- Large majorities of Ghanaians say women should be able to decide for themselves whether and when to marry (82%) as well as when to have children and how many children to have (66%).
- Women are more likely than men to assert women’s autonomy in choices about marriage (84% vs. 79%) and childbearing (73% vs. 60%).
- More than eight in 10 Ghanaians (87%) say pupils who get pregnant or have children should be allowed to continue their schooling.
- About three-fourths (77%) endorse the teaching of sex education in school.
- About six in 10 citizens (58%) say contraceptives should be made available for anyone who is sexually active regardless of marital status (58%), but fewer than half (46%) endorse contraceptive access regardless of age.
- Two-thirds (66%) of Ghanaians see terminating a pregnancy as “sometimes” or “always” justified if the mother’s life or health is at risk.
- But fewer than half (46%) say abortion is justified in cases of rape or incest, and majorities consider it “never justified” in cases where the woman is economically unable to care for a child (68%) or the pregnancy is unwanted for any reason (75%).
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) remain a critical challenge in Ghana, particularly with regard to teenage pregnancy and access to contraception. Between 2016 and 2020, Ghana recorded 13,444 pregnancies among girls aged 10-14 and 542,131 pregnancies among adolescents aged 15-19 (UNFPA-Ghana, 2022). Teenage pregnancy rates are about twice as high in rural areas as in cities (Mohammed, 2023). Poverty, limited education, and stigma surrounding SRHR continue to restrict access to essential services (Amoadu et al., 2022).
One profound consequence of teenage pregnancy is educational disruption. A study in a suburb of Accra (Chorkor) showed that more than 80% of pregnant schoolgirls drop out permanently (Gyan, 2013), and participants in re-entry programmes often face stigma, a lack of support, and economic hardship.
Despite near-universal awareness of modern contraceptives (99.8% among sexually active unmarried young Ghanaian women aged 15-24), uptake remains low – only 43% of Ghanaian women use any form of contraception, and just 34% rely on modern methods (Oppong et al., 2021).
Ghanaian law permits abortion performed by a trained professional under specific circumstances, including when the pregnancy results from rape, defilement, or incest; when continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the woman’s life or physical or mental health; and when there is a substantial risk of foetal abnormality (Republic of Ghana, 1985; Global Abortion Policies Database, 2017). Access to safe abortion services remains limited, however, leading to a high incidence of unsafe abortions (Morhee & Morhee, 2006; Lahole, Mare, Maile, & Kussia, 2025). One study estimated the number of abortions in Ghana at 200,000 in 2017, with 71% classified as illegal (Polis et al., 2020). Unsafe abortions account for 64.1% of induced abortions and contribute significantly to maternal morbidity and mortality (Boah, Bordotsiah, & Kuurdong, 2019).
The Ghanaian government has introduced policies aimed at expanding contraceptive access and reproductive health education, including the Adolescent Reproductive Health Policy (Republic of Ghana, 2000) and the National Gender Policy (Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, 2015). Ghana is also a signatory to international agreements such as the Maputo Protocol, which promotes women’s reproductive rights in Africa.
However, implementation remains inconsistent, often facing resistance from religious and conservative groups, particularly regarding sexuality education.
A special question module in Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey (2024) explores the opinions and experiences of Ghanaians related to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Findings show that a majority of Ghanaians believe women should have autonomy in making decisions regarding marriage and reproduction. Most also say that young women who become pregnant should have the right to continue their education and that sex education should be taught in school. But views are divided on whether contraceptives should be available to everyone who is sexually active regardless of age, though the marital status of potential beneficiaries is less of a concern.
A majority of Ghanaians consider abortion justifiable if the mother’s life or health is at risk, but fewer see it as acceptable in cases of rape or incest, economic hardship, or unwanted pregnancy.