Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, 9 July 2024 - In continuing joint efforts towards enhancing the well-being of adolescent girls, Global Affairs Canada, UNICEF, and UNFPA have sign a new five-year programme to improve equitable access to quality sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for adolescent girls in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The programme, supported by a CAD $14.7 million investment from the Government of Canada, will be jointly implemented by UNICEF and UNFPA through a multi-sectoral approach. It will target over 1.2 million adolescents aged 10-19 in Zanzibar, Songwe, and Dodoma regions.

“Building on Canada’s ongoing health commitments in Tanzania, the new programme with UNICEF and UNFPA will improve equitable access to quality sexual and reproductive health and rights,” said H.E. Kyle Nunas, High Commissioner for the Canadian High Commission in Tanzania. “The programme aims to reduce maternal deaths, reduce unwanted pregnancies, prevent and treat sexually transmitted infections, and improve the economic empowerment of women and girls.”

Tanzania has a predominantly youthful population, with adolescents comprising 23.2 per cent, half of whom are girls. The country faces high rates of child marriage and teenage pregnancies, which, according to the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS), contribute to 104 women dying for every 100,000 live births due to pregnancy-related complications. The survey also revealed that 22 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15-19 have been pregnant at least once.

Adolescent girls in Tanzania continue to face significant challenges, including a high unmet need for family planning, a heavy HIV burden, violence, malnutrition, school dropouts, and limited access to economic opportunities. These issues are further exacerbated by poverty, deep-rooted cultural and religious beliefs and negative gender norms. This highlights the urgent need for investment in adolescent health and well-being.

"Adolescence is a critical development phase, and decisions made during this time significantly impact the future health, well-being, and productivity of this age group," said Lawrence Oundo, UNICEF Representative a.i. in Tanzania, adding “This agreement with Global Affairs Canada will allow UNICEF and UNFPA to work together to reach more girls with coordinated and integrated responses."

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania recognizes the critical needs of adolescents, particularly girls, which require concerted efforts from multiple sectors. This joint effort comes at a crucial time when investments in adolescent programming are needed to transform adolescents' lives in a positive way.

“Investing in adolescent girls benefits everyone,” said Mark Bryan Schreiner, UNFPA Representative to Tanzania. “When girls flourish, their families and communities flourish as well, for generations to come. A future that works for all.”

The five-year programme will primarily focus on gender-transformative approaches, strengthening gender-responsive systems, and enhancing adolescent-friendly service delivery. 

The programme aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Increased use of rights-based, gender-responsive, and adolescent-friendly SRHR information and services by adolescents, especially adolescent girls, in the targeted regions.
• Enhanced ability of adolescent girls and boys to claim their SRH rights in the targeted regions.
• Improved enabling environment for the realization of adolescent SRHR at the national and sub-national levels.

This programme aligns with national priorities that emphasize the crucial role of adolescent health and well-being in sustained socioeconomic development. Prioritizing the needs of adolescent girls is a critical step to ensuring a healthier, more prosperous future for Tanzania.

About Global Affairs Canada: The Government of Canada works with partners in Tanzania and globally to advance sustainable development. These actions include reducing poverty, improving health and education, building sustainable economic growth, advancing gender equality, promoting inclusive governance and taking action on climate change.  

About UNICEF: UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

About UNFPA: UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.