Project profile — Protecting Girls and Adolescents from Sexual Violence, Teenage Pregnancies and Early Unions

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) strengthened strategic alliances and national and regional platforms for the promotion and exercise of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and adolescents; (2) improved quality and coverage of multi-sector national policies and services for the prevention and reduction of early pregnancies; and (3) improved measures and mechanisms for prevention, protection, care and mitigation of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV).

Results achieved as of December 2020 include: At regional and national levels: (1) strategic alliances with multiple actors continued to be strengthened to promote and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights for young women and adolescents; In El Salvador: (1) 126 teachers trained in comprehensive sexuality education; (2) 210 schools received curricular documents and support materials; (3) 30 health facilities in the ten municipalities supported improved and consolidated the capacities for sexual and reproductive services for adolescents; (4) 110 girls and adolescents received care from the psychological care program for girl and adolescent victims of sexual violence; (5) two temporary reception spaces adapted and equipped to receive and support child and adolescent victims of sexual violence; 6) 36 judges trained on victimology and international law for the protection of women’s human rights; 7) 280 professionals, including staff from the judiciary, prosecutors, attorneys, lawyers, law students, heads of legal teams at public and private offices, participated in three webinars on topics about the culture of rape and the investigation and prosecution of violence against women; 8) 436 health service providers received training on adolescent care and quality standards; In Nicaragua: (1) health staff who provide sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for adolescents in the project’s eight territories received training on using new norms and protocols for SRHR-related attention to adolescents. The project developed these protocols based on international quality standards and World Health Organization guidelines; 2) 1,200 teachers received training on the use of pedagogical booklets on comprehensive sexuality education in the formal education system (including for initial, primary and secondary education); 3) 953 adolescents outside of the formal education system (of whom 56% are women) received education through non-formal strategies on sexual and reproductive health issues, including the prevention of gender-based violence.