Comparative situational analysis of comprehensive abortion care in four Southern African countries

Comparative situational analysis of comprehensive abortion care in four Southern African countries

We report on a comparative situational analysis of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia. We conducted systematic literature searches and country consultations and used a reparative health justice approach (with four dimensions) for the analysis. The following...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global public health Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 2217442
Main Authors: Macleod, Catriona Ida, Reuvers, Megan, Reynolds, John Hunter, Lavelanet, Antonella, Delate, Richard
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Taylor & Francis 2023
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Taylor & Francis Group
Subjects:
Abortion
Abortion, Induced
Abortion, Legal
Access
Africa South of the Sahara
Birth control
Budgets
Comparative analysis
Comparative studies
Contraception
Data collection
Female
Gender roles
Gender-based violence
Health care access
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Justice
Legislation
Literature reviews
Management systems
Policy making
post-abortion care
Pregnancy
Rape
Reproductive health
Reproductive Health Services
reproductive justice
Southern Africa
Stigma
Unsafe
Africa South of the Sahara
Lesotho
Botswana
Eswatini
post-abortion care
reproductive justice
Abortion
Southern Africa
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We report on a comparative situational analysis of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia. We conducted systematic literature searches and country consultations and used a reparative health justice approach (with four dimensions) for the analysis. The following findings pertain to all four countries, except where indicated. Individual material dimension: pervasive gender-based violence (GBV); unmet need for contraception (15−17%); high HIV prevalence; poor abortion access for rape survivors; fees for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services (Eswatini). Collective material dimension: no clear national budgeting for SRH; over-reliance on donor funding (Eswatini; Lesotho); no national CAC guidelines or guidance on legal abortion access; poor data collection and management systems; shortage and inequitable distribution of staff; few facilities providing abortion care. Individual symbolic dimension: gender norms justify GBV; stigma attached to both abortion and unwed or early pregnancies. Collective symbolic dimension: policy commitments to reducing unsafe abortion and to post-abortion care, but not to increasing access to legal abortion; inadequate research; contradictions in abortion legislation (Botswana); inadequate staff training in CAC. Political will to ensure CAC within the country's legislation is required. Reparative health justice comparisons provide a powerful tool for foregrounding necessary policy and practice change.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ObjectType-Undefined-3
ISSN:1744-1692
1744-1706
DOI:10.1080/17441692.2023.2217442