On 21 August 2023, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, announced the winners of the first of its kind AccessAbility innovation challenge, a competition to provide funding for social enterprises with innovative solutions that disrupt inequalities and empower young people with disabilities.
Issued in collaboration with the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) and the Global Network of Young Persons with Disabilities (GNYPWD), the challenge invited submissions along the themes of addressing gender-based violence; enhancing access to sexual and reproductive health-care services and information; digital inclusion; and removing socio-cultural barriers.
Vessels for development (V4DEV), is one of the proud winners of this first edition of AccessAbility Innovation Challenge. The V4DEV project selected is the Inclusive Reproductive Health Initiative (IRHI).
The female-led Inclusive Reproductive Health Initiative (IRHI) aims to accelerate the development of a menstrual cycle tracking device to break taboos and raise awareness of menstrual cycles and sexual health for people with disabilities, especially young women and girls. It will also raise awareness by holding a series of complementary workshops and training. Combined, this tool and training aims to empower young women and girls with disabilities by providing them with insights into their menstrual pattern and fertility cycle.
Four ventures from UNFPA programme countries were selected as winners by a panel of judges from UNFPA, GDI Hub and GNYPWD. The challenge received 229 applications from 54 countries, with entries spanning six global regions. Submissions included a range of solutions addressing key challenges and barriers faced by young people with disabilities around the world. These barriers include higher risks of violence, barriers to sexual and reproductive health and rights and difficulties meeting basic needs.
The four winners were selected from teams that are driving solutions to help young people with disabilities access their sexual and reproductive health and rights. These winning ventures will be provided grants in the form of seed funding and professional coaching and will be enrolled in a series of tailored workshops to help test and advance their innovations.
Discover the four winners here:
Special thanks to UNFPA, GDI and GNYPWD
Thanks to them inclusion in sexual health is gradually becoming a reality.
