Who is to blame for the ‘problem’ of teenage pregnancy? Narratives of blame in two South African communities

Policies, interventions and programmes focusing on adolescents' sexual and reproductive health need to carefully consider the framing and narratives of blame and responsibility. There is an urgent need to shift away from the individualised moralistic shaming of pregnant AGYW, towards a recognition of a complex interplay of multilevel factors that enable or constrain AGYW's agency. Policies and programmes should focus on both providing sufficient support to AGYW, while also addressing structural factors and harmful narratives and thus create the conditions necessary to enable AGYW to enact safe, informed, agentic and responsible decisions and behaviours about their own sexual and reproductive health.