**Renews commitment to adolescent health and African women, girls
LAGOS – eHealth Africa (eHA) reaffirmed its commitment to adolescent health and gender equity at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York.
Representing eHA at the event were Dr. Andrew Karlyn, Board Member, and Ms. Ota Akhigbe, Director of Partnerships and Programs.
As the Commission on the Status of Women marks 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action – a landmark agreement on global gender equality standards – eHA participated in key discussions with global partners and stakeholders focused on advancing adolescent health and gender equity.
After 15 years of successful implementation in 27 African countries including Nigeria, eHA’s goal is to expand and strengthen its impact and partnerships with like-minded global players helping to achieve prosperity and well-being for all.
“Investing in the second decade of life is a cornerstone of sustainable development for our continent, and programs that center the unique experiences of adolescents will help us to achieve gender equity and improved health outcomes,” said Ms. Ota Akhigbe.
“eHealth Africa is committed to leveraging our expertise in data-driven solutions to support governments and build strategic partnerships that will empower communities and enhance the well-being of adolescent girls and boys.”
One key area requiring urgent collaboration is child marriage. Despite progress, 12 million girls are married every year, approximately 33,000 girls daily, or 23 girls per minute worldwide. eHA joined the high-level event Bridging the Gap: From Beijing to 2030 – Ending Child Marriage in All Forms, convened by the Governments of Canada, the UK, Zambia, the Dominican Republic, and the Netherlands, alongside the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Girls Not Brides, Girls First Fund, and Zonta International. eHA applauds CIFF and the Nigerian government’s commitment to ending child marriage.
Furthermore, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) – specifically technology-facilitated GBV – is an emerging area requiring urgent action, advocacy, policy, and regulation.
This need is underscored by the exponential growth of digital penetration on the continent and inequitable access to digital tools for adolescent girls and women.
eHA’s platforms and reach include 42 Emergency Operations Centers built and handed over to governments across Africa, 11 currently being managed in Nigeria, and Vaccine Direct Delivery services.
Other key interventions include Clinical Services, Healthcare Facility Mapping, Neonatal Genotype Screening, Nutrition & Adolescent Health Services, and Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring in Nigeria.
Some of the key ways in which eHA has impacted women and girls include –
Through the mapping of 45,000 healthcare facilities across Africa, eHA reduced rural women and girls travel to health clinics time thus enabling them to access pre/postnatal care & childbirth services.
Through eHA’s expanded GBV call center in Borno State, they received and responded to 5,000+ calls from GBV survivors, providing critical support, counseling, and referral services.
Through the eHA Academy, they trained 47+ women in web and software development/data analytics. Within 3-6 months of program completion, participants secured internship and full-time employment in the tech industry, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in bridging the gender gap and fostering female leadership in technology.
eHA remains steadfast in its mission to improve health through innovation, data-driven solutions, and collaboration. By working alongside governments, civil society, and the private sector, eHA strives to create sustainable solutions that build healthier communities for Africa’s youth today and in the future.
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