Deconstructing the Barriers to ASRH in Contemporary Ghana

Abstract

Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) is crucial for the physical, emotional, and social well-being of adolescents. The paper aims to identify the barriers to ASRH in Ghana and suggest potential measures to address these challenges. The paper argues that socio-cultural and gender norms that stifle the rights and voices of adolescents, particularly adolescent girls regarding their sexuality, are a significant factor exacerbating other barriers to ASRH in Ghana. These norms perceive adolescents as inexperienced and lacking agency in their sexuality, consequently disregarding their voices. In addition to these norms, other barriers to ASRH in Ghana include inadequate ASRH education within and outside of schools, limited access to ASRH services and products, absence of adolescent-friendly sexual reproductive health services, and the high cost of sexual reproductive health services and contraceptives. These barriers put adolescents at a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV/AIDS, as well as other problems like unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions in Ghana. To address these challenges, the paper suggests several potential measures such as increasing access to affordable SRH services and products, improving ASRH education within schools, creating adolescent-friendly sexual reproductive health services, and promoting gender equality by empowering adolescent girls.

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