Karima Rhanem, President of the International Center for Diplomacy (ICD), CEO of Africa My Home and Global Senior Managing Editor of The New Africa Magazine, participated as a speaker in the continental webinar “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend: The Critical Role of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH),” organized by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in partnership with the Pan African Youth Union (PYU) and the Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF).
The webinar brought together youth leaders, civil society actors, experts and institutions from across Africa to discuss how Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) can contribute to youth empowerment, inclusion and sustainable development on the continent.
During her intervention, Karima Rhanem emphasized that SRHR should not be treated only as a health issue, but as a question of dignity, equality, education and justice.
“Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights are not privileges to be negotiated. They are fundamental human rights essential to the dignity, freedom and future of Africa’s youth, especially young girls,” she stated.
Speaking from the perspective of the International Center for Diplomacy, she explained that diplomacy today cannot remain disconnected from the realities faced by communities. According to her, issues such as child marriage, menstrual poverty, school dropout among girls and limited access to reproductive health directly affect peace, inclusion and development. She also highlighted ICD’s contribution to international advocacy through participation in mechanisms including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Beijing+30 and CEDAW processes.
Karima Rhanem presented several initiatives led by ICD in Morocco and across African youth networks. Among them was the “Our Girls’ Health, Our Priority” caravan launched after the 2023 Al Haouz earthquake, which reached girls in tents, schools and temporary shelters with menstrual hygiene awareness, psychosocial support and SRHR education.
She also highlighted the Ride4Inclusion and Equality caravan, which mobilized HeForShe engagement in mountainous and conservative communities while addressing the links between SRHR, child marriage and school dropout among girls.
The webinar also served as an opportunity to present ICD’s youth engagement models through the YOULEAD initiative Youth Learn, Empower, Advocate and Develop and the CREATE program, which uses digitalization, arts, culture, sports and creative communication tools to engage youth on SRHR and human-rights issues.
Karima Rhanem further spoke about the OutSpokenGirls community, a safe space created for discussions around SRHR, menstrual health, gender-based violence and child marriage, particularly in environments where these subjects remain taboo.
As part of its innovation efforts, ICD also developed “Ask Illy,” an AI-powered chatbot designed to provide girls and young people with accessible and confidential information related to rights, protection and SRHR.
One of the strongest moments of her intervention came when she shared the testimony of a male student who attended one of ICD’s workshops in a conservative university environment. “I thought this workshop on periods did not concern me, but now I understand what my sister, mother or future wife experiences,” he told organizers. For Karima Rhanem, this illustrated how changing mentalities requires engaging entire communities, including boys and men.
She also highlighted ICD’s work on the intersection between climate change, disasters and SRHR, including a study examining how climate-related crises increase vulnerabilities linked to gender-based violence, child marriage and reproductive health for women and girls.
In addition, she presented the outcomes of an international conference on the rights of young girls in Africa, which led to the development of an African benchmark guide integrating recommendations on SRHR, girls’ protection, education and empowerment.
Throughout the discussion, Karima Rhanem called for stronger investment in youth-led and community-based approaches, stressing the importance of speaking to young people through platforms and formats they relate to. She emphasized the value of podcasts, storytelling, motion graphics, digital platforms and AI tools in making SRHR information more accessible and less stigmatized.
She also called for integrating SRHR into local development plans, climate policies and disaster-response mechanisms, while ensuring that grassroots youth organizations gain better access to funding and capacity-building opportunities. According to her, SRHR challenges should also be seen as spaces for innovation and social entrepreneurship through digital health solutions, telemedicine and menstrual-health initiatives.
Karima Rhanem concluded by reaffirming that investing in the health, dignity and leadership of young people especially young girls is essential for building a more inclusive, resilient and equitable Africa.
She also acknowledged Morocco’s efforts in implementing WHO recommendations on SRHR and advancing its second national SRH strategy through the Ministry of Health.
The New Africa Magazine
