Caregiver Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Communication among Refugee and Host Communities in Southwestern and Northern Uganda (CONNECT)

With over 1.5 million refugees, Uganda is Africa’s largest refugee host. Refugee and displaced adolescents face multiple sexual and reproductive health challenges. However, promotion of caregiver-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health is limited. This project will adapt and test a previously successful intervention in the refugee settlements and host communities in the Southwest and the North, which host refugees from Southern Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Rwanda.

The Six Steps for Quality Intervention Development model will guide the adaptation and testing of the intervention to address the social and cultural gender norms that hinder parents’ proactive engagement in adolescent-centred health communication in the project’s intervention areas. The project aims to shift the traditional role of sexuality education — limited to the preparation of girls and boys for marriage — and the perpetuation of gender inequality towards a sexuality education that is protective and empowering. It will also equip parents and caregivers to play a primary role in adolescent sexual and reproductive health communication and shape gender-equitable, positive adolescent sexual and reproductive health behaviours and attitudes.

This project is supported by the Addressing Neglected Areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa initiative funded by IDRC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Global Affairs Canada. Its primary objective is to support greater realization of critical sexual and reproductive health and rights by underserved populations in Africa.