“Youth Klinik” is the digital application that, with the support of the European Union, we launched in Moldova to raise awareness among young people about sexual and reproductive health. It is available in Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian and English
Sexual and reproductive health is about well-being, not just the absence of disease, and also involves respect, safety, and freedom from discrimination and violence, fitting into specific social, economic, and political contexts.
In March, INTERSOS launched the app Youth Klinic for sexual and reproductive health in Moldova. The project
was realised with the support of the European Union and in collaboration with important partners such as the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu’ and the Youth Resource Centre Klinic Neovita.
This digital application provides verified, comprehensive, and accessible information accessible on sexual and reproductive health issues, helping to fill information gaps for Ukrainian refugees, the Roma community, and young Moldovans, answering questions that are often difficult for adults to ask. Despite the considerable progress made in Moldova on sexual health and sexual safety, adolescents, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups such as refugees and the Roma minority, continue to face obstacles in accessing accurate information and services.
Therefore, among the topics addressed in the app, we can cite puberty, menstruation and hygiene, contraceptive methods, abortion, gender violence, and sexually transmitted infections. The design of the app and the choice of topics were guided by a participative and collaborative process, with workshops and group discussions with young Ukrainian refugees, Roma and Moldovan citizens, as well as health professionals and staff from Neovita clinics. The group discussions, conducted in several languages, explored participants’ perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, sources of information, barriers, and the factors that might facilitate access to information, providing key findings for identifying models and themes for creating the app.
The app is available in four languages: Ukrainian, Romanian, Russian, and English. It also includes a map with all public health institutions and Youth Klinik clinics offering support to young people on sexual and reproductive health issues and a dedicated phone number.
The app is downloadable on Android and iOS via Play Store and Apple Store.
At the end of the project, the network of Neovita clinics will become the owner of the application, thus guaranteeing the goal of ‘localisation’ and the sustainability of the action.