Appui aux services conviviaux pour les adolescents et jeunes au Centre des jeunes de Lubumbashi au Katanga en RDC

The province of Katanga, located in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and with a surface area of 496,877 km², has 11,462,290 inhabitants, 68% of whom are under the age of 25. One out of every four adolescents between the ages of 15-19 has already given birth to at least one child. The prevalence of HIV is 5.6%, and only 6% of girls and women aged 15 to 24 said they had used a condom during their most recent sexual intercourse with a casual partner (MICS, 2010). The commitment of the local authorities to move the ICPD agenda forward is very strong. UNFPA supports the government’s efforts, which show clear financial commitment, in particular as regards promoting adolescents’ and young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health information, advice and services. The approach adopted is “youth for youth". The strategies used include advocacy, establishing alliances with journalists, rallying young people and adolescents, partnerships, mobilising resources, self-financing, offering VCT and family planning services and attractive services. In 16 months, 250 young people/adolescents used the services at the centre every day; 120,000 were made aware of HIV/AIDS prevention methods and the consequences of early fertility and marriage; 4,000 were screened for HIV thanks to mobile VCT; 20 educator pairs and 14 young journalists were trained; and 15 youth health clubs were created in schools.