Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters · 4 authors, 7 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This study used qualitative interviews and a literature review to describe the needs and barriers for out-of-school adolescents with disabilities and young women involved in sex work in Ethiopia, finding that while these groups have significant vulnerabilities, comprehensive sexuality education programs are limited and primarily focus on physical health rather than holistic sexuality and rights.
This formative research aimed to inform the design of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for out-of-school adolescents in Ethiopia, specifically young women involved in sex work and adolescents with disabilities. Methods included in-depth interviews with 15 young women in sex work and 24 adolescents with disabilities, 15 key informant interviews with stakeholders, a literature review, and stakeholder mapping. The findings indicate these populations face distinct vulnerabilities, including high risks of sexual violence, exploitation, and HIV, but existing sexual and reproductive health programs are disparate, unscaled, and largely focus on physical health rather than the holistic, rights-based principles of CSE. The discussion highlights challenges such as complex governance, limited social protection, and the need for specialized facilitator training. Limitations include a literature review focused mainly on older adolescents in Addis Ababa and limited qualitative research on adolescents with disabilities.
