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. 2020 Oct 5;11(6):726–739. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.185

Table 2. Summary of Policies Relevant to Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa .

Policy Title (Country, Date) Political Recognition Policy Initiation Target Group Definition Adolescent Pregnancy Issues/Determinants Addressed Policy Objectives Scope of Activities Resources M & E Plan Cooperation and Collaboration Youth Involvement
Quantitative vs. Qualitative Explicit, Clear, Measurable, Deadlines
Revised National Youth Policy (Botswana, 2010)41 P Revised Youth (15-35 y)
Additional subgroups of youth
Poverty,
Unemployment
Qualitative X IEC (peer education, youth life skills, youth and health empowerment programmes), health services (youth friendliness, include vulnerable groups), institutional support (supportive legal environments) Financial X
Human P
P P X
National Gender Policy (Ghana, 2015)44 P New Boys and girls Poverty,
Sexual violence
Qualitative X IEC (education, school retention programmes), institutional support (welfare department, trafficking secretariat, human rights court) FinancialP
Human P
P P X
Adolescent Health Service Policy and Strategy (Ghana, 2016)39 X New Young people (10-24 y) Access to family planning services, coerced sex, concurrent partners, child marriage, contraceptive use, early sexual initiation, multiple sexual partners, sexual violence Qualitative X IEC (Social and behavioural change communication strategy), health services (increase access for adolescents), training (needs assessment of staff, and capacity building of staff) Financial P
Human P
X P P
National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy (Kenya, 2015)42 P Revised Adolescents (10-19 y)
Additional subgroups of adolescent
Availability of SRH services, child marriage, coerced sex/sexual abuse, early sexual initiation, low self-confidence, multiple sexual partners, poverty Qualitative X IEC (parents, communities, adolescents, professionals, CSE, digital platforms to access information), health services (strengthen capacities to provide appropriate information and services), training (build the capacity of healthcare providers, institutional support (ensure attainment of ASRH rights), research (data management and analysis) Financial X
Human P
P P P
National Youth Policy (Malawi, 2013)43 P Revised Youth (10-35 y) Unemployment, early marriage Qualitative X IEC (youth involvement in program design, CSE, target school drop outs, vulnerable youth), health services (adequate and accessible youth friendly health services), institutional support (advocate for increase in the legal age of marriage, regulations and enforcement of laws that advance youth reproductive health including sexual violence) Financial X
Human P
P P P
National Health
Policy Framework (Namibia, 2010)53
P New Young people and adolescent Low contraceptive prevalence rate
Unmet need for family planning
Qualitative X IEC (community, adolescents),
health services (adolescent-friendly),
training (staff of health services)
Financial P
Human P
P P X
Education Sector
Policy for the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy (Namibia, 2010)39
P New Learners of school-going age Early sexual debut, forced sex, gender inequity Qualitative X IEC (CSE), health services (counselling) Financial P
Human P
P P X
Reproductive Health Policy (Seychelles, 2012)51 P New Adolescents
Youth
Early sexual debut, sexual abuse, sexual violence, unprotected sex, intergenerational sex Qualitative X Health Services (access to ASRH), Training (teachers, counsellors, professionals), Institutional support, (school health programme) Financial X
Human P
P P X
Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health Policy (Sierra Leone, 2017)40 P New Adolescents Qualitative X IEC (CSE, adolescents ), health services (adolescent friendly, increase uptake), training (health workers), institutional support (address legal and sociocultural barriers to health services, advocate elimination of harmful practices) Financial X
Human P
P P X
Integrated School Health Policy (South Africa, 2012)48 P New Youth Low contraceptive use
Early sexual debut
Qualitative X IEC (CSE) Financial X
Human P
P P P
National Adolescent and Youth Health Policy (South Africa, 2017)47 P New Adolescent and
youth (10-24 y)
Lack of access to SRH services Qualitative X IEC (CSE)
Health services (access to youth friendly services)
Financial P
Human P
P P X
National Family Planning Policy (South Sudan, 2012)54 P New Adolescents Youth Illiteracy, early marriage, access to contraceptives, spacing or limiting childbirth Qualitative X IEC (adolescents)
Health services (provision of accessible services)
Financial P
Human P
P P X
National Reproductive Health
Policy (South Sudan, 2013)52
P New Adolescents Inadequate access to SRH services, early marriage, gender-based violence Qualitative X Health services (increase availability, ensure equity of access, improve facilities), Institutional support (eradicate gender-based discrimination and violence) Financial P
Human P
P P X
National Policy on Sexual and Reproductive Health (eSwatini, 2013)49 P New Youth
Adolescents
Inadequate access to SRH services Qualitative X IEC (schools, community), health services (enable resources) Financial P
Human P
P P X
The National Health
Policy (Tanzania, 2017)55
P Revised Adolescents Low supply of family planning methods, limited knowledge Qualitative X Health services (ensure quality services to adolescents, strengthen services), institutional support (ensure law enforcement re gender-based violence) Financial X
Human P
P P X
Gender and Women Empowerment Policy 2010-2020 (The Gambia, 2010)45 P New Boys and girls Early marriage, limited access to SRH information Qualitative X IEC (schools, out of school, community) Financial X
Human P
P P X
Gambia National Gender Policy 2010-2020 (The Gambia, 2010)46 P New Boys and girls Early sexual debut; school drop-out Qualitative X IEC (schools, community), institutional support (school retention, for reporting sexual abuse) Financial X
Human P
P P X

Abbreviations: ASRH, adolescent sexual and reproductive health; CSE, comprehensive sexuality education; IEC, information, education and communication; M & E, monitoring and evaluation; SRH, sexual and reproductive health.

X: Not described, P: Described.