Fiji Ministry of Youth and Sports launched mobile “YES App” for youth-friendly health info and services, with UNFPA and DFAT support

SUVA, Fiji - “I have downloaded the YES app and find it very informative, particularly in its coverage of important topics such as sexuality, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and infections such as HIV/AIDS, and gender equality. It truly serves as a one-stop shop, providing all the information important for a young person like me, with just a click. I want to encourage all my fellow young people to download and use this app,” said 22-year-old Teisi Corrie, a member of a youth club who was present at the launch of the “YES” (Youth Education on Sexuality) App today.

More than 400,000 (44%) of Fiji’s population are below 25 years of age. Ensuring good health, education, life skills, and employability for these cohorts and other youth is a key to the sustainable economic growth of the country; however, numerous school drop-out cases due to teen pregnancy, increasing sexually transmitted infections including HIV, illicit drug use, violence incidents against young people or among them, and unemployment among youth, have become major concerns for the Government. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Youth and Sports is leading the implementation of the National Youth Policy to benefit the Fijians between 15 to 35 years of age. As one of the strategies, the Ministry with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pacific, is rolling out the Out-of-School Family Life Education (FLE) programme in partnership with various NGOs.

Further, the Ministry of Youth and Sports developed this YES App, with UNFPA Pacific’s support, as a tool to educate and inform young Fijians who increasingly rely on the internet as their primary source of information, as to how to better respect their own body and the others and promote healthy relationships. The app also provides information about service delivery points for adolescent and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health care across the country.

Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Jese Saukuru, launching the YES App

“This App is not just a simple tool for accessing information from the internet, but it is a powerful resource that can help our youth make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. It aims to empower them to have control over their choices and to navigate the challenges of adolescence with confidence,” said Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Jese Saukuru, as he launched the app today.

The YES App is available currently on Android devices. The user-friendly app offers a comprehensive suite of features tailored to meet the unique needs and concerns of young people regarding their health and how and where to access professional services. The app prioritizes user privacy and data security, adhering to the highest standards to protect personal health information.

“This collaboration with the Fiji Ministry of Youth and Sports reflects our joint commitment to providing young Fijians with necessary information and life skills, addressing their unique needs related to sexual and reproductive health and protection, so that the youthful nation can reap ‘demographic bonus’ and ‘gender dividend’ towards more equitable and sustainable economic growth,” underscored Iori Kato, UNFPA Director for the Pacific island countries and Representative in Fiji.

Iori Kato, UNFPA Director for the Pacific Island countries and Representative in Fiji, delivering a speech at the launch of the Yes App.

The YES App launching event held today in Suva was joined by more than 200 participants including various youth groups, and representatives from other key ministries including Health and Medical Services; Education; Women, Children and Social Protection; iTaukei Affairs, etc. which have collaborated in the development of the app in consultation with NGO partners such as Medical Services Pacific, Reproductive Health Association of Fiji, the University of South Pacific (USP), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Sub Regional Office for the Pacific, Family Planning Australia, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation International Development (ABC-ID).

“UNFPA is grateful to the funding partner, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT), as their generous support enabled UNFPA to support the Fiji government in developing this ground-breaking application for the young people, through our flagship Transformative Agenda for Women, Adolescents and Youth in the Pacific programme,” added UNFPA Pacific Director Kato.