Religious leaders and SRHR

NAKAI GODFREY NENGOMASHA: In particular, they can begin to spearhead and have messages, even within their churches, that promote health seeking behaviour. I think one of the biggest challenges in Africa, or in Zimbabwe in particular, you realise that young people do not seek services. Even if sometimes services are not available. But when they are available young people still don’t go. So religious leaders can demystify the fact that young people who seek services are not here, or doing something. That’s why they are now going for sexual and reproductive health services. So they can project that within their sermons. But also, in groups of the youth.

Religious leaders are very key in terms of giving accurate service– accurate messages– that promotes young people in the uptake of services, for young people. So this is a key role that religious leaders can do. But also, religiously leader can promote health seeking behaviour by having health days, within their churches. Where they have days that they talk about their health, for the old and for the young.