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2017South Africa
2017South AfricaSARSYC II
Building a Business Case for a Solid Future through Access to Youth Sexual Rights, Health Services, and Commodities
SARSYC II gallery
South AfricaUniversity of Johannesburg, South Africa
300 participants
The 2nd Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference (SARSYC II) was held in 2017 under the theme “Building a Business Case for a Solid Future through Access to Youth Sexual Rights, Health Services, and Commodities.” Inspired by the African Union's 2017 theme, “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth,” the conference provided a regional platform for students, young people, academics, researchers, and key stakeholders to engage in dialogue on improving access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services and commodities.
The conference focused on demonstrating the social and economic value of investing in young people's SRHR as a critical component of sustainable development. Through evidence generated from student-led research and country experiences across Southern Africa, participants explored the challenges affecting young people's access to SRHR information, services, and rights, and examined strategies for strengthening policy and programmatic responses.
SARSYC II served as a collaborative space for reflection, knowledge sharing, and planning, with the goal of ensuring that investments in youth education and SRHR contribute to achieving the region's demographic dividend. The conference also emphasized the need for governments, educational institutions, and development partners to prioritize young people and increase both material and non-material investments in their health, rights, and wellbeing.