Special “Youth Health” Mobile Application and School Health Room Programme launched to enhance Health Education, CSE, SRHR, Gender, Mental Health Support and for all Cambodian adolescents and youth
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the National Youth Development Council and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched two new innovative approaches towards ensuring that young people have access to the information, support and services they need to having a healthy future. The first-ever School Health Room Programme is being launched alongside an innovative mobile application. The “Youth Health” Mobile application targets in-and-out-of-school youth enabling them to access much needed information on reproductive health and rights at the touch of a screen. The mobile application has information on sexual reproductive health and is based upon the information from the MoEYS’s approved Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) curriculum. This also includes information on gender equality, mental health and provides links to mental health and psychosocial support.
The School Health Room Programme launched today will provide an in-school venue where young people can seek health support, information and access to services. Addressing health issues and ensuring that young people have access to health support will go a long way towards enhancing learning outcomes. The school health room is a central place for students and teachers to receive primary health care information and services, including first aid, sexual and reproductive health support, information on gender equality including menstruation and hygiene as well as support to access mental health counseling, and other referral services to nearby health facilities if needed. UNFPA has provided financial and technical support towards eight school health rooms in eight provinces of Cambodia specifically focusing on the Northeastern provinces.
The Youth Health Mobile App was created to provide an easy and convenient way of young people to access information on a range of reproductive health topics in line with the approved comprehensive sexuality education curriculum that has been integrated into the national curriculum as mandatory learning from grades 5-12. The National Youth Development Council of Cambodia and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport initiated this mobile app as a means to reach young people both in school as well as out of school. This mobile app was co-funded by the Government of Japan and UNFPA, and it has been implemented by partners, the Child Helpline Cambodia and Kawsang – a technology social enterprise. UNFPA wishes to thank all partners involved in this innovative approach, and thanks the Government of Japan for its long-standing partnership and support.
Since the Youth Health App piloting in November last year, over 33,600 users, mainly from Siem Reap, Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum, Phnom Penh, and Kratie, downloaded the App with over 116.5K visits to the main content. The app is available on both Android and iOS systems.
This Youth Health App has a dedicated Facebook page to promote this app, as well as to other sources of Comprehensive Sexuality Education, SRHR, Gender, and mental health information and services available: https://www.facebook.com/appyouthhealth
