Lilongwe, 7 June 2025 — Today, the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM), in collaboration with UNFPA Malawi, facilitated a hybrid engagement in commemoration of Africa Day, bringing together young leaders to advocate for adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
The event, hosted virtually in Johannesburg, saw participation from Malawi’s AfriYAN Chapter of the Malawi National Youth Network and the UNFPA Malawi Youth Advisory Panel. One Malawian delegate joined the regional gathering in person, while 10 youth representatives convened physically at the UNFPA Malawi offices and an additional 15 participated online.
The commemoration, held under the banner of youth advocacy, focused on advancing SRHR for adolescents across the continent. During the event, participants reached a landmark agreement to advocate for 15% of the national budget to be allocated specifically to adolescent SRHR. The proposed investment is expected to significantly enhance access to youth-friendly health services, reduce teenage pregnancies, and address child marriages.
At the regional level, young leaders from East and Southern Africa outlined the following key priority areas:
- Ensuring accessible, affordable, and subsidized menstrual health products.
- Providing free and accessible SRHR services tailored to adolescents.
- Stepping up the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful cultural practices.
As a way forward, youth representatives committed to a robust action plan to drive change and sustain momentum around SRHR advocacy. The plan includes:
- Developing and submitting targeted interventions to UNFPA.
- Holding engagement meetings with key ministries, particularly Youth and Health.
- Ensuring systematic follow-up on stakeholder commitments.
- Utilizing media and youth-focused platforms to raise awareness on SRHR.
- Integrating SRHR advocacy into the upcoming National Youth Convention series, organized by NYCOM.
- Strengthening youth representation in implementation and decision-making processes.
The commemorative gathering reflected a strong and unified youth voice pushing for progressive SRHR policies and services across Malawi and the broader region.
“Today’s engagement was a powerful reminder that young people are not only beneficiaries but also active drivers of change in the SRHR space,” said a participant from the Youth Advisory Panel.
As Malawi continues to build on its demographic dividend, these efforts underscore the importance of youth-led advocacy in shaping inclusive health and development outcomes.
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