Submission ID 118595
| Issue/Objective | Despite significant international funding aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes in Malawi, issues such as unplanned pregnancies, child marriages, and HIV prevalence remain high. This research investigates the underlying reasons for the limited impact of these interventions, focusing on the misalignment between global policy frameworks and the local socio-cultural context. |
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| Methodology/Approach | Qualitative research was conducted through interviews and focus groups with community members, youth, traditional leaders, and health workers in Malawi over a six-month period. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns and barriers. The research also analyzed policy documents and donor strategies to compare global health priorities with grassroots realities. Youth researchers from affected communities were engaged throughout the process, ensuring contextual authenticity. |
| Results | Findings show that many global health strategies fail to reflect lived realities. Cultural, religious, and traditional beliefs heavily influence whether communities adopt SRHR interventions. There is a growing gap between global policies and community-level experiences and needs. Policies are often top-down, with limited input from those directly affected. This disconnect often leads to mistrust, non-compliance, and the perception that SRHR agendas are foreign and externally imposed. Community members, particularly youth, voiced a desire for programs that speak their language, respect their beliefs, and are co-created with them. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | For Africa to advance in global health, policies must be informed by local voices. Global actors must prioritize context-specific solutions, youth-led research, and culturally informed approaches. Bridging the local-global disconnect is essential for inclusive leadership and lasting SRH outcomes. This research advocates for an intersectional and decolonized approach to SRHR-one that recognizes that young people in both the Global South and Global North face shared vulnerabilities, despite different contexts. A 14-year-old girl in rural Malawi struggling to access contraception shares similar barriers with a 14-year-old girl in the U.S. afraid to ask her mother about condoms. Inclusive leadership in global health must start by valuing these shared human experiences. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Madalitso Juwayeyi FACT Malawi Madalitso Juwayeyi FACT Malawi |
