Witness Chikoko

Youths Defying Cultural Stereotypes?: Sexual and Reproductive Health Challenges Affecting Youths in Epworth Informal Settlement in Zimbabwe Witness Chikoko

This book is about sexual and reproductive health challenges affecting youths aged 10 and 24 years residing in Epworth, a peri-urban informal settlement 12 kilometers from the Harare City Center. The book discusses early unwanted pregnancies, sexual abuse/violence, unsafe abortions, HIV and AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases as critical sexual and reproductive health challenges affecting the youths in the informal settlement. Government, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations in general have programmes in the area for addressing some of these challenges. Given the limitation of the efforts of the various stakeholders, the youths have been trying to assist themselves using any means available to them within an environment characterized by congestion, high levels of unemployment, inadequate provision of social services, extreme poverty, insecurity, crime and hopelessness. In addition, the Epworth informal settlement is a result of rapid urbanization amidst declining economies and poor governance.