Discover DSW
We are committed to achieving our vision of a healthy and sustainable world in which all young people, especially girls and young women, can fully realise their true potential. Central to our mission is championing young people’s access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, realising Africa’s demographic dividend through a rights-based approach. Covid-19 has taught us that a healthy and sustainable world also requires investing in global health innovations to fight current and future epidemics that impact particularly young people.
WHAT WE'RE WORKING FOR
DSW has a mission to support young people living in Africa to overcome the multiple obstacles that stand in their way – in particular issues to do with SRHR, such as gender-based discrimination and coercive practices, and infectious diseases, which disproportionately affect young women and girls. Access to the right health tools and services is key to overcoming these obstacles.
HOW WE WORK
We work hand-in-hand with young people empowering them as actors of change, promote an enabling environment for their self-fulfilment, and foster meaningful and inclusive youth participation in the decisions that affect their lives. We advocate at local, national, and international political levels, including at EU level, to advance SRHR and global health policies wherever we can.
WHO WE WORK FOR
For over 25 years DSW has worked with young people in ensuring access to SRHR information, services, and supplies; supporting community outreach focused on developing peer education, life skills, leadership, advocacy, and economic empowerment.
WANT TO KNOW MORE
LATEST NEWS
DSW Explains – Episode 3: EU-Africa cooperation against epidemics
“DSW Explains” is a video series in which DSW’s EU team explores some of the key EU policies related to global health R&D and sexual and ...
Kenya: 100% domestic funding for family planning funding needed by 2024
The sun in Eldoret is high up in the sky as we snake our way to Langas, a low-income settlement off Airport road. The heat is unrelenting as we mee...
A conversation on digitalising SRHR in Kenya
On September 23, DSW’s Brussels and Kenya offices co-organised the online webinar “A Conversation on Digitalising SRHR in Kenya”, to discuss ...
Five opportunities and five challenges for HERA: the new EU authority on health emergency preparedness and response
On September 16, the European Commission (EC) announced the new European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), aimed at impr...
Kenya: DSW’s Study in Mombasa shows that more investment is needed to improve family planning access for young people and people living with disabilities
A social accountability study conducted by DSW Kenya has revealed that family planning services in two health facilities in Mombasa County are sati...
Investing in human development is key to mitigate and revert the effects of the pandemic: we cannot afford to dither and delay
The following article was co-authored by MEPs Charles Goerens and Urmas Paet: At the beginning of the pandemic, Team Europe committed to deploy an ...
Young people leading the fight for access to contraceptive care
Every year, celebrations take place around the world to mark World Contraception Day on September 26. Launched back in 2007, the day’s mission is...
DSW Ethiopia Commemorates IYD
Home to one of the largest youth populations in Africa, Ethiopia marked International Youth Day (IYD) on August 12, 2021 for the eighteenth consecu...
Why the New German Government Needs to Prioritize Gender Equality in International Development
by Megan O’Donnell and Alisa Kaps After 16 years under Angela Merkel, the German federal election is just around the corner, with the chancellors...
DSW advocates for the combating of SGBV at the workplace
At a biannual review meeting, DSW teamed up with regional stakeholders, some of whom are currently members of the legislative bodies, to advocate a...
We want to ensure that every young person has the power to realise their own future.
By advancing access to and demand for SRHR, we are making this happen.
