We are proud and thankful that today, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to have selected Wemos and partners to work together in a new strategic partnership.
Next to the Ministry, our partners in this intersectionality consortium are Akina Mama wa Africa, Forum for African Women Educationalists, Liliane Foundation, Voluntary Service Overseas Netherlands (VSO) and The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians.
We will join forces and support marginalised people, in particular youth, with compounded vulnerabilities to exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Even though the urgency of achieving SRHR in order to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is well acknowledged, we are still leaving people behind. Most of them have multiple disadvantaged identities which compounds their experiences of stigma, discrimination and human rights violations, which in turn impede the achievement of SRHR. An intersectional lens is needed to break down the barriers to inclusion.
Through our programme we will diffuse innovative practices in intersectional SRHR advocacy, strengthen the advocacy capacity of CSOs, and advocate to widen the civic space for marginalised groups with compounded vulnerabilities to stand up for their SRHR.
We will work in countries where we can build on our long-standing track record of working with youth and marginalised groups and exert the greatest impact: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia.
The partnership will run from 2021 until 2026 with Wemos as pen holder.
Illustration: Micky Dirkzwager
