Reflections from the 9th RhNK Pan-African SRHR Conference in Mombasa
Phiona Nantaba, our Youth voice writes from Mombasa, Kenya, where she has had the privilege of participating in the 9th RhNK Pan-African SRHR Conference, convened under the powerful theme: “Strengthening SRHR to Achieve Youth Agency, Full Participation, and Sustainable Development.” Bringing together advocates, policymakers, researchers, and young leaders from across the continent, this gathering is more than a conference—it is a vibrant testament to the future Africa is actively building.
What has resonated most deeply with across the sessions is a fundamental shift in narrative: young people are no longer framed as passive beneficiaries of programs designed for them. Instead, they are recognized and rightfully so as leaders, innovators, and key decision-makers driving equitable systems change. This is not rhetoric. It is showing up in program design, in funding conversations, and in the deliberate restructuring of power within SRHR spaces.
There is also a compelling and necessary push to move beyond inclusion as a buzzword. Inclusion is the floor, not the ceiling. What is being demanded here—and what I have felt in every session—is meaningful participation: the kind that centers marginalized and underserved communities not as afterthoughts, but as architects of the solutions that affect their lives. As an advocate for persons with albinism from Uganda, this message strikes at the heart of my work. Too often, disability and albinism are relegated to diversity checklists. This conference is reminding us that equity demands voice, agency, and decision-making power.
Last modified: June 5, 2026
