Faridah, is a 24-year-old psychotherapist living in Uganda. In her country, young people, young mothers, and women face many challenges.
It is difficult to access sexual reproductive health services, especially for women in rural areas whose partners deny them a choice or access to services
Farida
Women in Uganda are viewed as inferiors who cannot speak in public. They have a lot to say but their will to express themselves is not considered
In Uganda, most men make decisions about family planning including the number of children a woman should have. This means young mothers and women have little to no say in life-changing decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.
Young girls like Farida are taking a stand to end this inequality faced by women stemming from patriarchy. Farida works as a psychotherapist with the Alliance of Women Advocating for Change (AWAC), the consortium partner with the community of action organisations (CoAFs) under Restless Development’s WeLead programme in Uganda.
She provides sexual reproductive health service counselling and access to young girls and women across the country. Faridah finds counselling as one of the significant aspects to be considered or integrated with sexual reproductive health to help women and adolescent girls improve their well-being.
As a psychotherapist support officer, I value sexual health support counselling as an aspect that can help someone’s well-being
Farida
The We Lead Programme has been leading training focussing on the inclusion of diversity. It advocates for the rights of adolescent girls and young women in accessing sexual reproductive health services; to ensure that they are comprehensive, integrating all the services in sexual reproductive health. Officers like Farida help young women access family planning services, information and gender-based violence counselling.
AWAC works with girls and women with unique vulnerabilities. The organisation implements the We Lead activities in Tororo and Busia. Under We Lead, AWAC provides psychosocial support, mentorship, SRHR training, and transformational leadership training. The organization has worked with 30 adolescent girls so far.
As a young leader, and a family planning and sexual reproductive health and rights advocate, I see it as amazing work. What I know is that it is going to change the lives of a lot of girls
Farida
