The Nexus between sexual and reproductive health decision-making and human development among adolescent girls in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This thesis sought to understand the nexus between sexual and reproductive health (SRH) decision-making and human development among adolescent girls in Chimanimani District in Zimbabwe. Specifically, the study described SRH knowledge of adolescent girls, explored their experiences of SRH decision-making, examined the connections between SRH decision-making and human development and also developed a strategy for increasing capacities of adolescent girls to have control of SRH decision-making thereby leading to enhanced socio-economic and healthy lives. The statement of the problem highlights that adolescent girls lack capacities to have control of SRH decision-making for enhanced socio-economic and healthy lives. The methodology of this study was grounded in qualitative research. Using participatory action research, the researcher engaged participants in dialogue on the interconnectedness between SRH decision-making and human development. Chimanimani District was purposively sampled as the study area. Thirty-two adolescent girls aged between 16 and 19 years constituted the sample size. The researcher collaborated with five co-researchers to recruit participants using passive and active recruitment methods. Data gathering was done using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participant observations. The researcher adopted critical discourse analysis (CDA) model developed by Norman Fairclough to analyse data. Findings revealed gaps in SRH knowledge among participants, indicating epistemic challenges to accessing such knowledge. Diverse experiences of SRH decision-making were highlighted. Economic uncertainty and poverty created obstacles to participants’ abilities to make SRH choices which reflected their interests. Through implementing the strategy, the researcher learnt that participative democracy in research enabled participants voice their interests and concerns in the research process. This study recommended to broaden the scope by facilitating dialogue with both boys and girls in a single study. The researcher believed that this would strengthen strategies for addressing conflicts in SRH decision-making and ultimately creating peaceful societies anchored in sustainable development.