Many South Africans lack the basic knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Let’s change that.

Why we care: Young women in South Africa are unaware that abortion is legal and don’t know where to turn for abortion services.

How we’re solving this: Conduct workshops to increase University of Johannesburg student and staff’s reproductive health knowledge and strengthen abortion referral system.

South Africa’s liberal abortion law has helped to reduce maternal deaths and injuries by making safe abortion care more available. But this progress is threatened because many South Africans, especially young women, aren’t knowledgeable about the law and where services are provided. They also lack basic knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The first phase of this project was started in June 2012. Forty university staff (faculty members, social workers and health providers) participated. It explored their values and attitudes in relation to sexual and reproductive health topics, including unintended pregnancy and abortion. This resulted in University of Johannesburg conducting awareness campaigns to address sexual and reproductive rights for students.

With additional funding, Ipas will be able to conduct a series of 6 educational 2-day workshops for 30 – 45 participants to increase University of Johannesburg students’ and student counselors’ SRH knowledge and skills at four campuses. We will also be able to work to strengthen the referral system and networks between university clinics and public institutions. The project will increase counseling capacities among university faculty and health clinic staff and will create a group of staff with the resources and mechanisms for continuing to educate future groups of students.