The Youth Community Advocacy Project (YCAP) is making significant strides in improving the health and well-being of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 across Kitwe, Kabwe, Kasama, and Chipata. Recognizing the link between unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortion practices, STIs, and HIV as critical threats to AGYW’s health, YCAP focuses on prevention. The project empowers AGYW to take control of their reproductive health by increasing their knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and simultaneously improving their access to adolescent-friendly SRH services. These services include STI and HIV testing, a range of family planning options and contraceptives, and, when needed, linkage to Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC). YCAP’s comprehensive approach acknowledges that knowledge and access are equally vital for AGYW to make informed choices.

YCAP has recently achieved significant milestones. In Kitwe, the project trained 20 (16 healthcare providers and 4 community facilitators) on delivering youth-friendly SRH services, directly resulting in increased utilization of these services at their designated health facilities. Community outreach programs in Kitwe and surrounding areas have engaged over 500 AGYW in interactive sessions on menstrual hygiene management and contraceptive options, empowering them to confidently seek SRH services and combatting stigma and misinformation. YCAP employs innovative demand creation and social accountability strategies, empowering adolescent girls and young women to hold service providers accountable for quality care. In Kabwe, YCAP partnered with local schools to establish active SRH clubs, creating safe spaces for young women to discuss sensitive topics, access accurate information, and build peer support networks. This peer-to-peer model has been highly effective in breaking down stigma.

Across all project locations, YCAP has seen encouraging growth in SRH service utilization following targeted awareness campaigns. Data from health facilities confirms a positive trend in AGYW accessing family planning, STI and HIV testing, and information on CAC. Feedback from health officials and stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing excitements about YCAP’s potential impact, particularly in addressing the urgent need for safer abortion practices and reducing post-abortion complications. Stakeholders recognize YCAP as a transformative movement, empowering adolescents and young women and fostering community engagement in reproductive health advocacy. YCAP remains committed to its work, adapting strategies based on data and feedback, to ensure all AGYW have the knowledge and resources needed to make informed choices, paving the way for lasting change in reproductive health access and education, and building healthier futures for adolescents and young women in Zambia.