Press Release: Laws and Policies on Young People's Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Africa [11 September 2025]

On 11 September 2025, the Socio-Economic Rights Project at the Dullah Omar Institute convened a webinar on the laws and policies governing young people's sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa.

The discussion brought together experts from law, human rights and public health to examine how legal contradictions, restrictive policies, social norms and health-system practices affect adolescents' access to information, contraception, abortion services and respectful reproductive healthcare.

The speakers considered experiences from Malawi, Eswatini, Seychelles and Kenya, while drawing wider lessons for the continent. A consistent theme was that formal recognition of sexual and reproductive health and rights does not automatically translate into meaningful access. Gaps between constitutional commitments, legislation, policy and practice continue to restrict adolescents' autonomy and expose them to preventable harm.

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Written by Favour Akanbi
Email: fakanbi@uwc.ac.za