- On average across 10 Southern African countries, about eight in 10 citizens (79%) say that girls and women should be able to decide for themselves whether and when to marry, including 42% who “strongly agree” with this view (Figure 1).
- o Three-quarters (74%) say that women should have the right to decide how many children to have and when to have them.
- Most citizens (86%) endorse allowing girls who become pregnant or have children to continue their education, including half (51%) who “strongly agree” (Figure 2).
- More than seven in 10 respondents (73%) support making contraceptives available to anyone who is sexually active regardless of marital status (Figure 3).
- o A smaller majority favour making contraceptives available regardless of age, though support is still nearly twice the level of opposition to such a policy (62% vs. 33%).
- Almost six in 10 survey participants (58%) say abortion is “always” (32%) or “sometimes” (25%) justified if a pregnant woman’s health or life is in danger (Figure 4).
- o About half (49%) say abortion is at least sometimes justified if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, while an equal proportion (49%) say it is “never” justified in such circumstances.
- o More than two-thirds of respondents see abortion as “never justified” when a woman is economically unable to care for a child (68%) or when the pregnancy is unwanted for any reason (73%).
Most Southern Africans support the idea that women and girls should have the freedom to decide whether and when to marry, as well as how many children to have and when to have them, the latest Afrobarometer report shows.
But across 10 Southern African countries surveyed in 2024/2025, views on abortion vary widely. Almost six in 10 citizens say pregnancy termination can “sometimes” or “always” be justified if the woman’s health or life is at risk, and half agree if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest.
In contrast, more than two-thirds say abortion can never be justified by a woman’s financial inability to care for a child or her wish not to keep a pregnancy for any reason.
The is overwhelming support in the region for allowing girls who become pregnant or have children to continue their education.
Large majorities would make contraceptives available regardless of people’s marital status and age.