Scaling-Up Youth-Friendly Comprehensive Abortion Care Services in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Without these safe abortion services for youth, Anna* said, “I don’t know what I would have done. I certainly wouldn’t be here now.”
*Named changed to protect her identity.

With funds from the Safe Abortion Action Fund, Pathfinder is building on existing efforts to expand and create sustainable safe abortion services in Ghana, Mozambique, and South Africa. The overarching goal of this project is to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality due to unsafe abortion.

In South Africa, Pathfinder is working with the Eastern Cape Department of Health (ECDOH) to build its capacity to improve access to and quality of youth-friendly comprehensive abortion care. There are currently significant social and structural barriers to accessing safe abortion services in South Africa, including stigma associated with abortion, misunderstanding of the legal status of abortion, few service providers, and limited supplies. Pathfinder's comprehensive approach to youth-friendly services (YFS) addresses the factors that prevent young people from seeking sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and improves the quality of those services. Currently, abortion services are being provided in three sites (Empilweni, Nontyatyambo, and Elliotdale) with expansion to a fourth site planned. As a result of one-on-one counseling, there has been 100 percent acceptance of a family planning method by clients after abortion.