Jennifer Iden, the Program Manager of Plan International - Credit: Michael Daniel/Eye Radio - April 4, 2023

Plan International has called for unrestricted access to sexual reproductive health services for women, youth, and adolescents without discrimination.

The Program Manager of Plan International Jennifer Iden says access to sexual and reproductive health services enables women, youth, and adolescents to exercise this right.

Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) implies a wide range of health issues, including family planning, maternal and newborn health care.

It also seeks for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV (3), adolescent SRH, cervical cancer screening, infertility prevention, and management.

Iden says her organization is supporting the national ministry of General Education to implement the project.

She added that the program is implemented in five states with a focus on Lake State, the Pibor administrative area.

Iden also called on men to support women to access SRH services.

“We support the Ministry of General Education on comprehensive Sexuality Education by ensuring that teachers are trained about comprehensive Sexuality Education in the location where the project is implemented,” Iden said.

“Sexual reproductive health is very important, so men are supposed to support women in helping women in accessing Sexual Reproductive Health and promote their rights with any discrimination and inequality and power imbalance.”

In his part Omwong Teresio Johnson, the coordinator of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in the Ministry of General Education and Instruction.

Teresio says SRH has been included in the South Sudan curriculum at all education levels.

“This program is already included in the South Sudan education curriculum integrated into all levels and some areas are included that is where the learners are taught this subject,” said Teresio.

“We also have a life skill curriculum, it’s a skill that is based on material, and we also include sexual comprehensive education and reproductive health in life skill material. In this life skill, we developed material right from primary level up to secondary level.”

Plan International has been operating in South Sudan since 2006.

Currently, the organization is working in Central and Eastern Equatoria, Lakes State, and Greater Pibor Administrative Area.