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Adolescents Sexual and Reproductive Health Development Impact Bond

Teen pregnancy and HIV are among the major drivers of morbidity and mortality among adolescents. Adolescent girls in particular are disproportionately affected, often resulting in a lifetime of missed education and life opportunities. In Kenya, 42% of all adult new HIV infections occur among adolescents and young people aged 15-24 (HIV Estimate Report, 2021). Moreover, one in every five adolescent girls between 15 and 19 is either pregnant or is already a mother, with over 300,000 girls aged between 10-19 becoming pregnant every year. 

The poor health outcomes among adolescents are attributed to several barriers that they face in accessing sexual and reproductive health and HIV services, including lack of information, cost-related barriers, distance to health facilities, socio-cultural factors, and legal and policy-related barriers. In instances where services are accessible, provider biases coupled with concerns around privacy and confidentiality, deter adolescents from seeking services. This grim picture points to the fact that adolescents are underserved and underequipped to face challenges related to their sexual and reproductive rights.

To tackle the challenge of teen pregnancy, new HIV infections, and AIDS-related deaths among adolescent girls in high-burden counties in Kenya, a Joint United Nations team comprising UNFPA, WHO, UNAIDS, the UN Resident Coordinator Office, and the UN SDG Partnership Platform (SDG PP) partnered with Triggerise, a non-profit implementing organization, to carry out the Development Impact Bond (DIB) as an innovative financing mechanism to mobilize private and public sector funding/capital towards these adolescent health outcomes.

Backed by a $7m investment from the UN Joint SDG Fund, the Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) DIB will tap into resources from both private and public investors/funders to finance the provision of quality adolescent and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV testing and treatment, to adolescent girls aged between 15-19. The project will be carried out in 10 counties, namely: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Homabay, Bungoma, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, and Busia, all of which have a high burden of teen pregnancy and HIV.

To learn more visit unf.pa/ASRH-DIB