Background

For many adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Kaduna State, health policies, programs, and services are often designed without their direct input, despite being among the populations most affected by decisions made within the health sector. As a result, many young women experience healthcare systems as passive recipients rather than active contributors to solutions.

Recognizing this gap, Open Heart Community-Based Initiative for Health Empowerment and Sustainable Development, through its Gender Equality Fund (GEF)-supported project, intentionally invested in strengthening AGYW leadership, confidence, and participation in health governance processes. The project sought not only to improve access to health information and services but also to create opportunities for young women to influence the conversations, policies, and decisions that shape their lives.

Building Confidence and Leadership

Throughout project implementation, AGYW participated in leadership development sessions, health education activities, mentorship engagements, peer learning platforms, and advocacy-oriented discussions. These interventions were designed to strengthen communication skills, increase confidence, improve understanding of health systems, and prepare young women to engage meaningfully with decision-makers.

For many participants, these opportunities represented their first experience speaking publicly about health issues affecting their communities. Through mentorship and peer support, AGYW developed the confidence to transform personal experiences into evidence-based advocacy messages.

As one participant reflected:

"Before these activities, I never imagined I could speak in a room with government officials. I thought those conversations were for experts. Now I understand that our experiences are also evidence."

Meaningful Participation in Health Governance

During the reporting period, AGYW representatives supported by Open Heart participated in two important health decision-making processes in Kaduna State.

The first was the Kaduna State AIDS Control Agency (KADSACA) Q1 2026 Review Meeting, which brought together government stakeholders, development partners, healthcare implementers, and civil society actors to review progress within the HIV response.

During the meeting, AGYW representatives presented key concerns affecting young women's access to healthcare services, including challenges relating to privacy, confidentiality, provider attitudes, and access to youth-friendly services. They also shared recommendations informed by project implementation experiences and community consultations.

The second engagement took place during World Malaria Day stakeholder activities, where AGYW representatives participated in discussions with malaria stakeholders and partners. Young women contributed recommendations on strengthening youth participation in malaria prevention efforts, expanding health education initiatives, and increasing opportunities for AGYW engagement in community health programming.

What Changed?

The impact of these opportunities extended far beyond participation in meetings.

For the AGYW representatives themselves, the experience significantly increased confidence, leadership skills, and understanding of advocacy processes. Participants reported feeling recognized as contributors to public health discussions rather than merely beneficiaries of programs.

For stakeholders, the engagements provided direct access to perspectives that are often missing from policy and program discussions. AGYW representatives highlighted lived experiences, practical challenges, and community realities that helped enrich conversations on service delivery and health systems strengthening.

Several recommendations presented by AGYW were acknowledged during discussions and subsequently informed advocacy priorities developed by Open Heart for continued engagement with health stakeholders.

Perhaps most importantly, the process demonstrated that young women can effectively contribute to health governance when provided with appropriate support, information, and platforms for engagement.

Lessons Learned

This experience reinforced several important lessons.

First, meaningful youth participation does not happen automatically—it requires intentional investment in leadership development, mentorship, and capacity strengthening.

Second, AGYW bring unique perspectives that improve the relevance and responsiveness of health programs and policies.

Third, creating opportunities for direct engagement between young women and decision-makers strengthens accountability and promotes more inclusive health systems.

Finally, participation itself can be transformative. When young women are trusted to contribute, they often discover leadership potential that extends beyond individual projects and into broader community engagement.

Looking Ahead

Open Heart remains committed to expanding opportunities for AGYW participation in health governance processes at community, local government, and state levels. The organization will continue to support young women to engage as advocates, leaders, and contributors to policy discussions affecting health and wellbeing.

The journey from beneficiary to advocate is more than a personal transformation—it is evidence that young women are not simply stakeholders in health systems; they are essential partners in building stronger, more equitable, and more responsive healthcare services.

Key Outcome

Through targeted leadership development and meaningful participation opportunities, AGYW representatives successfully engaged in state-level health decision-making processes, articulated community concerns, presented evidence-based recommendations, and strengthened youth representation within health governance spaces in Kaduna State.

Project: Scaling Up Youth-Friendly Health Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Their Diversities

Implementing Organization: Open Heart Community-Based Initiative for Health Empowerment and Sustainable Development

Reporting Period: April – June 2026