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

South Africans support women’s autonomy in marriage and reproduction, including abortion

Most citizens endorse making contraceptives available regardless of people’s age or marital status.

Rehan Visser
28 Nov 2025

… A special question module in Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey (2025) explores the opinions and experiences of South Africans related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Most citizens think women should have autonomy in making decisions regarding marriage and reproduction.

Large majorities support making contraceptives available to everyone who is sexually active regardless of age or marital status. More than eight in 10 agree that girls who become pregnant or have children should be allowed to continue their education, while a similar proportion support sex education in school.

Continued: https://www.afrobarometer.org/publication/ad1085-south-africans-support-womens-autonomy-in-marriage-and-reproduction-including-abortion/

28.11.2025

News

abortion survey

Institute for Justice and Reconciliation

public support for abortion

4 out of 10 Koreans support abortion on demand: survey

Oct. 19, 2025
Yoon Min-sik

More than 40 percent of men and women in South Korea believe in women's right to get an abortion on demand, a recent survey showed Sunday.

The survey on 300 women and 102 men aged 15-49 showed that 44.6 percent of the female respondents and 44.1 percent of the male respondents said, "a woman should be able to get an abortion, based on her judgement and choice."

Continued: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10596402

19.10.2025

News

abortion survey

Korean Society of Maternal and Child Health

public support for abortion

Asia

South Korea

Human Rights

Most Czechs back abortion, euthanasia; public divided on prostitution

A new CVVM poll shows strong support for abortion and euthanasia in Czechia, while opinions on prostitution remain split across demographics.

Written by Expats.cz Staff
23.08.2025

A new public opinion survey conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Research (CVVM) highlights strong support among Czechs for abortion and euthanasia, while attitudes toward prostitution remain more divided.

The survey, which included responses from 1,712 adults in May and June of this year, explored some of the country’s most debated social issues, reflecting how cultural, religious, and demographic factors shape public views. Experts say these results provide insight into shifting social attitudes in Czechia.

Continued: https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/poll-most-czechs-back-abortion-euthanasia-public-divided-on-prostitution

23.08.2025

News

Center for Public Opinion Research

Czechia

euthanasia

medical assistance in dying

opinion polls on abortion

public support for abortion

Czech Republic

Europe

Human Rights

Majority of Lithuanians support abortion coverage by state insurance – survey

Karolina Ambrazaitytė, BNS
2 July 2025

Six in 10 Lithuanians support full or partial state funding for abortion services, according to a recent poll commissioned by BNS and conducted by the public opinion and market research centre Vilmorus.

The survey found that 30.2% of respondents believe abortion should be fully funded in all cases, while 32.4% support funding only under exceptional circumstances, such as rape or medical indications. Another 24.1% had no opinion, and the remaining respondents opposed the idea.

Continued: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2600996/majority-of-lithuanians-support-abortion-coverage-by-state-insurance-survey

02.07.2025

opinion polls on abortion

public funding of abortion

public support for abortion

Seimas Health Committee

Europe

Lithuania

Only 1 in 3 people know that abortion is legal in India

Despite abortion being legal in India for the last 50 years, awareness about legality, safety and availability of abortion is quite low, Dr Vinoj Manning told Financial Express.com.

Written by Sushmita Panda
September 8, 2024

Abortion is legal in India, however, its landscape is complex in the country. India’s abortion rate, at 47 per 1000 women aged 15-44 is higher than the global average of 39, according to the 2018 Lancet Global Health report.

On International Safe Abortion Day on 28 September 2022, the Supreme Court of India extended the right to legal abortion to 20 weeks’ gestation for all women and to 24 weeks’ gestation under special circumstances. However, access and awareness of abortion rights continue to be a challenge.

Continued: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/healthcare-only-1-in-3-people-know-that-abortion-is-legal-in-india-vinoj-manning-ceo-ipas-development-foundation-3604710/

08.09.2024

Interviews/Podcasts

28 September

abortion stigma

International Safe Abortion Day

Ipas Development Foundation

lack of information

public support for abortion

Namibians Support Women’s Autonomy, Sex Education, and Access to Contraception, but Are Divided On Termination of Pregnancies

27 August 2024
By Christiaan Keulder and Lizl Stoman

Most citizens say girls who get pregnant should be allowed to continue their education.

Key findings
Namibians strongly support women's and girls' autonomy in making decisions about whether and when they should marry (80%) and about the timing and number of children to have (81%). Support for women's autonomy is particularly strong among women, young citizens, and more educated respondents.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202408280011.html

27.08.2024

News

Abortion and Sterilization Act 2 of 1975

Child Care and Protection Act of 2019

comprehensive sexuality education

Convention on the Rights of the Child

public support for abortion

sexual and reproductive health and rights

SRHR

support for women's autonomy

Political parties are divided on abortion rights. American women aren’t.

A new survey from KFF, a health policy research nonprofit, finds that bans are widely unpopular, and most women support national abortion protections.

Shefali Luthra
August 14, 2024

Most women between the ages of 18 and 49 support a national right to abortion, oppose a national ban on the procedure, and don’t believe abortion rights should be left up to individual states, according to a new survey from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research, polling and news organization.

Majorities of Democratic and independent women oppose restrictions and support a law enshrining a national abortion right, the poll found; so do almost half of all Republican women.

Continued: https://19thnews.org/2024/08/women-views-abortion-rights-survey/

14.08.2024

Commentary

abortion survey

KFF

public support for abortion

Usha Ranji

United States

Human Rights

Poland – General public more liberal on abortion than MPs? New Survey

Following the lower house's rejection last week of a bill to decriminalise abortion assistance, the daily Rzeczpospolita has asked Poles what they think about this.

21.07.2024

45.7% of Poles surveyed declared their opposition to the Sejm's conservative, anti-abortion decision. 23.8% said they were positive about the decision. 12% said they were "indifferent" to the decision and 18.6% said they had not heard about it.

Assuming the sincerity of those saying they were "indifferent" or "unaware", that means that Polish society is more liberal about abortion, at least regarding its penalisation, than Polish society's representatives in the lower house.

As we reported last week, the Left's liberalising bill was only 4 votes short of passing the lower house.

Sources: Rzeczpospolita, Radio Poland
https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7784/Artykul/3405427,general-public-more-liberal-on-abortion-than-mps-new-survey

21.07.2024

News

abortion law reform

abortion poll

public support for abortion

Almost half of government voters disappointed with failure to liberalise abortion law

JUN 20, 2024
Notes from Poland

Almost half of those who voted for Poland’s ruling coalition are disappointed that it has not yet followed through on its promise to liberalise the country’s abortion law. Meanwhile, over half of young Poles – who voted in record numbers last year – say they are disappointed.

The findings come from a new poll conducted by Ipsos for news outlets OKO.press and TOK FM. They asked respondents how they feel about the fact that, since forming a government in December, the ruling coalition has not changed the abortion law.

Continued: https://notesfrompoland.com/2024/06/20/almost-half-of-government-voters-disappointed-with-failure-to-liberalise-abortion-law/

20.06.2024