Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Policy in Africa – Why Is It So Hard?

Abstract

Early childbearing continues to disrupt the education, health, and socio-economic prospects of adolescent girls across sub-Saharan Africa. For many girls, early and unintended pregnancy is a leading cause of school dropout, limiting opportunities for education, economic security, and longterm well-being. Pregnant and parenting adolescents often face stigma, financial hardship, and lack of childcare support, all of which hinder their ability to return to school or pursue vocational training. Between December 2021 and November 2024, the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), the Centre for Social Research (CSR) at the University of Malawi, and the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP) at Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso implemented the Action to empower adolescent mothers in Burkina Faso and Malawi to improve their sexual and reproductive health (PROMOTE) project. Findings from Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Blantyre (Malawi) showed that an integrated package conditional cash transfers, childcare support, and lifeskills training can help adolescent mothers overcome key barriers to school re-entry while improving their sexual and reproductive health and mental well-being.