- Seychellois overwhelmingly support women’s and girls’ autonomy in making decisions about whether and when they should marry (91%) and about the timing and number of children to have (86%).
- Most citizens (93%) endorse teaching sex education in schools.
- About nine in 10 respondents (89%) say contraceptives should be made available to anyone regardless of marital status.
- But only a slim majority (52%) support contraceptive access regardless of age.
- Majorities say terminating a pregnancy is “sometimes” or “always” justified if the woman’s life or health is at risk (82%) or if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest (69%).
- But more than six in 10 citizens see abortion as “never” justified by economic hardship that would not allow the woman to take care of the child (61%) or by the woman’s wish not to keep the pregnancy “for any reason” (67%).
Seychelles has made notable progress in health development. Health care – including sexual and reproductive health services – is provided free of charge at state-operated facilities. Still, the country continues to face sexual and reproductive health challenges, particularly among adolescents (Republic of Seychelles, 2021).
In 2024, Seychelles recorded a birth rate of 44.9 per 1,000 girls aged 15-19, exceeding the global average of 41.3 (Republic of Seychelles, 2025; World Health Organization, 2024). This relatively high rate of teenage pregnancy can be partly attributed to restrictions requiring Seychellois under the age of 18 to obtain parental consent to access contraceptives, even though the legal age of sexual consent is 15 (Republic of Seychelles, 2021). And while sex education is included in the Personal, Social and Citizenship Education (PSCE) programme in primary and secondary schools, there are calls for broader societal engagement and a revision of the curriculum to adopt a rights-based approach that empowers young women (Bru, 2015; Pillay, 2019).
Abortion is legal in Seychelles under strict conditions. It is permitted if the pregnancy endangers the woman’s life or her physical or mental health, if there is a substantial risk of severe fetal abnormalities, if the woman is deemed mentally unfit to care for a child, or if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest (Republic of Seychelles, 2012). In the past decade, Seychelles has reported an average of 400-500 legal abortions each year, but many illegal and undocumented abortions are also believed to occur (Republic of Seychelles, 2025; Uzice, 2024).
A special question module in Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey (2025) explores the opinions and experiences of Seychellois related to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Findings show that Seychellois overwhelmingly support women’s autonomy in decisions about marriage and childbearing. Most citizens also favour allowing girls who become pregnant or have children to continue their education as well as the teaching of sex education in school.
About nine in 10 citizens support making contraceptives available regardless of marital status. However, only a slim majority endorse contraceptive access regardless of age.
Majorities consider abortion justifiable if the mother’s life or health is at risk or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, but only minorities see it as acceptable in cases of economic hardship or unwanted pregnancy.
Related content
