The need

In Burkina Faso, 28% of women give birth by the age of 18. A high unmet need for contraception has led to high rates of unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion. 52% of 15-19 year old girls wish to use contraception, but do not have access to it.
In addition to this, they are particularly exposed to multidimensional poverty due to a high rate of early childbearing which has adverse effects on their ability to secure economic opportunities.

Education about access to contraceptives is often limited, and many adolescent girls and young women are not empowered to make decisions regarding their own sexual and reproductive health. Early and forced marriage is common in Burkina Faso, and in such situations power imbalances often exist that result in coerced pregnancies. HIV prevalence among women and girls has decreased in recent years, though it remains higher than in men. While the overall HIV prevalence in the general population is relatively low, it remains concentrated in vulnerable groups like female sex workers. One in ten women experience sexual and gender-based violence with a notable increase since the COVID-19 pandemic.