25 years after the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, Egypt in 1994, UNFPA accelerates the implementation of the promises in the Democratic Republic of Congo; in particular, to protect vulnerable adolescent girls from all forms of abuse and exploitation, by developing their economic capacity (through apprenticeship) and by facilitating their access to health services sexual and reproductive health services.
On the occasion of the celebration of World Population Day 2019, Dr. Sennen Hounton, UNFPA Resident Representative inaugurated the 3 vocational apprenticeship centers for vulnerable adolescents in the N ' SELE, in the urban-rural district located 20 km east of Kinshasa, on July 11, 2019,
These are the Recovery Center for Unemployed Youth (CEREJED), the Kinkole Social Promotion Center 1 and II and the Nkenda Vocational Training Center. Over the coming 9 months, at least 300 teenagers will learn a trade, learn the basics of entrepreneurship, receive comprehensive sex education and access quality sexual health services.
The UNFPA Representative exchanged ideas with adolescent girls on their access to sexual and reproductive health. He invited them to use contraceptive methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies and illegal abortions. In Cairo, participants had imagined a future where every pregnancy was wanted, because every woman and every girl would have autonomy over her body and be able to decide when and with whom to have children.
He said that these 3 centers inaugurated in N'SELE are part of a total of 13 centers located across the DRC: 5 in Kinshasa, 3 RUASHI in Lubumbashi (Upper Katanga) and 5 in Goma.
This initiative is part of the KITUMAINI project in Swahili "Hope" carried by the government through the Ministries of Youth, Gender and Health and implemented jointly by UNFPA and UNESCO. The project is funded by Canada and South Korea.
