*******Adirieje Urges Coordinated Action on SRHR, Gender Equality, Youth Leadership
***********AFRIHEALTH Convenes Multi-stakeholders Dialogue Session On SRHR, Gender Equality, Youth Leadership Across Africa & the Global South to Strengthen Health Systems & SDGs.
**********Coordinated Action On SRHR, Gender Equality, Youth Leadership Remains Central to Achieve Equitable Health Systems & SDGs”- AHOA
By Victor Bieni, Abuja
Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje, The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Afrihealth Optonet Association, has called for urgent, coordinated action to strengthen sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, and youth leadership across Africa and the Global South as global society organizations(CSOs) stated that these areas remain critical to achieving equitable health systems and sustainable development.
Royal Paradise Media (News Online) learnt this from Nigerian Global Health Development expert in a telephone conversation with our reporter today being on Saturday, May 2, 2026 as he briefed media on the outcome of AHOA’s dialogue Session held recently to seek for urgent action to coordinate and strengthen Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR), Gender Equality and Youth Leadership across Africa and the Global South.
Speaking further to our reporter, Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje stated that at the opening of the AHOA Life and Health Dialogue Series, he described the initiative as a strategic multi-stakeholder platform.
In the words of AHOA Boss: “The dialogue is designed to advance rights-based and youth-driven health governance. Participants included amongst others are: policymakers, civil society actors, youth leaders, development partners, and public health experts. We stressed further that global commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals have not eliminated key barriers”.
“This, we cited SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, SDG 5 on Gender Equality, and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities. Despite these goals, millions of Young people, especially girls and marginalized populations, still lack access to comprehensive SRHR services”.
“We identified restrictive policies, harmful gender norms, inadequate financing, and weak accountability systems as major obstacles. Limited youth participation in decision-making also continues to undermine progress. We stressed that SRHR are fundamental human rights with far-reaching implications for education, economic participation, and national development”.
“When SRHR is neglected, the consequences are profound. We listed preventable maternal deaths, unsafe abortions, gender-based violence, and early marriages among the outcomes.We added that Africa’s growing youth population presents both a challenge and an opportunity for reform and accountability”.
“The dialogue seeks to move beyond rhetoric and focus on evidence-based solutions. Expected outcomes include rights-based policy recommendations, increased youth engagement in governance, and stronger gender-responsive strategies. Other anticipated results are multi-sector partnerships, sustainable financing pathways, and key knowledge products such as a Dialogue Communiqué and policy briefs”.
“This is not just a conversation. It is a platform to listen, collaborate, and commit to advancing health equity, gender justice, and sustainable development. Therefore, I urged participants to drive meaningful change through concrete commitments”.
“Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje is a Nigerian global health and development expert, health economist, and civil society leader. He is the Chief Executive Officer and Programmes Director of the Afrihealth Optonet Association, a global civil society network and think-tank with over 3,000 member organisations in more than 120 countries. AHOA works at the intersection of health, climate action, and sustainable development”.
“Dr. Adirieje has extensive experience in policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainable development practice. He has provided technical leadership for key national and international initiatives, including Nigeria’s National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy and independent evaluations of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. His work covers health systems strengthening, climate justice advocacy, civil society mobilisation, and evidence-based policy engagement”.
“Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje is a respected voice in global development discourse, he convenes the Life and Health Dialogue Series, a platform for advancing policy dialogue on health, climate, and sustainable development across Africa and the Global South. He is a Certified Management Consultant and an advocate for equity-driven development. Dr. Adirieje promotes integrated approaches that link health, environment, and governance to achieve inclusive and sustainable outcomes”.