Promoting sexual health and wellness is a key development imperative for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in Africa. The status of the sexual health of many can be improved through a constellation of actions that will respond to the contextual issues implicated in the promotion of sexual wellness. These contextual issues include social, economic, cultural, political, legal, religious, educational, gender and biological factors, most of which are interwoven.

African countries have made important progress in achieving some of the Millennium Development goals, particularly non-health related goals. As in Nigeria,¹ the health related goals may be a daunting challenge for number of African countries. It is now well recognised that much progress could be recorded on health related MDGs when a) attention are paid to specific factors involving sexual and reproductive health and b) stakeholders keep in sight fundamental values of values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and share responsibility.² It is should be noted that the MDGS were embedded in the United Nations millennium declaration and therefore in theses fundamental values. Promoting and upholding these values are likely to unified actors for the promotion of rights based approach sexual well-being.

There has been an increase in the response to specific health and development outcomes of sexual health such as HIV and AIDS, Gender Based Violence, Sexual Violence, in the last two decades. To increase the effectiveness of these responses, there is a need to provide an opportunity for diverse sexual health and rights actors to interrogate the mechanism and harnessing the potentials of various players through a participatory interaction.

Goal

Catalyse the potentials of organisations, networks and social movement for sexual health, rights and wellness in Africa.

Objectives

	Provide a forum for key sexual health and rights actors to share information, knowledge and practises in responding to challenges and promoting sexual wellness.
	Identify a mechanism for the promotion of rights based programming on sexual wellness.
	Build and strengthen linkages for the promotion of sexual wellness in Africa.

Expected Outcomes

	A high quality meeting of sexual health and rights actors in Africa.
	Development of a rights based programming mechanism for sexual wellness.
	A directory of sexual health and rights organisations and actors in the promotion of sexual wellness in Africa.

Methodology

The institute will comprise of senior level staff of invited key institutions in the project focal countries as well as interested leader of relevant of Africa-based networks and movements. The institute will be conducted using the principle of participatory methodology by all.

The institute will respond to identified key questions including

	What are the existing organisations and social movements for sexual wellness?
	What are the current linkages amongst the various actors in the promotion of sexual wellness?
	What are the elements of rights based programming for sexual wellness in Africa?
	What are challenges and opportunities for the right to health approach?
	How can sexual wellness in Africa be further promoted.

¹ http://web.ng.undp.org/nigeriamdgs.shtml (Accessed June 17, 2008)

² http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm, (accessed September 1, 2008)