong communiqué capturing the following demands;

Some of the young women speak out at the Mozambique Forum – Photo by FEMNET 2017

• We call attention to and especially emphasize on the need for reduction and elimination of sexual violence. In particular urging for collective multi stakeholder efforts that include young women and girls organizations in community, national, regional and global efforts to address the violence against women pandemic.
• We urge for holistic efforts and comprehensive care and support for survivors of violence, in particular the integration of psychosocial support and care as a compulsory component of the medical care services for survivors and gendered programs from the ministry of defense and police in supporting survivors and in supporting the judicial process to avoid repeat violations

We call for severe punishment of offenders, perpetrators under the confines of the Mozambique law and as per the regional and international law. We therefore demand the full implementation of the Sexual violence law
On Child, Early & Forced marriage;-
We call for the abolition of child, early and forced marriages

A young woman expresses herself at the Mozambique Forum – Photo by FEMNET 2017

• We call for the fulfillment and protection of women and girls human rights. Recognizing Mozambique’s commitments under the Children Rights convention that guarantee rights for all children including girls, Maputo Protocol article 5 on harmful practices under and the Beijing Platform for Action under which women and girls human rights are critical areas of concern and within the context of 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Goals Goal 5 targets .
• We recognize child, early and forced marriages as a form of discrimination against girls. We call for intensified efforts from the government to fully implement and resource the National action plan/campaign for the African Union Campaign to end Child, early and forced marriage including adoption of a comprehensive law to end child, early and forced marriages and programs to address the underlying social, cultural and religious factors that promote and sustain this harmful practice.

DEFILEMNET

• We call for intensified efforts from the government to accelerate the prosecution of defilement cases to the full extent of the law
• We call for the establishment of a toll free hotline to strengthen infrastructure that is crucial in the reporting of defilement cases.

On Domestic & Gender-based violence;-

• We emphasize the need for increased public awareness and sensitization as key strategies towards enhancing the understanding of the various forms of violence against women and to ensure that all forms and cases of violence against women are reported
• Elimination of violence against women is key to peaceful societies, in particular recognizing that for women and girls peace and justice is a key component for their personal and private spheres including in their families.
• We call for police cooperation in efforts towards elimination of violence against women and in particular recommending gender training for the police handling gender based violence cases to ensure gender responsiveness during reporting and prosecution process
• We note with concern violence within the security forces and call for gender awareness training for the army as one of the key institutions of peace building.

On Adolescent girls & Young women’s SRHR:-

• We call attention to the high HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases and infections disease burden amongst adolescent and recognition of the double burden amongst adolescent girls and young women. We therefore call for a gender responsive and the meaningful engagement of adolescent girls and young women in HIV prevention ,care, treatment
• Efforts to address maternal health should take into account the high adolescent maternal mortality and unwanted pregnancies amongst adolescent girls and young women.
• We urge the government to prioritize the provision of comprehensive access to sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services for adolescent girls and young women. Emphasizing on equitable access to include access in the rural areas and other marginalized communities
• We call for an integrated approach to sexual and reproductive health and rights service, comprehensive sexual reproductive health education and information to include water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs of adolescent girls and young women
• We recognize the role that female controlled HIV prevention tools play in supporting women and girls bodily autonomy, enabling choice and the full realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights. We call for the provision of female condoms and provision of information on their use to ensure that girls have tools and information to control their sexuality
• We therefore call for the government to accelerate efforts towards the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all women and girls free from discrimination.
• We recognize the progressive women’s and child rights policies that Mozambique has signed onto including efforts to coordinate sexual reproductive health and rights initiatives. However we note the lack of implementation of these policies and subsequent translation to meet the realities faced by women and girls and in particular young women. We urge full implementation and resourcing by both the government, donors, private sectors and other multi stakeholders in line with the principles set out for global partnership and in the spirit of leavening no one behind.

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