Making the Reproductive Health Needs of Adolescents a Priority Worldwide

Adolescents report fearing being seen entering a family planning clinic. They also fear being judged by the healthcare providers inside. Social stigma around sex and reproductive choice prevents open discussion, especially for adolescents. So, how can girls be given access to the information and birth control that can lead to more years of education, better jobs, and healthier lives? At MSI Reproductive Choices, they’ve dramatically increased the number of adolescents they help through targeted investment in services designed specifically for young people who may not understand how conception happens or that contraception even exists.

Their donor-supported approach starts by engaging community gatekeepers in conversations about adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health. “When parents, grandparents, teachers, and other adults in the community are aware that contraception can help their children stay in school and achieve a healthier, more secure future, they’re more inclined to support our efforts to educate young people,” says Kate Greenberg, Senior Director of Global Philanthropy.

MSI doesn’t approach everyone with the same message; they speak differently to girls who are still in school and to adolescent wives and mothers. To make sure MSI is meeting the girls’ needs, they involve adolescents in program design. And, they examine the services to ensure they’re adolescent-friendly. That can mean increased privacy and waivers to cover costs.

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

By making the reproductive health needs of adolescents a priority, MSI’s supporters helped serve 3.4 million adolescents in 2025. That’s important, because the unmet need for modern contraception among adolescents aged 15-19 is almost twice the rate for all women of reproductive age. In sub-Saharan Africa, unplanned pregnancies force four million teenage girls out of school every year. Fewer than 5% will go back. This starts a cycle of poverty that is difficult to escape. The effects are generational and unnecessarily tragic when you consider that it costs just $5 for MSI to provide a girl with a year of contraception.

“We can eliminate this obstacle to girls’ education,” says Greenberg. “Our approach is efficient and scalable. We just need the funding.”