The goal of the project was to enhance beneficiary’s capacity on SRHR decision making and subsequently become advocates on SRHR issues at their various areas of influence.
The objective of the project which was collation of entries, award ceremony and training on ending unsafe abortion include the following:
● Promote sexual and reproductive health knowledge amongst adolescents aged 18-24.
● Partner with adolescents to end all forms of abortion stigma
● Create awareness on the challenges of unsafe abortion and build capacity and knowledge of beneficiaries to reach out to peers
● Enhance capacity of young persons to commence advocacy for repeal of negative abortion laws in partnership with Vision Spring Initiatives
● Increase knowledge on safer sex practices which will ultimately be stepped down to other adolescents, leading to reduced unsafe abortion and stigma.
Our greatest lesson was the desire of young people to be equipped with information. During the award ceremony, we had to spend extra two hours responding to SRHR needs of young people. We also realized that young people have been socialized to think that abortion stigma is necessary to stop young people from engaging in abortion.
We are planning to make the event either a yearly or biennial event. The first prize of laptop computer was won by an undergraduate of Yaba College of Technology who is very excited to own a laptop computer to facilitate her course work. The second prize winner is a youth activist is really excited, while the third winner is a fresh undergraduate of University of Lagos and currently interning with the organisation. We will like to be able to do more in the coming year and keep building knowledge on safe abortion and how girls can support themselves instead of stigma.
Poem by Tobi-First prize winner
I am unashamed:By Oluwatobi Ayodele
I am unashamed
I am uncompromising
I am bold
I am compassionate
I care for myself
I care for my health
I care for my future
I care for my family!
I walk out fearless
Fearless of the discrimination
Fearless of the hate
Fearless of the stigma!
Stigma that comes before abortion
Stigma that comes after abortion
Stigma that comes the month after and the year after
Stigma that stays for life!
But do you know I am a woman as you are?
That I have rights as you do?
That I have beliefs as you do?
That I have a future as you do?
And I need support not shame
I need comfort not comments
I need love not rejection
I need understanding not judgements!
And that abortion is safe
And it doesn’t make me less feminine
That abortion is clean and healthy
And it should be legalized not stigmatised!
Enough of the stigma!
Enough of the discrimination!
Enough of the negativity!
Enough of the hate!
I stand to raise awareness of our rights and advocate for the adoption and implementation of laws and policies to legalize abortion in our country and mobilising girls and women against all forms of stigma!!!