FPA has learnt that Media platforms can be used in a positive, educational and awareness-raising way to change public opinion in favour of misunderstood SRHR clusters like abortion, LGBTQIA+, contraception and sex education. The media can play a vital role in communicating their needs and spreading awareness for human rights and justice, ultimately contributing to the achievement of equality and social cohesion.  The RFSU funding has been used to address the issues of media bias against the LGBTIQ community.

The RFSU SRHR Fellowship Programme 2022  was envisioned to foster deeper local narratives, networks and connections whilst boosting youth changemakers to strengthen the SRHR agenda.

This programme includes 3-day provincial workshops for young changemakers. This intensive training will include expert sessions and interactive activities that will hone and harness their skills.

Objectives of the workshops

• Exploration and the Increased understanding of SRHR issues in Sri Lanka 

• Increased capacity and tools to be conscious global changemakers

• Introduction to innovative and creative methods and approaches to championing SRHR

• Taught and taken through every step of the project pipeline by industry experts

• To produce a draft concept note with their youth groups by the end of the three-day programme

This workshop will produce innovative concept notes with the youth groups in the efforts of creating more strategic and innovative youth-based ideas and interventions. After the workshops, 20 fellows will be chosen and given financial aid and technical guidance and support to carry out their ideas and strategies. There will be mentorship sessions along with networking summits for the fellow to showcase their work and discuss lessons learnt and strategy forward.

We hope that by providing the necessary tools to young changemakers, we can empower them to tell their stories more authentically and in a manner that will extend their reach beyond their existing networks and make a positive sustainable change towards the acceptance, decriminalisation and progress of marginalised communities.

RFSU funding has also been extended to include an abortion study on 'attitudes and perceptions of the public to abortion in Sri Lanka'.  This study was completed in March 2022 and the key results together with the findings of the research will be published on the FPASL website.

Following the published report the information and evidence that has been collected from the abortion study will be used to develop a communication strategy on abortion.  The abortion communication strategy will change the attitudes and values of young people towards supporting a revision to the abortion law and supporting abortion rights in Sri Lanka.