March 21, 2008
Georgia Today

The EU/UNFPA co-funded project Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in the South Caucasus (RHIYC) was launched in June 2006. The project aims to make a sustainable improvement in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (S&RH) of young people in the three South Caucasus countries, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. RHIYC is a multi partner and a large scale project designed to meet the S&RH needs and rights of youth, reaching at least 50 percent of the 2,850,000 youth living in the region. The RHIYC project is co-funded by EU (EUR 2.5 million), UNFPA (EUR 350,000) and EPF (European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EUR 50,000).
 

Successful implementation of the project will be a step forward towards bringing the Sexual and Reproductive Health and rights (S&RH) services in the South Caucasus closer to international standards. Therefore, by achieving its goals, the project will assist countries in reaching Millennium Development Goals and contribute to the agenda of the European integration.

During project implementation RHIYC organized different kinds of national and regional level events where involving different stakeholders - Parliamentarians of three South Caucasus countries, governmental agencies, regional NGOs and media. This project is the only one of its kind in the region, addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people. Until now project made enormous progress in strengthening the S&RH policy environment through national and inter-country networking.

On March 18, a mid-term review meeting took place at the Courtyard Marriot Hotel, Tbilisi, Georgia, attended by RHIYC partners and stakeholders. The project mid-term review meeting once more analyzed achievements, challenges, and lessons learned and developed recommendations for future activities. The mid-term review hosted regional governmental representatives, partner NGOs and experts. The meeting was attended by Mr. George Tsereteli, Chairman of Committee of Health and Social Issues of Parliament of Georgia Mr. Alexandre Kvitashvili, Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia; Per Eklund, Ambassador, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Georgia; Mr. Peer Sieben- UNFPA representative in Turkey, Country Director for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and Tamar Khomasuridze-UNFPA Assistant Representative in Georgia.

Up-to-Date Outcomes

According to Zurab Japaridze, RHIYC Technical Coordinator, the main target group of the project is youth aged 15-24. The overall action approach and strategy of RHIYC is directed to three major directions: Informing, educating and communicating with youth about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, improving availability of and access to quality youth friendly S&RH services and strengthening inter-country collaboration and networking on youth sexual and reproductive health and rights.

From June 2006 up to date RHIYC organized various kinds of information-sharing and educational activities, outreach events and trainings in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In total 900 peer-educators were trained in sexual and reproductivehealth and rights issues and about 26 000 youth were covered through informational-educational activities. Moreover, in the framework of the project about 570 nurses, 270 gynecologists, 270 general practitioner doctors and 270 military medical personal were trained in youth –friendly S&RH services. In order to better reach society and improve coverage on youth S&RH in the region more than 100 journalist were trained. Thematic materials published in the framework of the project also played a significant role in informing the target grope of the project.