More information
Description
EVRICA 3.0 is the project that increases the capacity of young people for civic participation and the promotion of human rights, focusing on sexual and reproductive rights, including gender equality, with the support of the school-family-community partnership. Young people have lost confidence in the way the political class acts and not fulfils their promises, recognizing their actions as mainly a campaign strategy. Moreover, they are tired of the prospects of politicians who do not have as priorities realistic actions to bring improvements in the lives of citizens. They are also worried about the extremist messages that are multiplying day by day. (White Paper on Youth Civic Involvement, 2019). Thus, the added value that the project brings is the creation of a context to exercise active citizenship and the promotion of democratic culture among young people, in all aspects of life. Young people will be empowered to build a school environment that integrates their real needs and to signalize legislative slippage on the restriction of human rights, their rights. The main activities that fulfil the needs identified among young people are: education for 1000 young people on the importance of respecting human rights with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive rights, through MOOC; developing skills for civic involvement and community mobilization for 23 local teams of volunteers and mentors; development of the civic awareness campaign among the communities of students from the underserved localities and the development of the school-family-community partnership that raises awareness and prioritizes the status of the young people as active citizens. Moreover, the project develops the organization''s ability to cope with the opposition in the programs and projects developed for the benefit of young people.
Summary of project results
The project addressed critical challenges for Romanian adolescents, including limited access to sexual health education—90% lacked such education (MEN 2018)—and low youth participation in community activities, with 75% never volunteering (Eurobarometer 2019). These issues hindered lifelong learning and reduced quality of life. Additionally, over 2,500 cases of abuse and 13,000 children with parents abroad (ANDPDCA 2019) underscored the need for personal development support, especially for young women facing gender inequality and exclusion. Legislative confusion around sexual education further complicated their empowerment.
The project built on the organization''s long-standing experience in sexual and reproductive health education, introducing elements to enhance youth civic engagement and democratic participation. It involved the creation of an asynchronous online course, "Îndrazneste sa fii mare!" (Dare to be big!), focused on sexual and reproductive health, which was tested by 826 participants. Simultaneously, 80 students and 21 mentors participated in a transformative 40-hour training program to develop skills as peer educators and community mobilizers. These participants then led 21 micro-campaigns in schools across Bucharest and eight counties, addressing local needs.
The project made a significant impact, reaching 906 young people with education on democratic citizenship and sexual health, involving 4,557 adolescents and 1,670 adults in community campaigns, and exceeding initial targets for outreach and engagement. It also empowered young people to advocate for their rights, with 107 actively participating in volunteering and advocacy programs