This framework is designed to provide legal guidance to states in the harmonizing of policies and laws relating to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) in East and Southern Africa, and in aligning them with international and regional commitments.
The framework arises from a study on the Harmonization of the Legal Environment on ASRHR conducted in 2015-16. The study assessed the laws and policies that affect adolescents’ (aged 10 to 19) sexual and reproductive health and rights in 23 East and Southern African (ESA) countries. The report indicated a disjuncture between the relevant policies and laws in the majority of these countries. Furthermore, it demonstrated that many countries’ laws do not comply with international and regional commitments, notwithstanding such countries having ratified, acceded to or being signatories to relevant international and regional instruments.
The framework translates international and regional law requirements into useful legal strategies adapted to the domestic level for the realization of the rights of adolescents
and young people to sexual and reproductive health in line with their evolving capacities and towards graduating to a healthy adulthood. It also gives recommendations based on applicable core legal values and principles that are gleaned from a range of conventions, charters, guidelines and declarations.
