Raising Girls’ and Women’s Voices for Comprehensive Abortion Care
A 2020 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 62.4% of self-reported abortions in Côte d’Ivoire were unsafe. Women who were young, uneducated, and low-income were most likely to have unsafe abortions.
Through this program, EngenderHealth and our partners engaged with youth leaders, bloggers, and influencers to provide and improve the quality of information related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)—including FP and CAC—in Côte d’Ivoire through a digital media campaign. The program also aimed to increase the engagement of young people in social media spaces to counteract misinformation from anti-choice organizations.
With our partners, Programme National de Santé de la Mère et l’Enfant (PNSME) (National Maternal and Child Health Program) and Programme National de Santé Scolaire Universitaire-Santé Adolescents et Jeunes (PNSSU-SAJ) (National University School Health Program – Adolescent and Youth Health), EngenderHealth engaged young bloggers, influencers, and members of youth activist organizations for SRHR to conduct a digital awareness-raising campaign entitled #lesfemmesveulent (#womenwant). The program held a workshop for these bloggers, influencers, and activists and developed communication tools such infographics and videos with interviews, and surveys on youth FP needs, including early and unwanted pregnancy, comprehensive sexual education, and abortion. The program trained 12 young people from these youth organizations to monitor social media networks and counteract misinformation with facts related to contraceptive methods, abortion, and COVID-19.
In only six months, #lesfemmesveulent campaign reached more than 200,000 Ivorians with SRHR messaging and contributed to improving awareness among girls and women around SRH, including FP and abortion care. The campaign resulted in the creation and launch of a digital platform called #lesfemmesveulent, which promotes the rights of women and girls in SRHR and amplifies their voices as they demand access to high-quality SRH services, including safe abortion. This platform, now supported by PNSME and PNSSU-SAJ, also serves as an online library of content published through the campaign as well as a communication tool for all SRHR actors in Côte d’Ivoire.
Program Partners
- Programme National de Santé de la Mère et l’Enfant (PNSME)
- Programme National de Santé Scolaire Universitaire-Santé Adolescents et Jeunes (PNSSU-SAJ)
