EmpowHER

The EmpowHER project addresses the critical global gap in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), where an estimated 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe, modern contraception (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2022).

This unmet need is exacerbated by increasing opposition and a world prone to crises. Unsafe abortion, a major consequence, remains a leading cause of maternal mortality, with an estimated 45% of all abortions performed under dangerous conditions globally (World Health Organization, 2021). These barriers are most severe for poor and marginalized communities.

Furthermore, access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), essential for young people’s well-being, is increasingly contested. Evidence shows that quality CSE significantly delays sexual debut and increases condom use, yet opposition hinders its delivery (UNESCO, 2018).

The EmpowHER project directly confronts these challenges by strengthening person-centered abortion care, expanding rights-based CSE through innovative channels, and building institutional capacity to ensure inclusive SRHR delivery for all, especially women, girls, and marginalized groups in Ghana.