tailieunhanh - A Rapid Assessment of Youth Friendly Reproductive Health Services

Sperm cells are highly specialized cells that are able to move. Each sperm cell must be able to deliver a haploid set of chromosomes from the male to an egg cell in the female reproductive tract. The structure of a mature sperm cell is well adapted to its function. Almost the entire head of the sperm is the haploid nucleus, the all-important genetic information that is delivered to the egg. Attached to the head of the sperm is a long tail that propels the sperm along. Also present are large numbers of mito- chondria that produce ATP, which yields the energy the sperm use to pro- pel themselves. | Judith Senderowitz MA Gwyn Hainsworth MED and Cathy Solter CNM I. The Importance of Youth Friendly Services Although practices differ by region and culture young people2 throughout the world are changing their attitudes and behaviors regarding sexual activity. Typically there is more pre-marital sexual behavior and a delay in the age of marriage creating a longer period of likely unsanctioned sexual Experiences with the Tool in the four African Youth Alliance AYA countries Botswana Ghana Tanzania and Uganda have shown that numerous service elements require upgrading if the clinics are to successfully attract and serve young clients. The conducting of these baseline assessments has also resulted in important lessons learned that can be applied to future assessments all with a primary objective of providing youth with better more sensitive and relevant RH care. Nine GaliII street 5ul1e 217 Witeftawri MA Phũ ne S17. ỊỊ2i .7Jủô FBJl j d . j Ị - 1 The African Youth Alliance is funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is implemented by three partners Pathfinder International PATH and UNFPA. The project s goal is to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health by reducing the incidence of STIs HIV unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion among young people aged 10-24. The project has five main components policy and advocacy behavior change communication youth friendly services livelihood skills development and institutional capacity building. 2 Young people and youth usually refer to those between the ages of 10 and 24 with adolescents comprising the 10 to 19 age group and young adults the 20 to 24 range. Youth young people and adolescents will be used interchangeably in this document. ÃÃ Pathfinder 1 Number 4 September 2003 A Rapid Assessment of Youth Friendly Reproductive Health Services Summary Young people face greater reproductive health RH risks than adults yet they are less willing and able to access RHservices. Lack of awareness