{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T00:34:27Z","timestamp":1789605267007,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772323200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772323200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Womens Health (Lond Engl)"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are fundamental yet inadequately realized across Africa, undermining well-being, economic stability, and autonomy. This editorial synthesizes findings from 24 studies in a special collection, highlighting persistent challenges and innovative solutions. Key issues in family planning include low contraceptive uptake and discontinuation, particularly among women with HIV and adolescents, exacerbated by social pressures and systemic exclusion of marginalized groups like LGBTQ+ individuals and persons with disabilities. For comprehensive abortion care, access to quality post-abortion services remains low, though provider training shows promise for improving skills. Systemic inequities are evident in limited pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, HIV-related fertility disparities, and high rates of gender-based violence (GBV), which is linked to adverse outcomes like repeat adolescent pregnancies. Evidence underscores that fragmented interventions fail; progress requires integrated, community-driven approaches. This includes combining HIV, mental health, and family planning services, empowering communities through peer-led networks, and implementing robust accountability mechanisms. Prioritizing the needs of marginalized populations\u2014including adolescents, GBV survivors, and persons with disabilities\u2014through inclusive policies, sustainable financing, and multi-level interventions is essential to building equitable SRHR systems that leave no one behind.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/17455057261426794","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T10:26:10Z","timestamp":1773224770000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4515-8517","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Felix","family":"Bongomin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Uganda"},{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5151-1036","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ella","family":"August","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2025","unstructured":"World Health Organization. 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Womens Health 2025; 21: 17455057251318379.","journal-title":"Womens Health"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","article-title":"If I chose to listen to people, I possibly wouldn\u2019t be using family planning\u201d: impact of external influences on women\u2019s contraceptive autonomy in rural Northwest Tanzania","volume":"20","author":"Lambert VJ","year":"2024","unstructured":"Lambert VJ, Samson A, Nzali A, et al. \u201cIf I chose to listen to people, I possibly wouldn\u2019t be using family planning\u201d: impact of external influences on women\u2019s contraceptive autonomy in rural Northwest Tanzania. Womens Health 2024; 20: 17455057241259173.","journal-title":"Womens Health"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","article-title":"Exploring challenges to the uptake of sexual and reproductive health services among lesbian and bisexual women in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: a qualitative enquiry","volume":"18","author":"Khozah MY","year":"2024","unstructured":"Khozah MY, Nunu WN. Exploring challenges to the uptake of sexual and reproductive health services among lesbian and bisexual women in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: a qualitative enquiry. Ther Adv Reprod Heal 2024; 18: 26334941241289553.","journal-title":"Ther Adv Reprod Heal"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","article-title":"Knowledge and practice toward menstrual hygiene management and associated factors among visual impaired adolescent girls: a case of two selected institutions in Rwanda","volume":"18","author":"Ishimwe Bazakare ML","year":"2024","unstructured":"Ishimwe Bazakare ML, Ngabo Rwabufigiri B, Munyanshongore C. Knowledge and practice toward menstrual hygiene management and associated factors among visual impaired adolescent girls: a case of two selected institutions in Rwanda. 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Person-centered maternity care and satisfaction with post-abortion care: a facility-based cross-sectional survey in Northern Uganda. Womens Health 2025; 21: 17455057251318897.","journal-title":"Womens Health"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","article-title":"Effect of clinicians training on their knowledge of abortion and postabortion care in six hospitals in Rwanda","volume":"21","author":"Bucyebucye JP","year":"2025","unstructured":"Bucyebucye JP, Gatsinzi Bagambe P, Ntasumbumuyange D, et al. Effect of clinicians training on their knowledge of abortion and postabortion care in six hospitals in Rwanda. Womens Health 2025; 21: 17455057251320706.","journal-title":"Womens Health"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","article-title":"Efficacy of the Gulu University Reproductive Health Simulation Training for final year medical students and interns: a before-and-after study","volume":"18","author":"Pebolo PF","year":"2024","unstructured":"Pebolo PF, Okot J, Bongomin F, et al. 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