From 2nd to 5th May, the 1st Regional Workshop for the UNFPA-supported Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Project “Expansion of quality Adolescent SRH information and services adequate for underserved young people” (RLA5-R205) was held in Mexico, organized by JOICFP, Mexfam and UNFPA CST.

The workshop aimed to:

• Share the outcome of the Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews by youth on underserved youth regarding sexual and reproductive health status, conducted in March and April 2006;
• Provide training to strengthen communication interventions; and
• Develop strategies on how to incorporate and link regional activities into the respective ASRH projects in each country.

Thirty participants and resource persons, including 10 youth representatives, from the four implementing countries of Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru attended.

The workshop participants

After explaining its organizational background and approach, JOICFP delivered training on utilization of communication tools, using templates such as for ‘message creation’. Participants in groups then gave presentations using the templates. This was followed by discussions on plans and future activities under the regional project, focusing on how to apply the communication tools to country programs.

Youth representatives and managers then delivered a presentation on country ASRH activities.

A board game developed in Nicaragua
that educates players on ASRH

Workshop outcomes

Analysis of the FDGs revealed that common issues existed among the countries, such as lack of communication between parents and children, misconceptions about adolescent sexual behavior by parents, and lack of young people’s ASRH rights to gain information and so make informed behavior choices.

Mexican youth volunteer interviews mothers
to find out attitudes
for adult support of ASRH activities

The participants gained valuable skills to strengthen communication strategies and plan media tools, and took what they had learned into a DigiPlan workshop later that month to enhance information and knowledge sharing.

JOICFP was also requested to deliver more training to build country level capacity for implementing communication activities for social change.

Follow-up Actions

Each country will organize at least one workshop to develop application of communication tools at the country level, and share that information with the other countries by July 2006.

The 2nd Regional Workshop in 2007 will evaluate and discuss the application of these country plans at the country level as well as their impact on the regional project.