The need

In Burkina Faso, 28% of women will 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.

Adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 make up approximately 20% of the female population in Burkina Faso. 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. Between 2015 and 2019, Burkina Faso experienced a 33% rate of unintended pregnancy.  A study conducted in Burkina Faso in 2021 indicated that unintended pregnancies have increased even further since COVID-19. Early and forced marriage is common in Burkina Faso, and in such situations power imbalances often exist that result in coerced pregnancies.