Adolescent Girls' Health and Rights in Tanzania

Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to the health consequences of pregnancies and childbirth, as their bodies may not be fully developed. In Tanzania, 22% of adolescents have already started childbearing.  This is why the Adolescent Girls' Health and Rights (AGHR) project in Tanzania, a $15M project funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by Plan International Canada, are so important.

Prioritizing marginalized girls’ participation, the AGHR project focuses on increasing access to health information and services and empowering girls through social and financial support. The project also aims to strengthen the health system to provide youth-friendly services, train health providers to offer better care and offers support to women and youth organizations.

For Ngolo, a 16-year-old student from Katavi, the project was life changing. When her parents informed her of their plan to have her marry a much older man in 2023, she remembered what she learned about gender equality, gender-based violence, and the risks of early marriage and pregnancy during the Reproductive Health and Rights sessions conducted by teachers trained under the project. She recognized this situation as gender-based violence and reported it to her teacher who contacted the District Social Welfare Office. District officials intervened, and with their help, they educated Ngolo's parents on the risks of early marriage and pregnancy. Her parents agreed to cancel their plan.

AGHR project officers continue to follow up with Ngolo during supportive supervision, ensuring she is doing well as she continues her studies.