Adolescents and youth with disabilities in Hawassa are gaining greater access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services, livelihood opportunities, and more accessible healthcare as efforts to strengthen disability-inclusive services continue in the city.
“Disability inclusion is not achieved simply by making services available; it means ensuring that adolescents and youth with disabilities can access those services with dignity, safety and equal opportunity,” said Dr. Getahun Semeon, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD).
A growing network of young people is helping drive this change. Four trained youth peer educators have reached and the peer educators trained 85 adolescents and youth with disabilities on SRH rights and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, Through this peer-led approach, the initiative is creating opportunities for young people to share knowledge, build skills, and promote greater awareness within their communities.
Access to menstrual health information and practical skills is also expanding. Fifty adolescent girls and teachers have received training on menstrual hygiene management and reusable sanitary pad production, while two women-led production groups have been established and strengthened with equipment, workspaces, and business support.
Community engagement is another important part of the effort. Twenty-five faith leaders have been trained on disability inclusion and human rights, while 25 parents have received guidance on safeguarding, life skills, and sexual and reproductive health.
At the service-delivery level, accessibility improvements are ongoing at the Hawassa Referral Hospital One-Stop Center, with the aim of creating a more disability-friendly environment for healthcare and psychosocial support.
These efforts are being supported through the AHEAD Project, implemented by ECDD with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Running from 2025 to 2030, the initiative directly targets 306 adolescents and youth with disabilities and is expected to indirectly reach more than 1,530 community members, including caregivers, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, health facilities, youth centers, and government stakeholders.
Together, these efforts are helping strengthen a more inclusive environment where adolescents and youth with disabilities can access information, services, skills, and opportunities on an equal basis.
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