Abstract Book of the 7th Global Conference on Women’s Studies
Year: 2025
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Barriers and Facilitators of Reproductive Autonomy of Adolescent Girls in Western Uganda
Linda Garce Alanyo, Emmanuel Kimera
ABSTRACT:
Reproductive Autonomy (RA), the power to make decisions about and to control matters related to contraceptive use, pregnancy, and childbirth, is essential for women to attain their sexual, reproductive health and rights. We explored barriers and facilitators of RA among adolescent girls in western Uganda, a region marked by high rates of adolescent pregnancy and HIV prevalence. This qualitative inquiry involved 31schooling and no-schooling adolescent girls aged 15 to 17 years, purposively selected from diverse communities within Fort Portal tourism city, western Uganda. Data were collected through individual interviews between
September and November 2024 and analyzed using framework thematic analysis guided by the three dimensions of RA: decision-making, communication, and freedom from coercion. The findings show an intricate interaction of individual, relational, and structural factors that shape adolescent girls’ RA. Key barriers included limited knowledge, low self-efficacy, financial dependence, and lack of essential resources. Conversely, supportive relationships and schooling emerged as critical facilitators. In conclusion, enhancing RA requires multi-level and multi-faceted interventions to address the barriers while leveraging the facilitators. These should include household economic empowerment, parenting support programs, and policies that promote universal access to schooling.
Keywords: communication; decision making; gender; qualitative; reproductive health