A Non-Governmental Organisation, Education as a Vaccine (EVA), has called for the creation of inclusive spaces to promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of young women and adolescent girls, particularly those living with HIV, disabilities, displacement, or discrimination.

Speaking at the We Lead Nigeria Close-out and Impact Showcase in Abuja, Head of Programmes at EVA, Oluwatosin Alagbe, urged collective action to dismantle barriers that prevent vulnerable women from accessing healthcare services.

She stressed that the deeply entrenched patriarchy in Nigeria, along with restrictive social, cultural, traditional, and religious norms, continues to hinder women from realising their SRHR.

“When SRHR services are delivered without discrimination, transformation is inevitable. Healthcare providers must evolve from being barriers to becoming allies through intentional dialogue and capacity building,” Alagbe said.

According to her, the project’s impact extends beyond individual empowerment to systemic change, with traditional and religious leaders now engaging in once-taboo conversations about SRHR in their communities.

Alagbe noted that in Lagos State, young women living with HIV, who previously faced discrimination in healthcare settings, now advocate directly with the State’s AIDS Control Agency. Similarly, deaf women who were once denied services due to a lack of interpreters have shifted healthcare provider attitudes through dialogue and training.

She said the project facilitated physical accessibility in health centres, such as installing ramps for people with disabilities, and promoted the adoption of sign language interpreters in some states to ensure deaf women can access SRHR services.

Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by Hivos in collaboration with Positive Vibes, FEMNET, and Restless Development, the five-year project aimed to ensure that young women and girls, especially those marginalised due to HIV status, disability, displacement, or sexual orientation, are no longer invisible.

She explained that government agencies that once lacked policies for persons living with HIV now actively work with communities to develop inclusive frameworks.

While healthcare facilities have adopted more inclusive service delivery models.

The We Lead Focal Person for EVA, Blessing Igwe, said the initiative provided technical and financial support to 12 organisations across five Nigerian states to implement the programme.