Within the 30-month project Youth Voices, Youth Choices, which aims to contribute to the improvement of sexual and reproductive health in the Western Balkans, HERA conducted a research on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on sexual and reproductive health and rights among youth in Macedonia.
The study report on youth access to sexual and reproductive health information, education and care in Macedonia during the COVID-19 crisis showed that young people faced serious difficulties in accessing information and services related to sexual and reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to an increased sense of insecurity among them. The information, as they stated, was inaccessible due to the overwhelming volume of information about COVID-19, or the fact that there was a lack of national websites that are relevant and can be trusted.
The survey included young people as a general population group, including four vulnerable youth categories, i.e. young Roma, young mothers and pregnant women, members of the LGBTI+ community and young people who live in rural areas and have more difficult access to health services.
For example, the survey has shown that LGBT people are the vulnerable group that sought the most information about mental health during the pandemic.
The largest number of young Roma who were included in the survey shared that they were discriminated or stigmatized because of who they are, and that they felt ashamed to discuss an issue regarding SRH.
In cases of sexual and gender-based violence, all youth groups included in the survey confirmed the existence of indispensable barriers for further seeking support, but also for adequately responding to such reports. In general, the trust in the police is at a low level, it was also established that the institutions are practically unserviceable when it comes to cases of violence of this type. Reality shows that the percentage of young individuals who received support, and whose cases were addressed after the person witnessed or experienced an incident, is very low.
The survey is available in Macedonian language at this link. The survey was followed by a public policy document available in Macedonian and in English language.