Melvin Simuyaba (PhD Candidate, ACMS) presented his research on mobile adolescents and young people’s experiences accessing sexual and reproductive health services across two urban communities in Zambia (Lusaka and Livingstone). Drawing on group discussions, focus groups, and observations, the study applies the candidacy framework to understand how eligibility for SRH services is negotiated.

Respondent Dr. Sostina Matina offered rich and constructive feedback:

• Allow mobility to lead the argument, it is central to the study.
• Use candidacy as a process, not a set of boxes.
• Tighten definitions and clarify how the framework is adapted to this context.
• The framework is meant to be iterative; current accounts can still illuminate shared futures.
• Map the design to enable more comparative work.
• Strengthen the methods section, particularly reconciling the reports.
• Consider adding detail on non-portal participants, and how the clinic itself functions as a border, including the tension between crisis and prevention.
• Dr. Sostina also asked Melvin to summarise his paper in one sentence. His response: “It is how the title describes it, access is not a straightforward issue.”

Notes and questions from the floor:

• How would this paper speak to non-migrants?
• How is candidacy theory adapted to this study?
• The mobility aspect needs greater clarity, migration and mobility are often used interchangeably but require distinct usage.
• Be clear about your contribution to scholarship.
• Melvin responded that he treated Lusaka and Livingstone as one dataset, and acknowledged that if the focus were on non-migrants, there would still be intersections between locals and migrants worth exploring.

Thank you to Melvin for presenting, to Dr. Sostina for a rigorous response, to Dr Brian Murahwa for chairing the seminar and to all who contributed to the discussion.

Inspired by this research? Applications for our postgraduate programmes in Migration and Displacement, Honours, MA, and PhD, are open. Join Africa’s leading centre for migration research.

Learn more: migration.org.za