In 2008 the number of African women who died from pregnancy and child birth was much higher than the number of casualties from all the major conflicts in Africa combined. Maternal mortality continues to be the major cause of death among women of reproductive age (15-49) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Most of these women die from complications that can often be effectively treated in a health system that has adequate skilled personnel, a functioning referral system and can respond to obstetric emergencies when they occur.

Produced by: International HIV/AIDS Alliance (2008)

This toolkit is a result of team work between sexual and reproductive health practitioners working with young people in Zambia, Malawi Zimbabwe and Uganda. It is written for anyone who wants to facilitate participatory learning activities with young people to equip them with knowledge, positive attitudes and skills to grow up and enjoy sexual and reproductive health and well- being.

The toolkit's intended audience includes peer educators, outreach workers, school teachers and community workers. It covers themes on community mobilisation, gender and sexuality, prevention, reproductive health, stigma and discrimination. The educational approach to behavioural change used in the toolkit is based on the belief that people actively learn through participatory problem solving activities related to their own lives.

Specifically the tool aims to assist facilitators to: