Horyzon is newly engaged in South Sudan

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Together with its partner organisation YWCA South Sudan, Horyzon is setting up a new project starting next year. The project, entitled "Reducing youth pregnancies", supports young people in Yambio in moving out of poverty by raising awareness of sexual and health rights.

South Sudan, the youngest state in the world, had separated itself from Sudan in 2011. But just one year later, the country sank into a civil war in which more than 400,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people driven from their land by 2018. Due to the lack of prospects and the many cases of sexual violence, as well as cultural and social taboos about sexuality, youth pregnancies are widespread. These involve not only health but also economic risks. Girls who become pregnant before their 18th birthday usually do not complete their schooling and consequently have no prospects for the future. A vicious circle.

This cycle is broken by the project "Reduce youth pregnancies". Every year, more than 6,300 young people from Yambio get information about their sexual related health rights and learn how to defend themselves against sexual violence. The taboo about the use of contraceptives and hygiene articles during menstruation gets broken. In this way, youth pregnancies are reduced and girls no longer stay away from school during menstruation.

We look forward to developing the new project together and to the partnership with YWCA South Sudan.

More information about the project

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