Evalin Karijo, Director of Youth in Action, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Global CEO of Amref Health Africa, and Antonia Hylton of Vice News Tonight and Vice on HBO (Photo: Amref Health Africa)

October 2, 2018 — On Thursday September 27, we hosted a panel entitled Empowering Young Women in 21st Century Africa to coincide with UNGA week in New York City. The panel was moderated by Antonia Hylton of Vice News Tonight and Vice on HBO with panelists Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Global CEO of Amref Health Africa and Evalin Karijo, Director of Youth in Action (Y-Act). The panel discussed the reality of growing up as a young woman in Africa and how Amref Health Africa and Y-ACT are working to end the challenges that marginalized youth face such as early child marriage, teen pregnancies, HIV/AIDS and barriers to education.

Y-ACT is a program by Amref Health Africa, with special thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, that provides resources, training, and support to youth advocates in four Kenyan counties in urban, rural, pastoral, and coastal regions, to promote youth-led advocacy on gender, sexual and reproductive health and rights. Within its first year, over 630 youth-led advocacy groups have joined Y-ACT, with 50% of the organizations led by women.

“My dream for Y-Act is to see all young women have equal opportunities and have the ability to choose who they want to be.”

-Evalin Karijo, Director of Y-Act

(Photo: Amref Health Africa)

(Photo: Amref Health Africa)

(Photo: Amref Health Africa)

 Read more about Y-Act in our latest Annual Report

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