For a more equal, sustainable world, girls and young women need access to a quality education and reproductive choice.
New analysis from MSI Reproductive Choices shows that increasing adolescent access to reproductive choice could support up to four million more girls to stay in school every year and determine the path their life takes.
The benefits of supporting girls to stay in school are far-reaching. When girls can access a quality education, they are better able to pursue a career, create opportunities in their communities and drive positive change.
However, many girls and young women continue to be denied what they need to thrive. Ahead of the pandemic, UNESCO estimated that 130 million girls were out of school, with COVID-19 likely driving this number higher. Meanwhile, an estimated 23 million adolescent girls want access to contraception but don’t yet have it. Evidence shows that these figures are linked, highlighting the need to ensure girls have access to reproductive choice, supporting them to stay in school.
In our two-page briefing, Her Body, Her Future, read more about the role of reproductive choice in keeping girls in school and how we can ensure girls and young women have access to the healthcare services that keep them safe, whatever their reproductive choices might be.