Changing Gender Equitable Beliefs among Urban Dwelling Girls in Lagos and Kano through Srh Programming.

Chukwudike Akanegbu, YPE4AH
Boladale Akin-Kolapo, DAI
Babajide Daini, DAI
Zainab Moukarim, DAI

YPE4AH project improves the health and well-being of urban, out-of-school, adolescents (15–19) with priority on girls, by increasing voluntary FP uptake and continued use. The project utilises curricula, facilitated by Youth Coaches, that include information on healthy relationships, consent, and gender equality, to drive conversations on health and gender. Female Youth Coaches engage girls on sensitive topics. Adolescents take pre/post-tests. Pre/post-tests from January-December 2023 across Lagos and Kano were analysed. 21.0%-47.9% agreed with gender-related practices requested. 72% increased agreement with gender-equitable beliefs. The project made more impact on adolescents in Kano. Girls there increased in health-seeking (8.2%-78.3%), and gender practices (5.0%-29.9%), and 83.2% of them increased agreement with gender beliefs than their Lagos counterparts (61.8%). Female Coaches facilitating the approach can reach, penetrate, and empower girls with lifestyle re-orientation, life skills, and lessons that are responsible for an attributable shift in social norms to promote gender equity and equality.