“Power to You(th)” is a five-year consortium project funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by three organizations: Amref Health Africa, Youth Network for Sustainable Development, and Hiwot Ethiopia, with technical and grant management provided by Amref Health Africa. The project’s implementation will be concentrated in the Amhara and Afar regional states. It places a strong emphasis on empowering youth, particularly adolescent girls and young women, to drive positive change in areas related to harmful practices, sexual and gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health challenges, such as unintended pregnancy. The project envisions a future where adolescent girls and young women from underserved communities can make informed choices, enjoy their sexuality, and live free from harmful practices within a gender-equitable society. To realize this vision, the project will focus on four interconnected pathways of change: strengthening young people’s ability to claim civic space, enhancing civil society organizations, transforming social norms, and improving policies and their implementation.

“Power to You(th)” is a comprehensive initiative aimed at leveraging the potential of young people, particularly adolescent girls and young women, to address critical societal issues related to sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and harmful practices. Through collaboration, capacity building, and advocacy, the project seeks to create an environment in which informed choices and gender equity prevail, ultimately leading to improved well-being for these youth in the Amhara and Afar regions of Ethiopia.