Youth, Young People and Adolescent Interventions. Bose Adeniran,Mohammed Kilgori, Abdullahi Maiwada and Obi Oluigbo Society for Family Health Nigeria.

Government of Nigeria Family Health Division Activities Policy in place for Adolescent Reproductive (ARH)Health development programs Assessment conducted to ascertain ARH activities at the 36 states levels. Coordination of Key Ministries-Youth &Sports, Women Affairs, Education and Health. Establishment of Youth Skills acquisition centers with opportunities for integration of youth activities.

Other Donors or Implementing Partners Activities UNFPA – Family Life Education(FLE) – Adolescent Reproductive and Family Health FLE in Schools for FMOE

IRHIN project Family Planning Inter Personal Communication (IPC) interventions using Flip chart tools. – Implemented within the 22 states of highest unmet need for FP. – In Partnership with Civil Society groups, at least 4 persons are identified, trained and motivated to conduct IPC sessions. – Each IPC educator to reach 750 persons per month. – Participants are referred to partner health facilities for counseling and related services.

Interventions within Improved Reproductive Health in Nigeria (IRHIN) project. Community Mobilization efforts Peer Education Approach – 22 sites identified from States with highest unmet need for Family Planning (FP). – At least 6 peer groups per site facilitated to comprehensively discuss FP issues. – Each group consist of persons. – Two peer sessions are held per group in a month. – Majority of peer participants are youths or young people.

Linkage with National Youth Service Corps- Peer Education Training (PET) project Graduate Volunteers in one year national service are trained as PETs. Over 3,600 per batch-two batches per year. Training is on HIV&AIDS and other Reproductive Health Issues-particularly FP. PETs are sent to work in Secondary Schools where the establish Peer Education interventions. Each PET work with 20 PE s who then reach other students and immediate community members in a diffusion process.

Linkage with USAID projects Comprehensive Integrated HIV &AIDS Prevention and Control project(CIHPAC). – Scaled-up Peer Education Plus (PEP) intervention in more sites across Nigeria – Priority of intervention is behavior change among Most at Risk Populations (MARPs) on HIV&AIDS issues. – More than half of MARPs are young people and in particular are Females and Males Out of School groups. – Integration of Family Planning messages /issues is a major session in the modules.

Challenges and Gaps No ARH focal persons at the state level Letters have been addressed to state commissioners to put this in place Limited funding for ARH activities Socio-cultural barriers- communities feeling and perception Religious factor- Opposition from the religious groups