EU-UN-Parliamentarians together for a Healthy Future of the South Caucasus. 3 Years of Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in South Caucasus

On 29 May, 2009, to mark the end of the 3 years Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in South Caucasus, project partner EPF organised a Conference entitled: Partnering for Youth: EU-UN-Parliamentarians together for a Healthy Future of the South Caucasus - 3 Years of Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in South Caucasus (RHIYC), in Brussels. The purpose of the Conference was to present RHIYC’s successful impact on young people’s sexual and reproductive health in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to the project donor - the European Commission and other invited guests; to identify the challenges faced during project implementation and to discuss the project’s “exit strategy”. Another aim was to formulate future steps necessary for continued improvement of sexual and reproductive health of young people in the South Caucasus, including funding opportunities from the European Commission and bilateral donors.

Conference participants included: Representatives from UNFPA Country Offices from South Caucasus, Turkey and Brussels, EPF, representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament, and Permanent Missions of various countries to the European Union, Federal Public Service of Belgium and Brussels-based international civil society organisations.

On 30 April in Baku, RHIYC Azerbaijan and the Parliamentary group on Population and Development in the National Parliament of Azerbaijan (EPF Member) held a National Parliamentary Forum on Youth Reproductive Health and Rights. Parliamentarians, key Government stakeholders and partner NGOs actively participated in the Forum to elaborate follow up plans on the RHIYC project in Azerbaijan and to formulate strategies for the sustainable improvement of youth SRHR, including discussions on an ambitious draft law on reproductive health proposed by the Parliamentary group and currently in discussions in Parliament.

On 28 and 29 April, prior to the National Parliamentary Forum on Youth Reproductive Health, RHIYC Azerbaijan with the support of municipal, regional and state authorities opened two new reproductive health centres for youth, the first in Sheki region (6 hours drive outside the capital Baku) and the other at the Baku State Academy for Public Administration under the auspices of the President of the Republic. In a country where only 16% of young people use modern contraception, “it is very important to make the environment and especially health care provision more youth friendly", said Dr. Peer Sieben, UNFPA Country Director for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Alltogether RHIYC Azerbaijan in partnership with public authorities will have opened 26 youth friendly RH centres across Azerbaijan  – the draft RH law under discussion could pave the way for sustained funding beyond the project duration.