An integrated approach focused on personal development to improve the reproductive health of adolescents in Benin

Benin has an extensive political and legal arsenal in favour of self-determination in matters of procreation, marriage and access to health care. To date, however, the reproductive health of adolescents has yet to benefit from these policies. It is marked by high rates of pregnancy and early marriage, as well as a high proportion of unmet needs in terms of family planning: 20% of adolescent girls aged 14-19 have already become mothers, and 18.8% of births are a result of adolescent pregnancy. Around 36% of girls are married before they turn 18.

This project aims to scale up the lessons learned from the project’s first phase to provide an innovative response to promoting gender equality and improving the reproductive health of marginalized adolescent girls in Benin. It aims to guarantee the autonomy of adolescent girls from traditional convents through better reproductive health, income-generating activities and more self-confidence. The first phase of the project, funded by the IDRC, has achieved significant results: a reduction in the rate of early pregnancies in the intervention sites from 3.35% in 2019 to 0.45% in 2022, increased awareness of reproductive health issues and positive changes in sexual practices among adolescents.