article · BMJ Open
Analysis of survey data collected in 2020 examines the prevalence and contributing factors of forced sexual initiation among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years across Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda. Based on a weighted sample of 2,307 adolescents, the pooled prevalence of forced sexual initiation was found to be 24 per cent across these settings. Several individual and household characteristics were statistically associated with this outcome, including age at sexual debut, relationship to the head of the household, educational attainment, household wealth, marital status, and the specific country of residence. The findings demonstrate a high burden of non-consensual sexual debut in the region, exceeding global benchmarks and highlighting the necessity of targeted interventions to support the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Adolescent well-being is critical for societal progress, yet many young women encounter non-consensual sexual experiences early in life. By establishing a 24 per cent prevalence rate and identifying key socioeconomic and demographic risk factors across four African nations, this evidence helps public health bodies and development organisations design targeted support programmes and preventive policies to protect vulnerable adolescent girls.
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OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of forced sexual initiation and its associated factors among adolescent girls in four sub-Saharan African countries. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study design. SETTING: Four sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and Uganda included in this study. DATA SOURCE: Performance monitoring for action survey data collected in 2020. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2307 weighted samples of adolescent girls aged 15-19 years were included in this study. OUTCOME MEASURE: Forced sexual initiation among adolescent girls. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of forced sexual initiation was 24% (95% CI 17% to 31%) among adolescent girls aged 15-19 years in four sub-Saharan African countries. Age at sexual debut, relationship with the household head, educational status, wealth status, marital status and country of residence were statistically significant factors associated with forced sexual initiation among adolescent girls. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with that of the global target, the burden of forced sexual initiation among adolescent girls in the four sub-Saharan Africa was greater. This indicates that action is needed in this area to reach the global Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Individual-level and community-level factors were associated with forced sexual initiation.
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DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-110243
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