On May 10, 2023, EVIHDAF, In-country research partner for the ASHER (Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Exemplars) project in Cameroon, organized in collaboration with Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Health, Division of Family Health, ASHER’s inception meeting.

Adolescence is the period of life that encompasses the transition from childhood to adulthood. WHO defines adolescents as people aged between 10 and 19 years, while recognizing that age is only one characteristic defining this critical period of rapid human development. Across the world in general and Cameroon in particular, this group experiences great challenges to their sexual and reproductive health and rights. These include: sexual coercion and intimate partner violence; lack of education and information; high rates of early and unwanted pregnancy; lack of access to health services, especially for contraception and safe abortion; gender inequalities and harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage; and risk of STIs (including HIV).

Implemented in Cameroon by EVIHDAF, the ASHER (Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Exemplars) project is funded by Gates Ventures’ “Exemplars in Global Health” program, through the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), in collaboration with the University of Southampton and the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. ASHER aims at breaking the barriers around sexual and reproductive health and rights in Cameroon while leading adolescents towards the cultivation of decent emancipation.

Officially launched by the representative of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Tjek Biyaga Paul, Deputy Director of Reproductive Health at the Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Djeuga Palace Hotel, Yaoundé, the launching ceremony witnessed the massive presence and active participation of government sectoral ministries, various International organizations working closely with adolescents, youth associations and advocates, who did not hesitate to formulate several recommendations for effective and efficient the data collection methods.

During presentation of the ASHER project, the EVIHDAF team headed by its Executive Director, Dr. Jean Christophe Fotso, explained the various stages of the project which will be due by December 2023. According to the team, this project will greatly contribute in the education of these adolescents, who are more and more in need of guidance and exposed to many scourges and also reduce the high levels of unwanted pregnancies among them.

WHO’s representative, Dr. Banyi Sixtus F., present at this inception meeting, reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to collaborate with EVIHDAF and the Ministry of Public Health in the implementation of ASHER in Cameroon.