Poverty, prostitution, insecurity, and precarious living conditions are the hallmarks of the Pakadjuma neighborhood in Kinshasa. The insecurity in this neighborhood is compounded by extreme poverty, pushing many women to engage in survival activities, often at the expense of their health.
Samuel Lamptey grew up around women—he has 11 sisters. This experience has helped him understand and empathize with the issues women face, including unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. “We cannot make progress if we don’t understand the issues of women,” he says.
In rural villages in Jharkhand State, India, men tend to make decisions about family matters. But youth leaders—trained by Ipas Development Foundation (IDF)—are sharing sexual and reproductive health information and, ultimately, chipping away at traditional gender roles.
