Unlocking spaces for comprehensive SRHR
Background
The prevalence rate of teenage pregnancies is on the increase Zimbabwe and this has also had an effect on the maternal mortality as unsafe abortion are thriving in the backyards. The program seeks to investigate knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices pertaining to contraceptive use among adolescent girls and women in Zimbabwe. The program will also investigate the availability, accessibility, acceptability and affordability of contraceptives to adolescent girls and women.
The program seeks to address the socio-cultural and economic contexts that facilitate adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour which put them at risk of unwanted pregnancies and contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. In addition, we will conduct workshops to increase awareness around SRHR issues as adolescent girls have limited information on sexual reproductive health. We are also seeking to engage religious and cultural leaders as some of the attitudes emanate from the cultural norms that adolescents must not engage in sexual activity before marriage, especially girls who are expected to marry as virgin hence the subject of adolescent sexuality remains a taboo. Parent to child communication is also another aspect that the program seeks to encourage as parents are perceived to be the logical source of information but they often do not discuss sexuality issues with their children.
Objectives
The broad objective of the program is to establish the importance of reproductive health education and contraceptive use among adolescents in Dzivarasekwa District. The study specifically sought to:
- Identify the levels of contraceptive use among adolescents
- Examine the factors under girding contraceptive use among adolescents;
- Investigate knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices pertaining to use of contraceptives among adolescents;
- Assess the availability, acceptability, accessibility and affordability of reproductive health services to adolescents.
- Discuss any other issues around SRHR.
The program will also influence policymakers other relevant stakeholders to formulate policies that promote reproductive education in order to foster the utilisation of contraceptives by adolescent girls and women.