Adolescents’ Funds of Knowledge on Pregnancy Termination in Uganda

Doris Kakuru ()
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Doris Kakuru: University of Victoria

Chapter Chapter 11 in African Feminist Girlhood Studies and Development, 2025, pp 205-219 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract Pregnancy termination is a sensitive topic in Africa, despite 15% of pregnancies being terminated. Uganda has a high rate of adolescent pregnancy, and at least 46% of Ugandan adolescents have had sex. However, girls under 18 are assumed to be sexually inactive, leading to limited access to contraceptive information and services, including abortion, which is illegal except for life-saving purposes. Existing research suggests that limited access to professional abortion services puts adolescents at risk of unsafe abortions and serious health complications. This qualitative study analyzes the narratives of adolescent girls collected using the life history method. The paper discusses girls’ funds of knowledge in navigating pregnancy termination in an illegal context and recommends policy and practice changes. The findings of this study revealed that nearly half of adolescent girls in Uganda accessed skilled health workers for abortion services. By drawing on adolescent girls’ funds of knowledge accumulated through their social networks and experiences, this study sheds light on the complex realities of abortion access and safety in Uganda. It highlights the need for nuanced policy and programmatic responses that prioritize adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, information, and products and recognizes the agency and resourcefulness of young people.

Keywords: Funds of knowledge; Adolescent pregnancy; Abortion; Agency; Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:gdechp:978-3-031-91561-1_11

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-91561-1_11

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