Eastern and Southern Africa is home to one of the fastest-growing adolescent and youth populations in the world, with the total population projected to reach nearly 1 billion people by 2050. At the same time, the region continues to face high burdens of HIV, early and unintended pregnancy, gender-based violence, and mental health challenges, all compounded by structural poverty, including high youth unemployment and strained public services. Critical shortages of trained health workers and rising demand for integrated, youth-responsive services require deliberate investment in the systems and structures that enable peer providers to be integrated, supported, and sustained at scale. Peer providers are already an integral part of adolescent and youth health and wellbeing programming. Young people are trained and supported to deliver health information, psychosocial support, service navigation, and referrals to services for their adolescent and young peers — extending services into communities and settings where formal health workers have limited reach. Their impact is evident. Realising their full potential now requires moving from project-based approaches to structured, system-integrated models that are safe, well-supported, and sustained over time. This resource addresses that transition, focusing on the systems, workforce conditions, and programmatic structures required for peer provider models to operate with quality, accountability, and sustainability within national health systems. UNICEF has recently launched the Peer Provider Programming Resource for Adolescent & Youth Health & Well-being in Eastern & Southern Africa. A wonderful resource & great opportunity to strengthen, sustain & scale peer provider programmes as part of more responsive health systems.
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