Where We Work

Ipas Africa Alliance operates in four countries in East Africa:

Kenya

In Kenya, 70% of sexually active unmarried women use any method of family planning; 59% use a modern method. The most popular type of family planning method for sexually active unmarried women is the male condom. The use of implants is higher in rural areas (16%) than in urban areas (7%).

Sixty-three percent of married women aged 15-49 use any method of family planning, with 57% using a modern method and 6% using a traditional method. The most commonly used methods among married women are injectables (20%), implants (19%), and pills (8%).

The use of modern methods of family planning increases with level of education, from 21% among married women with no education, topping at 60% of those with primary education and 61% of those with secondary education, and 58% among married women with more than secondary education. The use of modern family planning methods by married women is highest in Embu County (75%), followed by Nyeri and Kirinyaga counties (71% each). The counties with the lowest modern family planning use are Mandera (2%), Wajir (3%), Marsabit (6%), and Garissa (11%).

Source:

https://www.knbs.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kenya-Demographic-and-Health-Survey-KDHS-2022-Summary-Report.pdf

Teenage Pregnancy

In Kenya, 15% of adolescent women aged 15-19 have ever been pregnant: 12% have given birth, 1% have had a pregnancy loss, and 3% are pregnant with their first child. By county, teen pregnancy ranges from 50% in Samburu to 5% in Nyeri and Nyandarua. Teenage pregnancy in Kenya declines as the level of education increases, from 38% for women with no education to 5% for women with more than secondary education. It also declines as household wealth increases, from 21% in the lowest wealth quintile to 7% in the highest wealth quintile.

Pregnancy Outcomes and Induced Abortion

Of all pregnancies to women aged 15-49 ending in the 3 years before the survey, 88% resulted in live births, 10% were miscarriages, 2% stillbirths, and less than 1% were induced abortions.

Rwanda

Teenage Pregnancies

According to the most recent Rwanda Demographic Health Survey, released in 2020, the number of underage pregnancies rose from 17,337 in 2017 to 19,832 three years on.

The percentage of women age 15-19 who have begun childbearing increases with age, from less than 1% among those age 15 to 15% among those age 19.

By province, the percentage of teenagers who have begun childbearing is highest in East and South (6% each) and lowest in West and City of Kigali (4% each).

Gender Based Violence

Ever-married women age 15-49 who have experienced physical violence since age 15 most often name their current husband/partner (60%), their former husband/partner (27%), and their mother/stepmother (10%) as the perpetrators of the violence.

Twenty-three percent of women and 6% of men age 15-49 reported that they had ever experienced sexual violence.

Among women age 15-49yrs, 37% have experienced physical violence since age 15 and 23% have ever experienced sexual violence. The corresponding proportions among men are 30% and 6%.

Unmet need for family planning

Percentage of women age 15 – 49  with unmet need for family planning.

Tanzania

In Tanzania, the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR), modern methods, among currently married women (aged 15-49) is 32 per cent.9 There is a notable difference, however, in contraceptive use across regions ranging from a low of 7 per cent in Kusini Pemba (Zanzibar) to a high of 52 per cent in Lindi (Southern Tanzania). Among young married women aged 15 to 24, the CPR is very low at 16 per cent, ranging from 1 per cent in Unguja (Zanzibar) to 36 per cent in Lindi.

Teenage Pregnancies

South West Highlands zone and Southern Highlands zone have the highest levels of teenage pregnancy in Tanzania (31% and 29%, respectively). TDHS 202. The percentage of teenage women 15–19 who have ever been pregnant is higher in rural Tanzania (25%) than in urban Tanzania (16%). Overall, the percentage of women age 15–19 who were reported as ever having been pregnant decreased from 27% in 2015–16 to 22% in 2022. This is still way above global estimations of 14%.

Gender based violence

Twelve percent of women aged 15–49 have ever experienced sexual violence by any perpetrator, including 7% who experienced sexual violence in the 12 months prior to the survey.

Teenage pregnancies by region

Percentage of women age 15 – 18 who have ever been pregnant

Uganda

Maternal Health Fact sheet

According to the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) progress report 2021, Uganda is making Progress in attaining SDG 3 with the significant target of reducing maternal mortality incidences to 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. The MMR (Maternal mortality rate) remarkably reduced from 336 death per 100,000 live birth (UDHS 2016) to 189 deaths per 100,000 live birth (UDHS 2022), representing 44% overall decrease in the incidences of maternal mortality. This reduction is attributed to the implementation of the high impact safe motherhood interventions including EmOC (emergency obstetric care).

Whereas a reduction in the incidences of maternal mortality, Uganda still lags the 2030 target with haemorrhage still the leading cause of maternal mortality at 61%, followed by hypertensive disorders accounting for 21% and unsafe abortions accounting for 8% of all the causes of maternal mortality (UDHS 2022). This still requires high investments by both the government and development partners in Sexual and Reproductive health to avert the still high maternal mortality. 

Ipas Uganda through the Actuate project is collaborating with MOH (Ministry of Health) to reduce preventable maternal mortalities and morbidities due to unsafe abortion and promote safe motherhood through capacity building of health workers in the provision of safe abortion services, Post Abortion care services, supply of SRH (Sexual and Reproductive Health) commodities aimed at supplementing the government of Uganda efforts in making essential services accessible. Infrastructural improvements in 36 health facilities in our 12 districts of interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of care for women and girls.

Ipas Uganda programs support community-based organizations to create aggregate demand for SRH services. Additionally, Ipas is a solid member of the SRHR movement in Uganda and the Coalition to Stop Maternal Mortalities Due to Unsafe abortions (CSMMUA) and coordinates a community of practice (COP) of provider advocates who not only utilize their powerful lived realities and experiences to advocate for an enabling SRHR environment but also provide friendly and responsive services to people in Uganda without discrimination. Ipas also works with government line ministries and Agencies in Uganda both at the national and subnational levels to enhance a favorable legal and policy environment for the provision SRHR services and building resilient and sustainable health systems. In these collaborations, we leverage each other’s resources and expertise to advance our shared vision.