About this Platform

A knowledge sharing and learning initiative for all 33 countries implementing Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) programme across Sub-Sahara Africa.

O3 programme presentation image

Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) programme

Imagine a sub-Sahara Africa where all adolescents and young people attain positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes.  

This is the future UNESCO envisions through Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) Programme. This vision can only be realised through consistent reduction in new HIV infections, early and unintended pregnancy, gender-based violence, and child marriage.

The O3 programme commenced in 2018 and supports delivery of good quality comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) that empowers adolescents and young people and builds agency, while developing the skills, knowledge, attitudes and competencies required for preventing HIV, reducing early and unintended pregnancies, and eliminating gender-based violence. The programme follows a three-tier system with Programme Acceleration at the top, followed by Focus, and Networking countries. The three-tier system allows countries to learn from each other as they work towards national coverage, while institutionalizing the CSE programmes will ensure governments provide domestic funding and contribute to fully scaled-up CSE interventions.

Where
Map
Programme Acceleration Countries
Eswatini, Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Focus Countries
Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda
Networking Countries
Angola, Benin, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Rwanda, Togo
Objectives

The O3 builds on current efforts by UNESCO to improve sexual and reproductive health, as well as gender and education outcomes for adolescents and young people.

The objectives of the programme are:

Political Commitment

To secure and sustain political commitment for adolescents and young people’s access to CSE and SRH services across sub-Saharan Africa

Deliver CSE

To deliver accurate, rights-based and good quality CSE that provides knowledge, values and skills essential for safer behaviours, reduced adolescent pregnancy, and gender equality

Safer healthier inclusive schools

To support delivery of safer, healthier and inclusive schools and community environments for all young people

Evidence

To strengthen evidence base on CSE and safer school environments

By 2022, the O3 programme is expected to reach 24.9 million learners, in 72 000 primary and secondary schools, 51 000 pre-service teachers, and 402 000 in-service teachers. Additionally, 30 million people (parents, guardians, religious leaders, and young people out of school) will be reached through community engagement activities and 10 million young people through social and new media platforms

The O3 programme benefits from the generous support of governments of Sweden, Ireland, Norway, France and Packard Foundation.

News

New data from UNAIDS on the global HIV response reveals that during the last…
On 18 July 2022, leaders meeting at the Africa Union summit in Lusaka, Zambia,…
The UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) is seeking for a company…

Events

Johannesburg, South Africa
The Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) Programme is holding its Annual…
Malawi
UNESCO, together with UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO, will host a high level…