When a Hidden Abortion is better than a Visible Pregnancy
How do unplanned pregnancies affect women in Sierra Leone
Hamida Massaquoi, a PhD student at CAS, has published an article in TEOL information at Copenhagen University. The article titled ‘When a secret abortion is better than a visible pregnancy’, delves into the complicated judicial, religious, and stigma surrounding pregnancy outside of marriage in Sierra Leone. Many young women experience a fear of being an outcast in society and unable to finish their education if they become pregnant. Until 2020 there was no legislation to prevent women from being thrown out of public school if they are pregnant. With education being an important investment in a woman’s future pregnancy is a threat that many women are not willing to accept. Due to Sierra Leones ban on abortion many women are forced to undertake dangerous procedures such as ingesting rat poison or dangerous herb mixtures. Sierra Leone is already one of the most dangerous countries in the world to give birth in and adding in dangerous abortions does not make women any safer. With fear of stigmatization and an unsuccessful future, reproductive rights pose a great threat to the women of Sierra Leone.
The study investigates how the dynamic interplay between traditional and religious values influences the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young mothers. It delves into the evolving social norms that shape the perception of motherhood among young girls. The research is grounded on 11-months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in a semi-urban setting. It involved fourteen pregnant girls and young mothers from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, along with formal and informal interviews with family members, religious leaders, health care professionals, and various stakeholders.
Read the full article here; in Danish.