Qualitative study explores sexual and reproductive health risks in out-of-school girls, highlighting critical vulnerabilities.
Adolescent girls in Kenya face sexual and reproductive health (SRH) risks. Being in school is recognized as protecting girls from such risks, leaving out-of-school girls vulnerable to such harms but ignored in research studies. This qualitative study aimed to explore the realities of out-of-school girls in Siaya County, Kenya, with a focus on SRH risks using four transect walks with 25 participants. Thematic analysis was used to explore the data. Themes included limited contraceptive knowledge, fear of negotiating contraception, early and unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion and exposure to HIV. Transactional sex was normalized to meet basic needs, and girls were coerced into sexual relationships, physically and verbally abused, with little agency or control over their lives. Conversely, a minority expressed sexual desire, curiosity and contraceptive choice. Being out-of-school intensifies SRH challenges and may expose girls to distinctive negative effects.
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Truffert et al. (2026) studied this question.
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