Safeguard Young People (SYP) - Tanzania


Safeguard Young People Programme
Safeguard Young People Programme © UNFPA Tanzania

With 62% of its population below 25 years, the Safeguard Young People (SYP) programme supports Tanzania’s demographic dividend. The project advances young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through a gender-responsive and inclusive policy environment, empowered youth who make informed decisions, and responsive health and education systems. SYP builds on 10 years of regional experience and UNFPA’s expertise.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Tanzania
Health
Gender
nothemedefined
Reproductive health & rights
Sexual & gender-based violence
Sexually transmitted diseases incl. HIV/AIDS
01.01.2024 - 31.12.2026
CHF  2’800’000
Background Young people 10-24yrs make up 31% of the 61.7 million Tanzania population. The demographic transition’s youth bulge comes with worrying SRHR statistics, specifically high rates of: fertility - 4.8 children per woman, teen pregnancy - 22%, underage marriage - 29%, female genital mutilation - 8%, unmet need for family planning - 21%, and gender-based violence - 24% for physical and 12% for sexual violence for females 20-24yrs. Also, the school dropout rate due to pregnancy remains a challenge at 8.1% of school girls. The observed SRHR, education, employment and social protection outcomes, especially for girls and young women in Tanzania, are mainly attributed to inadequate financial resources allocated to support the respective areas.
Objectives Young Tanzanians aged 10-24 years are healthy, realize their full potential and participate in decision-making for matters affecting their own lives and bodies.
Target groups

Primary: Adolescents and young people 10-24 years old

Secondary: Agents of change and community gatekeepers such as policymakers, teachers, health service providers, religious and local traditional leaders, parents and guardians, media, and youth leaders.

Medium-term outcomes
  1. Create an enabling environment: Improved inclusive policies, legislation and accountability mechanisms for the promotion and protection of adolescents and young people’s rights at national and sub-national levels with a focus on sexual and reproductive health rights.
  2. Strengthen demand: Adolescents and young people have utilized knowledge, skills, and agency to make informed decisions and positive actions about their bodies, their lives and their world.
  3. Strengthen supply: Increased equitable access to quality SRHR, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and HIV integrated services, which are gender-responsive, inclusive and adolescents and youth friendly.
Results

Expected results:  

  • Strengthen capacity of sub/national institutions to advocate for conducive policy environment that promotes the rights and choice of young people
  • Strengthen capacity of youth to meaningfully participate in decision making platforms
  • Enhance knowledge and skills of young people in and out of schools to negotiate on SRHR information and services
  • Improve knowledge, attitudes, and skills of communities to promote positive gender and social norms in support of adolescent SRHR
  • Strengthen systems that respond to, expand and deliver information and services to young people


Results from previous phases:  

  • 9 national policy instruments developed /updated (e.g., on youth development, life skills education, and male engagement)
  • Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) was integrated in all 54 folk development colleges’ curricula (annual reach: ~18’000 learners) with 216 education practitioners capacitated
  • 937 young people from 61 groups and 120 organisations trained on advocacy, leadership and entrepreneurship skills, with 90 integrated in decision making/ leadership positions and 519 supported with USD 153’000 in government loans
  • 211’253 out-of-school and 237’400 in-school young people reached with SRHR information (through 290 trained peers, multi-media campaigns etc.)
  • 921’169 young people accessed standard package of youth-friendly SRHR services through 225 trained providers
  • 6 district-level health care centres refurbished to provide youth-friendly services
  • Regionally, partnerships with the African Union Commission, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC), contributed to progress towards the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Ministerial Commitment on CSE, SRHR and HIV for Young People.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
Foreign academic and research organisation
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Other Academic Research North
  • United Nations Population Fund


Coordination with other projects and actors Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC), SYP in Southern Africa, UNFPA’s other youth programs, UNESCO’s O3+ programme, US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) DREAMS initiative, and other Civil Society Organization (CSO)-led initiatives
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’800’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    900’000 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   7’438’381
Project phases Phase 2 01.01.2024 - 31.12.2026   (Current phase) Phase 1 01.03.2021 - 28.02.2024   (Active)