"First You Have to Show Her That You Are With Her”: Provider and User Experiences With Adolescent Family Planning Needs in a Stigmatized Environment

Seth L. Feinberg, Western Washington University
Hilary Schwandt, Western Washington University
Nirali Patel, Arcadia University
Julia Corey, Wheaton College
Jessica Linus, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Adriana Scanteianu, Rutgers University
Ilia King, Xavier University
Angel Boulware, Spelman College
Chimene Ntakarutimana, University of Kentucky
Maddie Merritt, Western Washington University
Madeline Zeiler , Western Washington University
Madi Stapleton, Western Washington University
Abigail Miller, Western Washington University
Dieudonne Musemakweli, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Innocent Manzi, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Claudette Imbabazi, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Chantal Umutoni, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences

While Rwandan family planning practices have been measurably successful over the last decade, a continuing area of need persists for family planning information and potential service provisions openly available to adolescents. The research project is to learn from focus group discussions with Rwandan family planning providers who frequently interact with youth as well as in-depth interviews from Rwandan family planning program users who shape community norms. This study aims to understand the role that culture and stigma play in the family planning program in Rwanda at the individual, family, community, and national level – and how their role impacts the success of the program. Results show that both family planning users and providers observe that there is a need for more family planning programs for youth. Removing stigmas and expanding on the existing safer spaces for the transfer of family planning information may allow providers better access to this targeted demographic.

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 Presented in Session 2. Children & Youth