Nepal’s youth face a number of issues related to sexual and reproductive health, including child marriage, gender-based violence, and unwanted or too-frequent pregnancies. The initiative aims to improve knowledge and awareness on sexual and reproductive health among adolescents at an age when many become sexually active and are thinking of starting families.

USAID, UNFPA and GIZ together with the NHEICC initiated this novel concept to increase the information about safe motherhood, family planning, sexual and gender-based violence and adolescents’ physical growth and development, consequences of child marriage and early pregnancy, said Giulia Vallese, Representative of UNFPA to Nepal. “m-Health is targeting to reach out to about 300,000 adolescents out of their 24% total population.”

“This is one of our efforts to ensure that every adolescent and young person’s potential is fulfilled in order to reduce maternal mortality and morbidities as well as ensuring universal access to reproductive health,” the UNFPA Nepal chief said.