Girls across Africa continue to face limitations in accessing comprehensive SRHR information and services. These barriers not only affect their health but also hinder their education, leadership and economic potential. 

The session highlighted key challenges, including: 

• Teen pregnancy. 
• Restrictive school re-entry policies.
• Limited access to safe abortion services.
• Inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. 

The girls and young women were taught about current laws and policies that improve their access to reproductive health and rights and about regional mechanisms that support adolescents’ involvement in SRHR issues.  

For instance, they learned about a recent case in Tanzania involving school re-entry policies for pregnant girls. This spurred discussions on those policies, which profoundly impact girls in many African countries.  

In the case—brought by the Center and the Legal and Human Rights Centre of Tanzania (LHRC) on behalf of Tanzanian girls who were expelled from school for being pregnant—the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) ruled that subjecting adolescent girls to forced pregnancy testing and subsequently denying them access to education violated the adolescent girls’ human rights.

The ruling by the ACERWC—a regional body—highlighted the broader challenges facing girls across the continent.

With the summit’s emphasis on peer engagement, during the side event, the Center and its partners facilitated interactive discussions that empowered participants to take the lead in advocating for their own rights.  

ASRHR topics discussed included:

• Consent. 
• Contraception. 
• Safe sex.
• The rights of pregnant adolescents.

The girls and women shared their personal experiences and ideas and proposed potential policy changes to improve access to their SRHR, which helped empower them to advocate for their rights.

To debunk common myths and misconceptions around SRHR topics, the Center facilitated Question & Answer sessions that fostered an open and safe space where participants were able to ask questions and share their uncertainties about topics such as abortion, contraception and sexual consent. 

Facilitators in their areas of expertise provided participants with accurate information, helping to break down social and cultural stigma and dispel misinformation that often hinders girls and young women from accessing these essential services.