Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Adolescent Girls Engaged in Sex Work: A Case of Komboniyatsva Community Epworth, Zimbabwe · Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author

Garai Stacey

Title

Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Adolescent Girls Engaged in Sex Work: A Case of Komboniyatsva Community Epworth, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The research study examined access to SRH services for young girls engaged in sex work in Epworth Komboniyatsva Community. The main thrust of the study was to examine factors which ensure accessibility of services, barriers and how they can be curbed and approaches to which comprehensive access to SRH services can be enhanced. The study employed a case study research design and it was qualitative in nature. It employed in-depth and key informant interviews for the purposes of data collection. A sample size of fifteen (15) participants and five (5) key informants was utilised to collect pertinent information for the study. The research study employed the human rights based approach. It revealed that access to SRH services is intricacy and involve a myriad of factors. Majority of the participants revealed that SRH services are an important aspect in their lives but a huge gap was noticeable between their needs for services and their right to access services. Basing on the findings it was apparent that participants rights to be treated with dignity and access to SRH services is often overshadowed by social isolation, discrimination and other stereotypical assumptions. Criminalisation, socio-cultural factors like stigma and discrimination and segregated care, negative attitudes from service providers hinders access to SRH services.Also factors such as the availability of youth friendly services, peer educators, community led interventions leads to accessibility of services. The study recommends that policy makers should regard access to available SRH services for adolescent girls engaged in sex work within governmental and NGO facilities as a public health concern. Thus without discriminatory stances as stipulated within human rights based approach. Anti-discrimination laws and regulations should guarantee adolescent girls engaged in sex work right to access comprehensive SRH services.

Date

2022

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

Supervisor

N/A