Oury Kamissoko, 21 years old, is passionate about the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescents and youth, for which she has been involved for several years in youth associations and movements.
She is currently the Vice Chair of the Youth Ambassadors Network for Reproductive Health and Family Planning in Mali, and represents youth in the Coalition of Malian Civil Society Organizations on the AYRH.
In collaboration with Mali’s National Advisory Council for Children and Youth (CCNEJ) and with support from PAI, she is conducting a project to monitor the implementation of the GFF in the Koulikoro region, particularly sexual and reproductive health services for youth. The project will equip youth organizations to assess barriers to access and use of services by and for youth and alert authorities to improve SRHR services, especially at the community level.
Barriers
Inaccessibility to health services, unmet needs, and the high cost of contraceptive methods are still concerns among adolescents and youth. Despite some progress, adolescents and youth are confronted with the weight of tradition and customs because topics related to reproductive health are still taboo in Mali.
It is therefore essential that young people be at the heart of the process of finalizing the investment case so that all their needs are taken into account, such as improving access to information related to adolescent and youth reproductive health, or comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), solutions that would help put an end to early and unwanted pregnancies. All stakeholders in the GFF process must contribute to breaking taboos, both at the national and community levels.