O
3 Plus
Empowering Students for
Health and Wellbeing
Promoting Positive Outcomes in Higher Education through SRHR Education & Support
Introduction
In 2021, UNESCO launched the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future PLUS (O3 Plus )Programme with the aim to empower students in Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions (HTEIs) across six Eastern and Southern African countries to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. Working hand-in-hand with regional organizations, national ministries, HTEIs, and other key partners, O3. strives to make a lasting impact by reducing new HIV infections, preventing unintended pregnancies, and combating gender-based violence (GBV). This will be achieved through the promotion of innovative approaches to accessing comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in HTEIs.
O3 Plus is more than just a project; it's an investment in the future of young people in Eastern and Southern Africa. By empowering students to make informed decisions about their health, education, and personal lives, we are laying the foundation for a healthier, safer, and more equitable future for all.
Project reach
Through the generous support of the governments of Switzerland, Sweden, France and Norway, the O3 Plus Programme builds on and extends current O3 program efforts by UNESCO to improve sexual and reproductive health as well as gender and education outcomes for adolescents and young people. The O3 Plus edition will focus on the higher and tertiary education cohort in eight countries.
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Rationale of the project:
It is frequently assumed that because students have reached the tertiary level of education, they have already received the education that equips them to avoid adverse health outcomes as they move from childhood to adulthood, however, evidence has shown that this is often not the case . Young people in HTEIs are exposed to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)-related concerns and risks such as unintended pregnancies,
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and gender-based violence (GBV). UNESCO strongly believes in the power of education to transform the lives of young people, but increasingly recognizes that inclusive and transformative education cannot be achieved if students are not safe, well-nourished, healthy, and free from violence and discrimination.
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The O3 Plus project aims to bridge this gap by focusing on higher and tertiary education institutions. By addressing the specific needs of students at this level, the project aims to improve their knowledge, access to services, and overall well-being. This, in turn, will contribute to their educational success and empower them to become agents of change in their communities.
