adminYeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
A youth-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) has launched a mobile application that contains information on reproductive health issues.
The information targets students in tertiary institutions to bridge the gap causing most students to fall victim to sexual abuse and become vulnerable to sexually-transmitted diseases.
The application was launched last week during the National Students Conference that was held in Harare.
The launch coincided with the last day of celebrating 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, as well as the 71st Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The three-day conference hosted by SAYWHAT sought to bring together the voices of young men and women from colleges and universities and that of college authorities and other stakeholders to address challenges they are facing.
Speaking during the launch, SAYWHAT executive director Mr Jimmy Wilford said the application will be able to answer many questions youths have regarding sexual and reproductive health.
“With this application, we are saying smart learners make smart choices and through this medium we will be able to reach out to many young people through Information Communication and Technology,” he said.
“It is an off-line application which has various information on sexual and reproductive health, male circumcision, sexually-transmitted diseases, contraception, where to get the nearest clinic and the services offered.”
Mr Wilford said the service was now available on Google Play Store and will be available on IOS today for IPhone users.
On sexual harassment, the application has a facility where female students can report cases anonymously to avoid victimisation by authorities in tertiary institutions.
Meanwhile, students urged the Government to legalise abortion as some women were losing their lives through illegal abortions.
Speaking on behalf of Swedish Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Asa Pehrson, Mrs Memory Mutsaka, said her country was committed to continuing to invest in programmes and platforms that promote dissemination of health knowledge for young people.
“As Sweden, we are committing to support such platforms where we give young people a voice,” she said.
“We are calling upon the policymakers that are here today not only to give the young people the platform to speak, it calls for you to open your ears to listen and act on what they are saying.”
Ms Pehrson said even though youth health was now fairly on the global agenda and well embedded in the sustainable development goals, Zimbabwe was still behind.
“We need to invest in the very beginning on health and education of the youth and be able to eradicate HIV/AIDS and reduce unwanted pregnancies,” she said.
Online Reporter