Tunisia-27th Session May 2017-Sexual and / or reproductive rights and / or health broadly

Para 213) With the support of numerous regional and local partners, efforts have been made to intensify education in sexual and reproductive health for young people and adolescents of both sexes. The young person’s own views are heard and they are provided with medical services and taught about risky forms of behaviour, unwanted pregnancies, unprotected sexual relations, recurrent abortions, sexual exploitation and deviancy, smoking, alcoholism and drug use. These interactions take place in spaces for young people and adolescents staffed by multidisciplinary medical and paramedical personnel. A total of 112,804 persons benefited from these services in 2020, compared to 158,218 in 2019. Para 214) The reproductive and sexual health strategy for adolescents and young people continues to take shape thanks to such initiatives as the creation of 21 “youth-friendly” spaces where medical, psychological, educational and counselling services are available. As part of efforts to prevent and treat drug abuse, three areas have been created where adolescents and young people can receive psychological care. In addition, an app has been developed to raise awareness and sensitize users about sexual and reproductive health and to facilitate their access to further information on the subject. A reproductive health unit offering information, guidance and counselling in preparation for family life has been opened for students in university dormitories and some secondary schools. Para 215) A 7.4 per cent increase in awareness-raising efforts had been programmed for 2020, in order to reach out to 170,000 adolescents and young people. However, statistics indicate that only 66.4 per cent of the desired outcome was achieved and that the total number of beneficiaries was some 28.7 per cent lower than expected. Para 216) It had been expected that sexual and reproductive health clinics for adolescents and young people would offer their services in 55,000 cases in 2020, an 11.9 per cent increase with respect to 2019. However, statistics show that those services in fact decreased by 30.5 per cent. Para 217) As concerns medical services in the field of reproductive health, 573,573 cases were recorded in 2020, compared to 852,971 in 2019, a decrease of 32.8 per cent. Family planning services were delivered in 283,226 cases in 2020, compared to 368,580 cases in 2019.