AD1087: Ghanaians support women’s autonomy but are divided on abortion and contraceptives

Most citizens back sex education and letting pregnant girls stay in school.

Maame Akua Amoah Twum
2 Dec 2025

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) remain a critical challenge in Ghana, particularly with regard to teenage pregnancy and access to contraception. Between 2016 and 2020, Ghana recorded 13,444 pregnancies among girls aged 10-14 and 542,131 pregnancies among adolescents aged 15-19 (UNFPA-Ghana, 2022). Teenage pregnancy rates are about twice as high in rural areas as in cities (Mohammed, 2023). Poverty, limited education, and stigma surrounding SRHR continue to restrict access to essential services (Amoadu et al., 2022).

One profound consequence of teenage pregnancy is educational disruption. A study in a suburb of Accra (Chorkor) showed that more than 80% of pregnant schoolgirls drop out permanently (Gyan, 2013), and participants in re-entry programmes often face stigma, a lack of support, and economic hardship.

Continued: https://www.afrobarometer.org/publication/ad1087-ghanaians-support-womens-autonomy-but-are-divided-on-abortion-and-contraceptives/

02.12.2025

Research

public support for abortion

sexual and reproductive health and rights

GHANA – Youth urged to seek help from trusted adults and health facilities on sexual health issues

October 6, 2025

The Advocacy and Youth Coordinator at Marie Stopes Ghana, Henrietta Kaakyire Ataah has urged young people not to keep their sexual and reproductive health concerns to themselves but to seek help from trusted adults, Ghana Health Service facilities or Marie Stopes clinics where youth-friendly providers are available.

At the premiere of the second season of Atoua at the Silverbird Cinema in Accra, she highlighted a rise in unsafe abortion among adolescents and explained that the series was created to respond to that problem.

Continued: https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/youth-urged-to-seek-help-from-trusted-adults-and-health-facilities-on-sexual-health-issues/

06.10.2025

News

Atoua film

Ghana Health Service

Henrietta Kaakyire Ataah

Unsafe Abortion in Ghana – A Risky Reality for Young Girls

June 27, 2025

Accra – Giving birth as a teenager, especially in a deprived community like James Town, a densely populated suburb of Accra comes with immense social stigma and minimal support.

For Naa Adukwei Sowah, the challenges were even more acute.

Born to a single mother who struggled to provide for her children, Naa grew up as the eldest of three and was forced to engage in petty trading to support her family, leaving little time for school.

Continued; https://gna.org.gh/2025/06/unsafe-abortion-in-ghana-a-risky-reality-for-young-girls/

27.06.2025

Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana

Valaska Dinsey

World Heath Organisation

Ghana – Media urged to lead campaign against unsafe abortion

March 18, 2025

The media has been charged to lead the campaign against unsafe abortions which continue to claim the lives of women and young girls in the country.

According to a Project and Advocacy Officer with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), Michael Tagoe, contrary to common beliefs held that abortion was illegal in the country and it was actually permissible by law.

Continued: https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/media-urged-to-lead-campaign-against-unsafe-abortion/#google_vignette

18.03.2025

News

EmpowHER project

Emmanuel Okanta Akoto

Michael Tagoe

Naadu Awuradwoa Addico

Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana

sexual and reproductive health

IPAS Ghana congratulates Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah

February 27, 2025

Former country Director of IPAS Ghana, Dr Koma Jehu-Appiah, has congratulated Ambassador Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah on her appointment by President John Dramani Mahama to the Council of State.

“We fully trust in your capabilities to deliver,” says Dr Jehu-Appiah in a statement issued in Accra yesterday copied the Ghanaian Times.

Ambassador Dr Brookman-Amissah is a physician and an advocate who has dedicated most of her career to improving women’s reproductive health and rights globally and especially in Africa.

Continued: https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/ipas-ghana-congratulates-dr-eunice-brookman-amissah/

27.02.2025

News

Dr Koma Jehu-Appiah

Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah

Ipas Ghana

John Dramani Mahama

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Ghana – Adolescents in 5 regions in Ghana lack Sexual Reproductive Health services – Study

February 21, 2025
By ⁠Kingsley Adusei Amakye

A study has revealed that adolescents across five regions of Ghana are cut off from assessing Sexual Reproductive Health services in various health facilities.

CAMFED Ghana, which carried out the studies, wants Ghana Education Service (GES) to introduce comprehensive and age-appropriate Sexual Reproductive Health education into the national curriculum.

The initiative is to enhance Sexual and Reproductive Health education and services for adolescents in rural Ghana. The recommendations follow a CAMFED study that analyzed Sexual Reproductive Health services in the five regions where there is a high rate of child marriage, teenage pregnancy as well as Sexually transmitted diseases.

Continued: https://3news.com/health/adolescents-in-5-regions-in-ghana-lack-sexual-reproductive-health-services-study/#google_vignette

21.02.2025

News

CAMFED Ghana

Fairuza Abdul-Rashid Safian

Ghana Education Service

sexual and reproductive health services

Ghana – Silent empowerment: Rural-urban women take control of family planning behind closed doors

Mona Lisa Frimpong
6 January 2025

On a May morning in 2024, Stella (not her real name) rushed to the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) clinic at Suame, her heart pounding.

It has been her routine for some time now. The weight of her fears pushed her faster as she weaved through the busy streets. Each step felt heavier, but the clinic was her only hope.

With a glance over her shoulder, she received her monthly birth control shot.

Continued: https://www.myjoyonline.com/silent-empowerment-rural-urban-women-take-control-of-family-planning-behind-closed-doors/

Ghana – Maternal mortality: actors in Volta commit to promoting safe abortion, family planning

Octobre 26, 2024
By Samuel Akumatey

Ho, Oct 26, GNA – Actors and stakeholders in the Volta Region have committed to the promotion of safe abortion and family planning as a means to addressing maternal morbidity and mortality in the country.

The Ghana health service maintains that unintended pregnancies accounts for the majority of maternal health challenges, and thus the need to make known and accessible, safe and approved methods of birth control.

https://gna.org.gh/2024/10/maternal-mortality-actors-in-volta-commit-to-promoting-safe-abortion-family-planning/

26.10.2024

Ghana – Basic schools educated on Sexual and Reproductive Health Right to reduce teenage pregnancy in Atiwa East

September 26, 2024
By: Michael Kofi Kenetey

The Atiwa East District Education Directorate in collaboration with the Family Strengthening Programme, FSP of SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa has schooled pupils on Sexual and Reproductive Health Right, SRHR education in seven Basic Schools in Adasawase and New Jejeti in the Atiwa East District of the Eastern Region.

The education on SRHR is to help minimize the rise of teenage pregnancy and its related issues such as unsafe abortion and teenage pregnancy complications in the district. It is also to educate the pupils on dangers and negative effects of sexual activities on adolescents and young people, and the consequences it pose to their education and future career.

Continued: https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/news/basic-schools-educated-on-sexual-and-reproductive-health-right-to-reduce-teenage-pregnancy-in-atiwa-east/2024/#google_vignette

26.09.2024

News

Asiwome Funn

Family Strengthening Programme

Innocent Asiwome Funn

Unsafe abortion and unprotected sex activities affecting health of Adolescents

April 29, 2024
A GNA Feature by Fatima Anafu-Astanga

Bolatanga – Agnes Malebna (Not real name) was rushed in by her family to the Tinguri CHPS Out Patients Department (OPD) in the West Mamprusi Municipality in the North East Region already emaciated, dehydrated and anaemic having lost so much blood.

The examination conducted by the medical team making efforts to keep her alive indicated it was an attempt to abort, which may have started at home by the 16-year-old, SHS form one student who felt she was still in school and too young to start making babies.

Continued: https://gna.org.gh/2024/04/unsafe-abortion-and-unprotected-sex-activities-affecting-health-of-adolescents/

29.04.2024