Students use social media for HIV/AIDS, SRH & GBV prevention in Tanzania

UNESCO empowered students in higher learning Institutions to design effective & interactive social media content on HIV/AIDS, SRH & GBV Prevention.

Group photo of social media administrators from DARUSO MUCE after being empowered on social media

UNESCO in Tanzania oraganized five-days capacity-building sessions with 8 Social Media administrators, 6 students and 2 teachers, who are in charge of the existing university social media accounts, focused on providing knowledge and skills on innovative designing, creating, and delivering accurate SRH, HIV/AIDS, and GBV prevention messages and information to learners and to the whole MUCE community at large. The training was conducted from 3rd to 8th October 2022 at MUCE, Iringa, Tanzania.

UNESCO has extended its efforts to ensure that young people in higher and tertiary education institutions in Tanzania realize positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancy, and gender-based violence.

Due to technological advancement, youth uses social media platforms as a place to communicate, connect and learn, for this cause UNESCO decided to conduct capacity-strengthening sessions for Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) social media administrators, on how to effectively use social media platforms to deliver accurate life skills based sexual reproductive health (SRH), HIV/AIDS, and Gender Based Violence prevention information to reduce unplanned pregnancies, HIV/AIDS & Sexually Transmitted Infections, and GBV prevention so as to enhance smooth education journey to all students higher learning institution.

The Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) is one of the higher learning institutions benefiting from the implementation of UNESCO’s O3 Plus project. The project complements the university’s efforts of ensuring that young people admitted have access to Life Skills Based Sexuality Education including GBV prevention and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.

This capacity-building session is part of UNESCO O3Plus project interventions and response to UNESCO’s 2022 Health Facility assessment report about trusted sources and the favorite spot where learners visit to get sexual reproductive health information. The report indicated that the health facility, Internet, TV programs, and social media are their main source of information. Among their favorite spot including the Internet and social media were mentioned.

With the support and close collaboration from the Mkwawa Communication management team and student organization, UNESCO continues to increase access and availability of accurate CSE/SRH and GBV prevention information.

This project Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) is expected to reach 5791 learners.