MSP and the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts have joined hands to raise awareness on Child Rights and Reproductive Health Rights, information and services.
On 19th October, Medical Services Pacific signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education Heritage an Arts (MoEHA) to provide support for their Child Protection Officers, Counsellors and Teachers working in schools to raise awareness on human rights, child rights, gender equality and reproductive health rights and improve access to services for young girls. Specifically, MSP will be working closely with the MoEHA to develop informational materials and to support the distribution of the Girl Empowered informational package.
GIRL EMPOWERED is a youth friendly educational resource which will be of great interest not only to girls and young women across Fiji, but also to educators, reproductive rights advocates and all others working with young people throughout Fiji. The Girl Empowered toolkit is specifically for high school students and above.
Access to sexual and reproductive health information is crucial if young people are to make informed decisions about their health and sexual relationships. However, all reports from Fiji and the wider Pacific Island region, including the most call for action issued earlier this month by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community , suggest that there is not nearly enough information provided to girls and women about their sexual health.
Copies of GIRL EMPOWERED will be available to interested government agencies, schools, youth and student groups by contacting the MSP office. The new MOU with MoEHA will enable MSP to distribute and share this booklet with schools across Fiji.
MSP to launch Club 26 in November!
Club 26 – Will provide a safe space for youth, where they can gather, relax and obtain Information, Health and Social services and other support from the youth friendly staff.
MSP is establishing a dedicated youth friendly clinic and social services program to improve services for youth. Club 26 is so named as it is for youth who are between the ages of 16 and 26 years in the Suva and Central Division. Club 26 will provide a safe space for youth, where they can meet with youth friendly counsellors, medical staff and legal advisers and other leaders to discuss a range of issues.
Across the Pacific, youth face reproductive health, mental health and other challenges with few Youth Friendly health and social service providers. MSP projects are designed to support youth and by ensuring access to free sexual reproductive health and social services. MSP health projects specifically address risks to which young people in the Pacific are most vulnerable:
- Teenage pregnancy
- Unmet need for contraception
- STI, HIV/AIDS and RTIs
- Sexual violence and exploitation
- Mental Health Support
The Club 26 project is a great opportunity for young people to meet together in a safe social setting with access to information, counsellors and medical staff who can provide a range of advice and guidance on drug risks, smoking, sexual and general health issues. There will also be activities such as arts, music, computing and games. Club 26 was designed with input from youth and the program will be led by a youth committee.
MSP – Providing Youth Friendly Health and Social Services, building youth capacity to cope with today’s challenges and promoting human rights to end VAWG. Focussing on youth is of critical importance for the development of Fiji. It is also important for increasing equality and changing attitudes and behaviours around gender violence and ending Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG).
PHOENIX CANDLES – A GIFT THAT GIVES BACK TO WOMEN & CHILDREN
The Phoenix Survivors Group has been busy making candles for Diwali, and the 16 Days of Activism Campaign (International Women’s Day & candles and cupcakes) and Christmas. Contact info@msp.org.fj to place orders.
Phoenix Candles