SFH launches safe space program for adolescent boys in Rivers State

By Precious Mark

The Society for Family Health (SFH) Nigeria has concluded the co-creation of a Safe Space Programme for adolescent boys and young men in Rivers State, in what it describes as a major push to close long-standing gaps in adolescent health programming.

This initiative was made known in a statement by SFH on Monday, under the Adolescents 360 Health and Economic Empowerment Project (A360 HEEP) Phase 4, which places stronger emphasis on engaging boys in structured health, behaviour change, and life skills interventions.

SFH said the approach is based on the understanding that sustainable improvements in adolescent girls’ health outcomes are strengthened when boys are actively involved as partners in promoting positive social norms.

From June 2 to 5, 2026, the organisation convened a four-day multi-stakeholder workshop in Rivers State, bringing together government officials, traditional leaders, health workers, civil society actors, and adolescent boys to develop a facilitation guide for the NextGenZ Boys Safe Space Sessions.

The programme, supported by TotalEnergies, NNPC, and partners, will initially target boys aged 15 to 19 across Eleme, Bonny, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni, and Ahoada East Local Government Areas.

According to SFH, baseline assessments showed that no dedicated adolescent boy-focused services existed in the targeted communities prior to the intervention, despite growing health and social risks affecting young males.

While adolescent girl programming has received significant attention over the years, the organisation noted that boys have often been excluded from structured interventions on sexual and reproductive health, wellbeing, and life opportunities.

Speaking at the workshop, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Health said the state had long experienced a gap in adolescent boy-focused programming, describing the initiative as a timely and inclusive intervention.

He said gender-related health programmes in the past had largely focused on girls, and welcomed the new project as a step toward more balanced and equitable adolescent health delivery in Rivers State.

The facilitation guide developed at the workshop covers sexual and reproductive health, positive masculinity, life skills development, risk reduction, economic empowerment, and access to youth-friendly health services.

SFH said adolescent boys were directly involved in designing the programme to ensure it reflects their lived realities and improves effectiveness at community level.

The organisation added that the intervention reinforces its commitment to inclusive adolescent programming aimed at improving health outcomes and strengthening community resilience across Nigeria.