Youth health, beyond the information gap

TANZANIA: THE room was filled with young voices, but beneath the celebration was a question that could not be ignored how can Tanzania unlock the potential of its young population if many young people still struggle to obtain reliable information about their health and reproductive lives?

As Tanzania joined the world in marking International Youth Day 2026, that question emerged strongly in Dodoma, where young people, government officials, United Nations agencies, development partners and civil society organisations gathered to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the country’s youthful population.

The celebrations were not confined to employment, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence or the digital economy. Sexual and reproductive health emerged as an equally important part of the country’s youth development agenda, with participants stressing that a healthy and informed generation is essential to Tanzania’s long-term development ambitions.

Among the organisations helping to organise the celebrations was MSI Tanzania, whose contribution brought particular attention to the need for young people to access accurate, understandable and trusted sexual and reproductive health information.

The discussion highlighted a simple but powerful reality… young people cannot fully take advantage of education, employment, technology and entrepreneurship opportunities if they lack the knowledge and services needed to protect their health and make informed decisions.

Dr Mashingo Lerise of MSI Tanzania said organisations working with young people needed to rethink how they communicate with them, particularly in an era when social media has become an important source of information.

He said young people were already using platforms such as Instagram and other social media channels to search for information on health, education, employment, tourism and other issues affecting their lives.

For organisations involved in sexual and reproductive health, he said, this presented an opportunity to reach young people where they already spend their time.

“Young people are looking for informatio, and many of them are using social media to find it,” Dr Lerise said.

But the opportunity also comes with a warning. The enormous amount of information available online means young people can easily encounter contradictory, misleading or inaccurate advice.

In matters concerning sexual and reproductive health, misinformation can have serious consequences, making access to credible sources particularly important.

Dr Lerise therefore called for organisations and professionals to provide information through channels that young people understand and trust.

He also stressed that young people should be encouraged to identify reliable sources and professionals instead of depending solely on unverified information circulating online.

For MSI, the discussion was also a reminder that young people are not a homogenous group whose needs can be addressed through a single approach.

Dr Lerise used the analogy of buying shoes to illustrate the point….just as shoes have to fit the person wearing them, youth services should be designed according to the realities, preferences and circumstances of the young people they are intended to serve.

Such an approach, he said, could make young people more comfortable seeking services, asking questions and discussing personal concerns without feeling judged.

The need for such youthfriendly services was reinforced by youth representative David Mwajura, who identified lack of accurate information as one of the major challenges facing young people, particularly those living in rural and underserved communities.

He pointed out that the experience of a young person living in a major city can be very different from that of a young person in a remote rural community.

While an urban youth may have easier access to health facilities, digital platforms and information, young people in remote areas can face geographical barriers, limited services and shortages of trained providers.

“There are different circumstances. There is someone living in the city and another young person living in a rural area. Their ability to access information and reproductive health services can be very different,” Mwajura said.

He cited young people in regions such as Kigoma as examples of those who may face difficulties accessing health services because of geographical and other barriers.

The problem, however, is not simply one of distance. Mwajura said some young people, particularly boys, do not receive adequate sexual and reproductive health education because such information is sometimes wrongly perceived as being mainly for girls.

He argued that boys and young men also need comprehensive information to help them make responsible decisions about their health and relationships.

“One of our biggest challenges is that we do not have accurate information,” he said.

For Mwajura, closing the information gap also means creating health services where young people feel safe enough to speak openly about personal concerns.

He said young people would be more likely to seek services if they knew they would be treated respectfully, listened to and assured of confidentiality.

“We need someone who can keep your confidence and provide a safe space where young people can discuss their health concerns,” he said.

The call for greater access to reliable reproductive health information was echoed by Dr Mariam Ngaije of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

She said reproductive health education needed to be strengthened through schools and other institutions so that young people could obtain reliable information from trained teachers and qualified professionals.

Dr Ngaije said UNFPA was working with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to examine how reproductive health and broader health issues could be incorporated into relevant curricula and training programmes.

The initiative extends beyond ordinary schools to institutions such as community development colleges, where health and reproductive health components have already been incorporated into training programmes.

The objective, she said, is to ensure that young people acquire knowledge that can help them make informed decisions about their health and reproductive lives.

Such education is particularly important given the challenges young people face, including unintended pregnancies.

Dr Ngaije said efforts were also being made to support young girls who become pregnant while still young, ensuring that pregnancy does not permanently end their education and development opportunities.

She said such girls should have opportunities to return to education or pursue alternative education and skillsdevelopment pathways after giving birth.

Those pathways could include formal education, community development colleges, vocational education and training institutions and other skills-development programmes.

Minister for Youth Development, Joel Nanauka used the International Youth Day celebrations to encourage young people to take advantage of opportunities emerging in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, big data analytics, agriculture, fisheries and entrepreneurship.

He said Tanzania had numerous opportunities for young people to acquire education and skills in fields increasingly shaping the global economy.

Nanauka said the government was particularly interested in preparing young people to participate in emerging areas of science, technology and innovation.

He encouraged those interested in artificial intelligence, data science, big data analysis and other emerging technologies to seek available opportunities and use government programmes designed to support their education and professional development.

But while technology and economic opportunities featured prominently in the celebrations, the health discussion provided an important reminder that development must be people-centred.

A young person cannot be expected to innovate, establish a business, pursue higher education or compete in a changing global economy while facing preventable health challenges or lacking accurate information about decisions affecting their future.

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The connection between health and development was also highlighted by UNFPA representative Majaliwa Gerald, who said young people with access to accurate information, quality healthcare and protection from violence, child marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and other forms of abuse have a greater chance of completing their education, developing their talents and contributing to national development.

He challenged the tendency to describe young people merely as leaders of tomorrow. “Young people are not leaders of tomorrow alone, they are leaders today,” Gerald said.

The International Youth Day conference therefore offered more than a platform for speeches. It created space for young people to explain what they need and for organisations working with them to consider how services can become more responsive.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry responsible for Youths, Jenifa Olomi, earlier urged young people not to sacrifice their health while pursuing education, employment and other ambitions.

She acknowledged that young people face pressure arising from unemployment, social media, financial difficulties, relationships and uncertainty about the future.

She encouraged those experiencing stress, sadness, fear or other emotional difficulties to seek assistance, stressing that asking for help should not be considered a weakness.

The broader panel also addressed mental health and substance use, with experts emphasising the need to avoid stigma and encourage young people experiencing persistent emotional or psychological difficulties to seek appropriate assistance.